FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 27, 2012
Contact: Megan Sanborn
(207) 441-0501

Secretary of State Charles E. Summers, Jr. Announces the Order of November Ballot Questions

AUGUSTA, MAINE – Secretary of State Charlie Summers held a public drawing today to determine the order of the bond questions that will appear on the November 6, 2012 General Election ballot.  The drawing was held in the Secretary of State's office.

"This drawing is an important step in Maine’s electoral process," said Summers. “It helps citizens to focus on the questions that will be presented to them this fall, and enables proponents and opponents of these measures to prepare educational materials.”

Maine law requires the drawing process for ballot position and also requires the questions to be organized on the ballot by category as follows:  people's veto questions first, then citizen initiatives, followed by bond questions, referendum questions proposed by the Legislature, and finally, resolutions to amend the state Constitution.

On the November ballot there will be one citizen initiative question and four bond questions.  There are no people's veto questions, no Constitutional resolutions and no legislative referenda.  Since there is only one citizen initiative question, that question will be first on the ballot.  Today's drawing determined the order of the four bond questions.

In their correct order, the questions that will appear on the November 6, 2012, General Election ballot are:

Question 1 (Citizen Initiative): Do you want to allow the State of Maine to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples?

Question 2 (Bond Issue): Do you favor an $11,300,000 bond issue to provide funds for capital to build a diagnostic facility for the University of Maine System; for capital improvements and equipment, including machine tool technology, for the Maine Community College System; and for capital improvements and equipment at the Maine Maritime Academy?

Question 3 (Bond Issue): Do you favor a $5,000,000 bond issue to purchase land and conservation easements statewide from willing sellers for public land and water access, conservation, wildlife or fish habitat and outdoor recreation, including hunting and fishing and deer wintering areas, and to preserve working farmland and working waterfronts to be matched by at least $5,000,000 in private and public contributions?

Question 4 (Bond Issue): Do you favor a $51,500,000 bond issue for improvements to highways and bridges, local roads, airports and port facilities, as well as for funds for rail access, transit buses and the LifeFlight Foundation, which will make the State eligible for at least $105,600,000 in federal and other matching funds?

Question 5 (Bond Issue): Do you favor a $7,925,000 bond issue to be expended over 2 years for revolving loan funds for drinking water systems and for wastewater treatment facilities, which will make the State eligible to secure $39,625,000 in federal grants?