FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, May 24, 2021
Contact: Emily Cook 207-441-0405

Secretary Bellows announces final wording of referendum question

AUGUSTA – The wording of the citizens’ initiative question entitled “An Act To Require Legislative Approval of Certain Transmission Lines, Require Legislative Approval of Certain Transmission Lines and Facilities and Other Projects on Public Reserved Lands and Prohibit the Construction of Certain Transmission Lines in the Upper Kennebec Region” that will appear on the Tuesday, Nov. 2, 2021 Referendum Election ballot is now finalized, Secretary of State Shenna Bellows announced Monday. The question will be as follows:

“Do you want to ban the construction of high-impact electric transmission lines in the Upper Kennebec Region and to require the Legislature to approve all other such projects anywhere in Maine, both retroactively to 2020, and to require the Legislature, retroactively to 2014, to approve by a two-thirds vote such projects using public land?”

The full text of the proposed bill is available for viewing on the Bureau of Corporations, Elections and Commissions’ Citizens’ Initiatives webpage, along with proponent information.

Secretary Bellows received 119 comments on the proposed ballot question during the 30-day public comment period, which was open Tuesday, April 13 through Thursday, May 13. These comments, from individuals and organizations throughout the state, were taken into consideration to draft the final language of the ballot question.

“Translating a proposed law into a single question on the ballot is an important task,” said Secretary Bellows. “Maine voters should be able to read a question and make an accurate decision when they vote, and I think we’ve accomplished that here.”

The Bureau of Corporations, Elections and Commissions will be creating a Citizens’ Guide to the 2021 Election in the coming months and all voters are encouraged to read it to inform themselves of the details of the bill.

In addition to the citizens’ initiative question, the November Referendum Election ballot may also include bond issues, Constitutional Resolutions or other referenda questions that the Legislature chooses to send to the voters. Any such ballot questions will be included on the Upcoming Elections page.

For more information about the November 2021 election, visit http://maine.gov/sos/cec/elec/upcoming/index.html. Information on voter registration and locating your polling place can also be found on the Corporations, Elections and Commissions website.