AUGUSTA (AP) — A push to change Maine’s constitution to require citizen referendum campaigns to gather signatures from both congressional districts is dead.
Republicans and some Democrats have argued over the last year that lawmakers are spending too much time fixing citizen-initiated referendums that too easily get on the ballot. Some organizers of ballot campaigns have argued that voters are just fed up with stalemate in Augusta and that Maine already makes it hard enough for citizens leading ballot campaigns.
The House voted 93-50 Tuesday in support of the change, but the bill lacked the needed two-thirds majority to go to voters.
Several bills to reform Maine’s referendum process have failed since 2016.
Comments are not available on this story. Read more about why we allow commenting on some stories and not on others.
We believe it's important to offer commenting on certain stories as a benefit to our readers. At its best, our comments sections can be a productive platform for readers to engage with our journalism, offer thoughts on coverage and issues, and drive conversation in a respectful, solutions-based way. It's a form of open discourse that can be useful to our community, public officials, journalists and others.
We do not enable comments on everything — exceptions include most crime stories, and coverage involving personal tragedy or sensitive issues that invite personal attacks instead of thoughtful discussion.
You can read more here about our commenting policy and terms of use. More information is also found on our FAQs.
Show less