2015 Maine Question 1

none Question 1: Citizen Initiative An Act To Strengthen the Maine Clean Election Act, Improve Disclosure and Make Other Changes to the Campaign Finance Laws 119912 98343 220834 275px County results Yes #7D9CBB 60–70% 1px #AAAAAA solid #B6C8D9 50–60% 1px #AAAAAA solid No #DEDEBD 50–60% 1px #AAAAAA solid Source: Office of the Secretary of State of Maine, Tabulation of Votes Maine Question 1, "An Act To Strengthen the Maine Clean Election Act, Improve Disclosure and Make Other Changes to the Campaign Finance Laws", was a citizen-initiated referendum measure in Maine, which appeared on the November 3, 2015 statewide ballot. As the Maine Legislature did not exercise its ability to pass the bill on its own, it was placed on the ballot and approved by Maine voters. Background The Maine Clean Elections Act was passed as a citizen-initiated referendum titled Question 3 in 1996, making Maine the first state to adopt a public campaign financing law.http://www.pressherald.com/2013/01/16/budget-bill-worries-maine-clean-election-advocates/ Proposed cuts worry Maine Clean Election advocates Portland Press Herald January 16, 2013 September 21, 2015 It established a voluntary public campaign financing program for Maine gubernatorial and legislative elections, allowing candidates who demonstrated a certain level of community support through a limited number of 'seed money' contributions to qualify for public financing of their campaign. Candidates who accepted such financing could not subsequently accept any private contributions to their campaign.http://www.maine.gov/ethics/mcea/ The Maine Clean Election Act Maine Ethics Commission September 21, 2015 June 21, 2019 https://web.archive.org/web/20190621110258/https://www.maine.gov/ethics/mcea/ dead Initially, the Act also provided for publicly financed candidates to receive additional matching funds should privately financed candidates in their race outspend them. In 2011, the United States Supreme Court struck down a similar provision in Arizona as unconstitutional,http://bangordailynews.com/2011/06/27/politics/supreme-court-ruling-to-affect-maine-clean-elections/ Supreme Court ruling to affect Maine Clean Elections Bangor Daily News June 27, 2011 September 21, 2015 which led to a US District Court judge doing the same with Maine's provision later that year.http://bangordailynews.com/2011/11/29/politics/matching-funds-portion-of-clean-election-act-in-jeopardy/?ref=inline Matching funds portion of Clean Election Act in jeopardy Bangor Daily News November 29, 2011 September 21, 2015 Due to those court rulings, the Maine Legislature removed the matching funds provision from the Act.http://bangordailynews.com/2012/03/02/politics/maine-senate-oks-clean-election-act-changes/?ref=relatedBox Maine Senate OKs Clean Election Act changes Bangor Daily News March 2, 2012 September 21, 2015 The group Mainers for Accountable Elections turned in approximately 86,000 signatures to Maine Secretary of State Matthew Dunlap on January 21, 2015.http://wabi.tv/2015/01/21/maine-group-earns-85000-signatures-clean-elections-initiative/ Maine Group Earns 85,000 Signatures For Clean Elections Initiative WABI-TV January 21, 2015 September 21, 2015 https://web.archive.org/web/20150730025025/http://wabi.tv/2015/01/21/maine-group-earns-85000-signatures-clean-elections-initiative/ July 30, 2015 dead Dunlap verified about 80,000 of them by February 18, 2015. That was about 16,000 more than required, which sent the question to the Legislature for consideration, though they did not do so and the question was sent to the ballot.http://www.pressherald.com/2015/02/18/maine-secretary-of-state-oks-clean-election-signatures/ Maine secretary of state OKs clean election signatures 18 February 2015 Republican State Senator Eric Brakey introduced a competing measure in the Legislature to ask voters to repeal the Act and redirect the intended funds to education costs.http://news.mpbn.net/post/bill-repeal-maines-clean-elections-law-comes-under-fire Bill to Repeal Maine's Clean Elections Law Comes Under Fire MPBN April 24, 2015 September 21, 2015 His proposal was rejected in committee on May 6, 2015 by a 9-1 vote.http://www.pressherald.com/2015/05/06/maine-panel-rejects-attempt-to-repeal-clean-election-law/ Maine panel rejects attempt to repeal Clean Election law 6 May 2015 The proposed changes to the Act include increasing the amount of money distributed to candidates, more disclosure requirements such as listing the top three donors that pay for political advertisements in the ad itself, and increased fines for violators.http://bangordailynews.com/2015/07/28/politics/elections/campaign-for-maine-finance-reform-ballot-question-kicks-off/?ref=relatedBox Campaign for Maine finance reform ballot question kicks off Bangor Daily News July 28, 2015 September 21, 2015 Campaign Mainers for Accountable Elections launched its campaign on July 28, 2015, at a rally where Republican State Sen. Roger Katz spoke in support of the referendum.http://bangordailynews.com/2015/07/28/politics/group-rallies-around-ballot-question-to-reform-maine-campaign-laws/ Group rallies around ballot question to reform Maine campaign laws Bangor Daily News July 28, 2015 September 21, 2015 Until September 2015, there was no organized opposition to the referendum.http://stateandcapitol.bangordailynews.com/2015/09/17/will-question-1-cruise-to-election-day-without-opposition/ Will Question 1 cruise to Election Day without opposition? 17 September 2015 On September 23, it was reported a Facebook page was created called "No on Question 1". It was created in part by State Rep. Joel Stetkis (R-Canaan) who appeared on WVOM radio to call the proposal "nothing but a scam" and "an assault on the Maine people who want a citizen legislator to represent them."http://stateandcapitol.bangordailynews.com/2015/09/23/question-1-opponent-maine-election-reform-bid-nothing-but-a-scam/ Question 1 opponent: Maine election reform bid 'nothing but a scam' Bangor Daily News September 23, 2015 September 23, 2015 Opponents of the Act as a whole include Governor of Maine Paul LePage who has attempted to remove funding for the Act from the state budget, calling it "welfare for politicians", without successhttp://bangordailynews.com/2013/02/27/politics/lepage-budget-would-gut-clean-election-fund-for-2014-campaign/ LePage budget would gut clean election fund for 2014 campaign Bangor Daily News February 27, 2013 May 7, 2013 as well as the aforementioned Sen. Brakey's effort to seek repeal of the law. The conservative Maine Heritage Policy Center supported court rulings against the Act. LePage has called Question 1 specifically a "scam"http://bangordailynews.com/2015/10/14/politics/lepage-calls-maine-election-reform-effort-a-scam/ LePage calls Maine election reform effort 'a scam' Bangor Daily News October 15, 2015 October 15, 2015 and that public campaign financing was like "giving your wife your checkbook".http://mainebeacon.com/gov-lepage-says-public-campaign-financing-like-giving-your-wife-your-checkbook/ Gov. LePage says public campaign financing like "giving your wife your checkbook" Maine Beacon October 22, 2015 October 22, 2015 On October 21, the Maine State Chamber of Commerce announced its opposition to the Question, due to disagreeing with its funding mechanism of eliminating corporate tax breaks. Chamber President Dana Connors stated that Maine's business incentive programs are modest and it would be difficult and harm the state's business climate to eliminate any of them. The opposition was notable it that it was not based on ideological opposition to public financing of campaigns as with other opponents.http://bangordailynews.com/2015/10/21/politics/maine-state-chamber-of-commerce-opposes-question-1/ Maine State Chamber of Commerce opposes Question 1 Bangor Daily News October 21, 2015 October 21, 2015 Notable supporters Shenna Bellows, Democratic nominee for the U.S. Senate in 2014, former head of the American Civil Liberties Union of Mainehttp://www.sunjournal.com/news/columns-analysis/2015/10/28/maine-has-another-chance-clean-elections/1808465 Maine has another chance for clean elections Lewiston Sun Journal October 29, 2015 October 29, 2015 Chris Johnson, Democratic State Senatorhttp://www.accountableelections.org/senator-chris-johnson-restoring-government-by-of-and-for-the-people/September 2019 InternetArchiveBot yes Roger Katz, Republican State Senator Angus King, U.S. Senator and former Governor of Mainehttp://stateandcapitol.bangordailynews.com/2015/10/01/george-mitchell-angus-king-step-into-question-1-debate-with-endorsement/ George Mitchell, Angus King step into Question 1 debate with endorsement Bangor Daily News October 1, 2013 October 2, 2015 George Mitchell, former U.S. Senate Majority Leader George Smith, former executive director of the Sportsman's Alliance of Maine, TV hosthttps://www.centralmaine.com/2015/10/14/keeping-maine-clean-requires-a-yes-vote-in-november/ Keeping Maine clean requires a yes vote in November Kennebec Journal October 14, 2015 October 15, 2015 Groups affiliated with Mainers for Accountable Elections American Civil Liberties Union of Mainehttp://www.accountableelections.org/aclu-endorsement/September 2019 InternetArchiveBot yes Maine Center for Economic Policyhttp://www.accountableelections.org/mecep-endorses-campaign-finance-referendum-2/ MECEP Endorses Campaign Finance Referendum Mainers for Accountable Elections 2015-09-21 https://web.archive.org/web/20150714230048/http://www.accountableelections.org/mecep-endorses-campaign-finance-referendum-2/ 2015-07-14 dead Sierra Club Mainehttp://www.accountableelections.org/sierra-club-maine-endorses-election-reform-referendum/ Sierra Club Maine Endorses Election Reform Referendum Mainers for Accountable Elections 2015-09-21 https://web.archive.org/web/20150714230103/http://www.accountableelections.org/sierra-club-maine-endorses-election-reform-referendum/ 2015-07-14 dead Environment Mainehttp://www.accountableelections.org/environment-maine-endorses-election-reform-referendum/September 2019 InternetArchiveBot yes Bangor Daily Newshttp://bangordailynews.com/2015/10/21/opinion/editorials/question-1-is-maines-chance-to-keep-politics-the-domain-of-everyday-people/ Question 1 is Maine's chance to keep politics the domain of everyday people Bangor Daily News October 21, 2013 October 21, 2015 MaineToday Media newspapers; Portland Press Herald, Kennebec Journal, Morning Sentinel Maine Small Business Coalitionhttp://www.pressherald.com/2015/10/29/our-endorsement-vote-yes-on-question-1-for-clean-election-reform/ Our Endorsement: Vote 'yes' on Question 1 for Clean Election reform Portland Press Herald October 29, 2015 October 29, 2015 Notable opponents John Baldacci, former Governor of Maine, former U.S. Representativehttp://stateandcapitol.bangordailynews.com/2015/10/23/ex-maine-gov-john-baldacci-opposes-question-1/ Ex-Maine Gov. John Baldacci opposes Question 1 Bangor Daily News October 23, 2013 October 23, 2015 Kenneth Fredette, Minority Leader of the Maine House of Representatives (R-Newport)http://bangordailynews.com/2015/10/29/opinion/contributors/more-clean-election-money-is-wrong-for-maine/ More Clean Election money is wrong for Maine Bangor Daily News October 29, 2013 October 29, 2015 Paul LePage, Governor of Maine Larry Lockman, State Representative (R-Amherst) Joel Stetkis, State Representative (R-Canaan) Michael Thibodeau, President of the Maine Senate Maine State Chamber of Commerce Results +Breakdown of voting by county County Yes Votes No VotesAndroscoggin49.55%9,40950.44%9,578Aroostook48.61%4,46951.38%4,724Cumberland63.88%36,29036.11%20,514Franklin48.08%2,03751.91%2,199Hancock57.82%6,42642.17%4,687Kennebec52.82%8,96747.17%8,007Knox59.49%4,26340.5%2,902Lincoln54.64%3,54945.35%2,946Oxford46.24%3,34153.75%3,883Penobscot46.9%10,20253.09%11,550Piscataquis40.1%1,11659.89%1,667Sagadahoc55.85%3,71344.14%2,934Somerset41.63%2,80958.36%3,937Waldo55.24%3,86844.75%3,134Washington43.24%2,03256.75%2,667York57.16%17,33342.83%12,988Total54.94%119,91245.06%98,343 References External links Mainers for Accountable Elections, supporters of the referendum NO on Question 1 Facebook page, opponents of the referendum Category:Campaign finance reform in the United States Category:2015 Maine ballot measures