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132nd MAINE LEGISLATURE
FIRST SPECIAL SESSION-2025
Legislative Document No. 1437H.P. 946 House of Representatives, April 3, 2025
RESOLUTION, Proposing an Amendment to the Constitution of
Maine to Specify the Qualifications of Electors in State and Local
Elections
Reference to the Committee on Veterans and Legal Affairs suggested and ordered printed.
ROBERT B. HUNT
Clerk
Presented by Representative FAULKINGHAM of Winter Harbor.
Cosponsored by Senator STEWART of Aroostook and
Representatives: ARDELL of Monticello, BISHOP of Bucksport, MCINTYRE of Lowell,
PAUL of Winterport, PERKINS of Dover-Foxcroft, SMITH of Palermo, WHITE of Ellsworth,
Senator: HARRINGTON of York. Page 1 - 132LR1356(01)1
2 Legislature concurring, that the following amendment to the Constitution of Maine be
3 proposed:
4is amended to read:
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7 county or municipal or other local election. Every citizen of the United States of the age
8 of 18 years and upwards, excepting persons under guardianship for reasons of mental
9 illness, having his or her residence established in this State, shall be an elector for Governor,
10 Senators and Representatives, and county, local or municipal office in the city, town or
11 plantation where his or her residence has been established, if he or she continues to reside
12 in this State; and the elections shall be by written ballot. But persons in the military, naval
13 or marine service of the United States, or this State, shall not be considered as having
14 obtained such established residence by being stationed in any garrison, barrack or military
15 place, in any city, town or plantation; nor shall the residence of a student at any seminary
16 of learning entitle the student to the right of suffrage in the city, town or plantation where
17 such seminary is established. No person, however, shall be deemed to have lost residence
18 by reason of the person's absence from the state in the military service of the United States,
19 or of this State.
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21 an elector in all county, state and national elections.
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23 That the municipal officers of this State shall notify the inhabitants of their
24 respective cities, towns and plantations to meet, in the manner prescribed by law for holding
25 a statewide election, at a statewide election held in the month of November following the
26 passage of this resolution, to vote upon the ratification of the amendment proposed in this
27 resolution by voting upon the following question:
28 "Do you favor amending the Constitution of Maine to permit only citizens
29 of the United States to vote in state, county or municipal or other local
30 elections?"
31 The legal voters of each city, town and plantation shall vote by ballot on this question
32 and designate their choice by a cross or check mark placed within the corresponding square
33 below the word "Yes" or "No." The ballots must be received, sorted, counted and declared
34 in open ward, town and plantation meetings and returns made to the Secretary of State in
35 the same manner as votes for members of the Legislature. The Governor shall review the
36 returns. If it appears that a majority of the legal votes are cast in favor of the amendment,
37 the Governor shall proclaim that fact without delay and the amendment becomes part of
38 the Constitution of Maine on the date of the proclamation.
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40 shall prepare and furnish to each city, town and plantation all ballots, returns and copies of
41 this resolution necessary to carry out the purposes of this referendum. Page 2 - 132LR1356(01)
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2 This resolution proposes to amend the Constitution of Maine to specify that only a
3 person who is a citizen of the United States may vote in a state, county or municipal or
4 other local election.
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