FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, March 2, 2016
Contact: Kristen Schulze Muszynski
Office: 626-8404/ Cell: 441-7638

Citizens? initiative for York County slot machines/casino does not qualify for ballot

AUGUSTA ? The citizens? initiative petition effort ?An Act To Allow Slot Machines Or a Casino in York County,? does not have enough valid signatures of Maine voters to qualify for the 2016 ballot, Secretary of State Matthew Dunlap confirmed today.

The petitions for this citizens? initiative legislation had been in circulation since Dec. 8, 2015. On Feb. 1, 2016, the Bureau of Corporations, Elections and Commissions received 28,667 petitions with 91,294 total signatures of those who support the initiative. The decision can be viewed here.

Staff members at the Bureau of Corporations, Elections and Commissions have completed the process of certifying all of the petitions and have found a maximum of 35,518 valid signatures (subject to further checking for duplicates), while 55,776 are not valid. A minimum of 61,123 valid signatures from registered Maine voters is required in the citizens? initiative process and the effort has failed to meet that threshold.

According to the proposed bill summary, this legislation sought to allow a casino or slot machine facility in York County, with associated provisions. Visit http://maine.gov/sos/cec/elec/citizens/index.html to view the proposed legislation in its entirety.