How the Maine Referendum Questions in the 2023 Election Will Read

Prepare yourself before you step into the voting box by reviewing the 2023 referendum questions now.

Why Is It a Good Idea to Review the Questions Now?

It used to happen to me more often than not. I’d go to my polling place to fill out a ballot and there would be a referendum question that I hadn’t researched. So I’d read it. And then I’d read it again because the wording can be tricky on these questions. Sometimes a ‘yes’ vote means you’re actually voting against an initiative.

So now, I always try to review the questions a few weeks before the election. This gives me time to research the issues and understand the wording of each question. Do I always make the right decision? Well, let’s not get crazy. But at least I feel like I’ve prepared myself as best as I can.

What Are The 2023 Referendum Questions?

This year I thought, instead of just reviewing them for myself, I’d share them with others so they can do the same. Especially since this year’s ballot will contain 8 referendum questions. That’s a lot. I hope this helps you feel confident about voting in November’s election.

So here are the questions, as reported on the Maine Secretary of State’s website:

QUESTION 1: An Act to Require Voter Approval of Certain Borrowing by Government-controlled Entities and Utilities and to Provide Voters More Information Regarding That Borrowing. Do you want to bar some quasi-governmental entities and all consumer-owned electric utilities from taking on more than $1 billion in debt unless they get statewide voter approval?

QUESTION 2: An Act to Prohibit Campaign Spending by Foreign Governments and Promote an Anticorruption Amendment to the United States Constitution. Do you want to ban foreign governments and entities that they own, control, or influence from making campaign contributions or financing communications for or against candidates or ballot questions?

QUESTION 3: An Act to Create the Pine Tree Power Company, a Nonprofit, Customer-owned Utility. Do you want to create a new power company governed by an elected board to acquire and operate existing for-profit electricity transmission and distribution facilities in Maine?

QUESTION 4: An Act Regarding Automotive Right to Repair. Do you want to require vehicle manufacturers to standardize on-board diagnostic systems and provide remote access to those systems and mechanical data to owners and independent repair facilities?

QUESTION 5: RESOLUTION, Proposing an Amendment to the Constitution of Maine Regarding the Timing of Judicial Review of the Determination of the Validity of Written Petitions. Do you favor amending the Constitution of Maine to change the time period for judicial review of the validity of written petitions from within 100 days from the date of filing to within 100 business days from the date of filing of a written petition in the office of the Secretary of State, with an exception for petitions filed within 30 calendar days before or after a general election?

QUESTION 6: RESOLUTION, Proposing an Amendment to the Constitution of Maine to Require All Provisions in the Constitution to Be Included in the Official Printing. Do you favor amending the Constitution of Maine to require that all of the provisions of the Constitution be included in the official printed copies of the Constitution prepared by the Secretary of State?

QUESTION 7: RESOLUTION, Proposing an Amendment to the Constitution of Maine to Align the Proceedings for Circulating Written Petitions for People’s Vetoes and Direct Initiatives with Federal Law. Do you favor amending the Constitution of Maine to remove a provision requiring a circulator of a citizen’s initiative or people’s veto petition to be a resident of Maine and a registered voter in Maine, requirements that have been ruled unconstitutional in federal court?

QUESTION 8: RESOLUTION, Proposing an Amendment to the Constitution of Maine to Allow Persons Under Guardianship for Mental Illness to Be Electors. Do you favor amending the Constitution of Maine to remove a provision prohibiting a person under guardianship for reasons of mental illness from voting for Governor, Senators and Representatives, which the United States District Court for the District of Maine found violates the United States Constitution and federal law?

When is Election Day?

These questions will appear on the ballot on November 7th, 2023. Find more information about the upcoming election and the polling place in your community on the website for the Maine Secretary of State.

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