FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, July 30, 2015
Contact: Kristen Muszynski
work: 626-8400/cell: 441-7638

Public comment period now open for Clean Elections ballot question

AUGUSTA ? Public comment is now being accepted for the citizen?s initiative that will appear on the ballot this November, Secretary of State Matthew Dunlap announced Thursday.

The proposed citizen?s initiative ballot question, which will be Question 1, is entitled ?An Act to Strengthen the Maine Clean Election Act, Improve Disclosure and Make Other Changes to the Campaign Finance Laws.? It is currently proposed to go before Maine voters at the Nov. 3, 2015 referendum election, worded thusly:

?Do you want to change Maine law to allow publicly financed political candidates to qualify for additional funds under certain circumstances, to improve the disclosure of who pays for political ads, and to increase penalties for violations of campaign finance law??

Per state law, Secretary Dunlap is charged with presenting the question ?concisely and intelligibly.? He will be accepting public comments regarding the question?s form and content for a 30-day period, until 5 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 28.

Written comments may be submitted via email, mail or in person:

• Email sos.office@maine.gov and use ?public comment? in the subject line
• Mail comments to the Secretary of State, Attn: Public Comment, 148 State House Station, Augusta, ME 04333-0148
• Drop off written comments to the office of the secretary of state at the Nash School Building, 103 Sewall St., 2nd floor, Augusta, Maine.

The full language of this citizen?s initiative, which is on file as Legislative Document 806, can be viewed online at http://www.mainelegislature.org/legis/bills/bills_127th/billtexts/IB000101.asp.