492,008 total ballots cast in off year election
AUGUSTA, MAINE – Secretary Bellows today communicated the official tabulation of the votes cast for the November 4, 2025 Referendum Election to Governor Janet Mills. The governor has 10 days to proclaim the results of the ballot questions.
Mainers cast 492,008 total ballots in the Referendum Election. This is approximately 47.4% of registered voters in Maine. (As of November 18, 2025, there were approximately 1,037,786 registered voters in Maine. Municipalities are required to report same day voter registrants within 45 days after the election.)
Complete Referendum Election results are posted on the Secretary of State’s website. The 2025 Citizen’s Guide to the Referendum Election, which includes the ballot questions and underlying legislation, is also available in the website.
The final tallies were as follows:
Question 1: Citizen Initiative – Do you want to change Maine election laws to eliminate two days of absentee voting, prohibit requests for absentee ballots by phone or family members, end ongoing absentee voter status for seniors and people with disabilities, ban prepaid postage on absentee ballot return envelopes, limit the number of drop boxes, require voters to show certain photo ID before voting, and make other changes to our elections?
- Yes – 175,751
- No – 315,008
- Blank – 1,249
Question 2: Citizen Initiative – Do you want to allow courts to temporarily prohibit a person from having dangerous weapons if law enforcement, family, or household members show that the person poses a significant danger of causing physical injury to themselves or others?
- Yes – 307,911
- No – 181,601
- Blank – 2,496
Washington County Bond Question: Shall the County Commissioners be authorized to issue general obligation securities of the County in an aggregate principal amount not to exceed $11,000,000 to provide a source of funds to be drawn as needed to cover budgetary shortfalls and emergency expenses as they may occur from time to time in any fiscal year, as determined by the County Commissioners in their discretion, including the authority and discretion to fix the dates, maturities, interest rates, denominations, calls for redemption (with or without premium), form, and other details of said securities, and including authority to execute and deliver the securities on behalf of the County?
- Yes – 5,200
- No – 6,005
- Blank – 29
- Total Ballots Cast – 11,498
Somerset County Referendum Question –Shall the Somerset Register of Deeds position be changed from an elected position to a position selected through a competitive hiring process, then appointed by the Board of Commissioners?
- Yes – 6,817
- No – 7,671
- Blank – 528
- Total Ballots Cast – 15,016
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