Here in Maine, we’re incredibly fortunate to have the ability to come together to directly advance policy that’s in the best interest of our residents and our state.

Unfortunately, a dangerous loophole within our campaign finance law was recently exposed as a foreign government-owned corporation openly spent $24 million through a political action committee to influence the outcome of a Maine referendum that was initiated by more than 80,000 Maine voters. Regardless of how you voted on Question 1, now that a foreign government successfully exploited this loophole, the door is wide open to influence from far beyond our international borders, and a recently announced Federal Election Commission ruling has made it more important than ever for Maine residents to band together to protect Maine elections.

That’s why Protect Maine Elections, a nonpartisan group with support from across the political spectrum, is currently in the field collecting signatures to qualify a referendum for the ballot.

We need to collect at least 80,000 signatures by the end of the year to place a referendum on the November 2022 ballot that would:

• Eliminate campaign spending by foreign governments in Maine elections.

• Require media companies to disclose illegal spending by foreign governments.

• Mandate disclosure by foreign governments on issue advertisements.

• Reaffirm Maine’s support for an anti-corruption amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

For more information about this effort, or to volunteer, visit protectmaineelections.com.

Let’s band together to ensure that Maine elections are reserved for Maine residents.

Christopher Cayer
field director, Protect Maine Elections
Eustis