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132nd MAINE LEGISLATURE
FIRST SPECIAL SESSION-2025
Legislative Document No. 1388H.P. 910 House of Representatives, April 1, 2025
An Act to Replace the Participation Threshold in Votes to Adopt or
Alter a Municipal Charter with a Lower Approval Threshold
Reference to the Committee on State and Local Government suggested and ordered printed.
ROBERT B. HUNT
Clerk
Presented by Representative BRIDGEO of Augusta.
Cosponsored by Representative: ROLLINS of Augusta. Page 1 - 132LR0660(01)
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2 as enacted by PL 1987, c. 737, Pt. A, §2 and
3 Pt. C, §106 and amended by PL 1989, c. 6; c. 9, §2; and c. 104, Pt. C, §§8 and 10, is further
4 amended to read:
5 more of the ballots votes cast on any question under
6 subsection 1 or 2 favor acceptance than oppose it, the new charter, charter revision, charter
7 modification or charter amendment proposed in that question becomes effective as
8 provided in this subsection, provided as long as the total number of votes cast for and
9 against in favor of the question equals or exceeds 30% 15% of the total votes cast in the
10 municipality at the last gubernatorial election.
11 A. Except as provided in subparagraph (1), new charters, charter revisions or charter
12 modifications adopted by the voters take effect on the first day of the next succeeding
13 municipal year.
14 (1) New charters, charter revisions or charter modifications take effect
15 immediately for the purpose of conducting any elections required by the new
16 provisions.
17 B. Charter amendments adopted by the voters take effect on the date determined by
18 the municipal officers, but not later than the first day of the next municipal year.
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20 This bill changes the requirements for a new municipal charter, charter revision, charter
21 modification or charter amendment in a question before the voters to go into effect. Current
22 law requires that the total number of votes cast for and against the question equals or
23 exceeds 30% of the total votes cast in the municipality in the last gubernatorial election.
24 The bill requires instead that the number of votes cast in favor of the question equals or
25 exceeds 15% of the total votes cast in the municipality in the last gubernatorial election.
26 Also, while this bill does not change the requirement that a majority of votes cast for and
27 against the proposed change be in favor of it in order for that change to go into effect, it
28 clarifies that blank votes are not counted in that calculation.
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