The Maine Wire
  • News
  • Commentary
  • Maine Wire TV
  • About
  • Contact
Facebook Twitter Instagram
Trending News
  • Liberals Roast “Great White Mother” Mills for Opposition to Tribal Sovereignty Bill
  • Golden Backs “Lukewarm” Debt Ceiling Deal But Criticizes Cuts to IRS
  • Auburn Rep Files Lawsuit Challenging Constitutionality of PAC Fundraising Restrictions
  • Bangor-area Church Sues School Board for Religious Discrimination in Lease Rejection
  • Protest at Maine State House for Iraq War Veteran Killed in 2022 Memorial Day Shooting
  • Competitive Shooting Event to Raise More Than $75k for Travis Mills Foundation with USPSA Maine State Championship
  • GOP Wants Limits on “Net Energy Billing” to Rein in Electricity Rates
  • N.H. Residents Fear Maine “Trans Sanctuary” Bill Will Harm Granite State Kids: WGME
Facebook Twitter Instagram
The Maine Wire
Login
Thursday, June 1
  • News
  • Commentary
  • Maine Wire TV
  • About
  • Contact
The Maine Wire
Home » News » Ballot reform would help end legislative headaches
News

Ballot reform would help end legislative headaches

Mike QuatranoBy Mike QuatranoJuly 19, 2017Updated:July 19, 2017No Comments3 Mins Read
Facebook Twitter Email LinkedIn Reddit
Share
Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email

During last year’s general election cycle, the people of Maine saw a record number of citizens’ initiatives up for a vote.  After the dust settled, many voters were left wondering what the consequences would be of sweeping legislation enacted through the ballot box.

Thankfully, the legislature acted and fully repealed Question 2, the 3 percent surtax on incomes earned over $200,000, in the biennial budget deal. The legislature also altered the minimum wage initiative, Question 4, by reinstating the tip credit for workers in Maine’s food service industry. However, conservatives had to battle tooth and nail through a government shutdown for these reforms.

Maine has the opportunity to prevent lofty, overreaching initiatives like Questions 2 and 4 from appearing on the ballot in the future by enacting LD 31. The bill, sponsored by Rep. Ellie Espling, R-New Gloucester, would amend the Maine Constitution by requiring petitioners collect signatures for citizens’ referendums from voters in both of Maine’s congressional districts. The number of signatures collected in each district cannot be less than 10 percent of the total votes cast for Governor in that district during the most recent gubernatorial election.

This measure would ensure Mainers across the state support an initiative before it appears on the ballot. Too often signatures are collected in left-leaning Portland and other southern areas of the state for initiatives that Mainers in The County would never consider enacting. When liberal organizations dump millions of dollars into Maine to pass a referendum question, Mainers in rural areas have no way to defend their livelihoods other than to hope people show up at the polls and beat the big money campaigns. As seen in 2016, that is easier said than done.

Unfortunately, the ballot initiative landscape in Maine is not a level playing field. Deep-pocketed liberal donors use our state as a guinea pig to test radical Leftist ideas, and our ballot initiative process has become their vehicle of choice. Rarely do these ballot questions spawn organically at the will of Maine voters.

For instance, during the 2016 cycle, Fieldworks, a political organization from Washington D.C., was paid $560,000 by Michael Bloomberg to collect signatures for Question 3 to appear on the ballot. Fieldworks was also paid to collect signatures for two other initiatives that appeared on the ballot last November.

Since its adoption in the early 20th century, the ballot initiative process has increasingly become a tool of special interest unable to move their agenda past the deliberative scrutiny of the Legislature. During the 1950s and 1960s, not a single citizens’ initiative appeared on the ballot in Maine, compared to 16 initiatives from 2000 to 2010 and five in 2016 alone.

It’s time for this to stop, and to return power to the People of Maine. Requiring an equal amount of petition signatures from each congressional district will give all Mainers more of a voice in the process, and prevent southern Maine from unilaterally imposing its will on the rest of the state. LD 31 accomplishes this reform.

It is imperative that you contact your state senator today and urge them to support LD 31 so that it gathers a two-thirds vote to move to this November’s ballot.

ballot initiative ballot reform Commentary Featured LD 31 Opinion question 2 question 3 question 4
Previous ArticleSolar is breaking the bank for Maine ratepayers
Next Article LePage’s fiscal policies are stabilizing Maine’s finances
Mike Quatrano

Mike Quatrano is the Director of Civic Engagement at Maine Policy Institute, overseeing Maine Policy's grassroots activist network and collaboration with the state legislature.

Related Posts

Liberals Roast “Great White Mother” Mills for Opposition to Tribal Sovereignty Bill

June 1, 2023

Golden Backs “Lukewarm” Debt Ceiling Deal But Criticizes Cuts to IRS

June 1, 2023

Auburn Rep Files Lawsuit Challenging Constitutionality of PAC Fundraising Restrictions

June 1, 2023

Leave A Reply

Recent News

Liberals Roast “Great White Mother” Mills for Opposition to Tribal Sovereignty Bill

June 1, 2023

Golden Backs “Lukewarm” Debt Ceiling Deal But Criticizes Cuts to IRS

June 1, 2023

Auburn Rep Files Lawsuit Challenging Constitutionality of PAC Fundraising Restrictions

June 1, 2023

Bangor-area Church Sues School Board for Religious Discrimination in Lease Rejection

May 31, 2023

Protest at Maine State House for Iraq War Veteran Killed in 2022 Memorial Day Shooting

May 31, 2023
Newsletter

News

  • News
  • Campaigns & Elections
  • Opinion & Commentary
  • Media Watch
  • Education
  • Media

Maine Wire

  • About the Maine Wire
  • Advertising
  • Contact Us
  • Submit Commentary
  • Complaints
  • Maine Policy Institute

Resources

  • Maine Legislature
  • Legislation Finder
  • Get the Newsletter
  • Maine Wire TV

Facebook Twitter Instagram Steam RSS
  • Post Office Box 7829, Portland, Maine 04112

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.

Sign In or Register

Welcome Back!

Login below or Register Now.

Lost password?

Register Now!

Already registered? Login.

A password will be e-mailed to you.