We hope you enjoyed the long weekend and the incredible weather.☀️
As far as the Legislature goes, committee work is winding down as they report out their final bills or vote to carry over the rest into 2024. Bills are heading quickly to the House and Senate chambers for debates and votes. If a bill survives both chambers, then it heads to the Governor's desk, where she can sign the bill into law or veto it – or she can let it become law without her signature. Non-emergency bills go into effect 90 days after the Legislature adjournment, unless another date is specified.
Here are your weekly updates 👇
"Maine has transparent and accessible elections, strong voting rights, and the Maine Clean Election Act. We have been a leader in campaign finance reform for more than two decades. But money still talks in Augusta."
Click here to check out our latest op-ed on LD 726.
Heading to the House and Senate chambers:
- 🚨 LD 726 — Repealing our corporate contribution ban: Repealing this would reopen the gates for big corporate money to flow directly to Maine candidates and legislators. We oppose this bill. It's been reported out of the VLA Committee and goes to the chamber floors next. Contact your legislators and ask them to oppose the repeal!
- LD 1416 — Raising the number of signatures for ballot initiatives: This proposed constitutional amendment would dramatically increase the number of signatures required for a ballot initiative, making it much harder for initiatives to qualify and increasing the role of monied interests in the process. We oppose it. VLA majority reported it out as "ought not to pass," which is good in our eyes.
Get pumped:
- NEW! LD 1966 — County Clean Elections: This would allow candidates running for county offices, like sheriffs and district attorneys, to participate in the Clean Elections program. We support this bill. It's had a quick run so far, with a public hearing and work session just last week. It received a supportive, bipartisan vote in the VLA committee, which would not have been possible without Morgan Rielly and Benjamin Collings. We thank them for their sponsorship and leadership on this bill!
Carried over into 2024:
- LD 1578 — National Popular Vote: This bill would add Maine to the NPV Interstate Compact. NPV becomes effective when states representing 270 Electoral College votes sign on to the agreement. We support this one. It's been a hectic session, so it's not surprising or unusual that a number of bills will be carried over into the second half.
Your Local Election Information
Towns across Maine will have elections on Tuesday, June 13. Do you feel vote-ready? We've covered local information for over 100 Maine towns in our online voter guide. Check it out on Vote411.org.