Maine’s Newspapers Endorse ‘Yes’ On Question 1

  • The Bangor Daily News

  • The Kennebec Journal

  • The Morning Sentinel

  • The Portland Press Herald

Maine’s Civic and Business Leaders Support Question 1

  • U.S. Rep. Chellie Pingree (North Haven)

    Congresswoman from Maine’s first district

  • U.S. Rep. Jared Golden (Lewiston)

    Congressman from Maine’s second district

  • Former U.S. Rep. David Emery (Rockland)

    Former Congressman from Maine’s first district

  • Former U.S. Rep. Tom Allen (Portland)

    Former Congressman from Maine’s first district

  • Speaker Rachel Talbot Ross (Portland)

    Speaker of the Maine House of Representatives

  • Sen. Marianne Moore (Calais)

    Maine Senator from Washington County and former Mayor of Calais

  • Sen. Rick Bennett (Oxford)

    Maine Senator from Oxford County and former Maine Republican Party Chair

  • Sen. Donna Bailey (Saco)

    Maine Senator from York County, former State Representative, and former Probate Court Judge

  • Sen. Joe Baldacci (Bangor)

    Maine Senator from Penobscot County

  • Sen. Pinny Beebe-Center (Rockland)

    Maine Senator from Knox County, former State Representative, and former Knox County Commissioner

  • Sen. Henry Ingwersen (Arundel)

    Maine Senator from York County and former State Representative

  • Sen. Timothy Nangle (Windham)

    Maine Senator from Cumberland County and former Windham Town Councilor

  • Sen. "Coach" Joe Rafferty (Kennebunk)

    Maine Senator from York County, Retired Educator, and Football Coach

  • Sen. Mike Tipping (Orono)

    Maine Senator from Penobscot County

  • Former Senate President Justin Alfond (Portland)

    Former Maine Senator from Cumberland County and former President of the Maine Senate

  • Former Speaker Ryan Fecteau (Biddeford)

    Former Speaker of the Maine House of Representatives

  • Former Sen. Joyce Maker (Calais)

    Former Maine Senator from Washington County, former State Representative, and former Calais City Councilor

  • Former Sen. Dick Woodbury (Yarmouth)

    Former Maine Senator from Cumberland County, former State Representative, and nationally recognized economist

“Mainers deserve a system that works–where every vote is counted, every voice is heard, and our democracy isn’t for sale”.

— Former Maine Speaker Ryan Fecteau (D-Saco)

“Super PAC money in elections leaves Mainers wondering to whom their elected leaders are accountable. The outrageous amounts of money being spent on campaigns needs to stop.”

— Former Maine Rep. Meredith Strang Burgess (R-Cumberland)

“Voting Yes on Question 1 is simple, straightforward, and nonpartisan.”

— Maine Sen. Marianne Moore (R-Calais)

“Question 1 is the latest opportunity for Mainers to lead the fight against big money in politics.”

— U.S. Rep. Jared Golden (D-Lewiston)

  • Rep. Mana Abdi (Lewiston), State Representative

  • Hon. Justin Alford (Portland), former Maine Senate President and real estate developer

  • Councilor Pious Ali (Portland), Councilor for the City of Portland

  • Hon. Kent Ackley (Readfield), former State Representative

  • Hon. Tom Allen (Portland), former U.S. Representative from Maine’s First District, former Mayor and former Councilor for the City of Portland

  • Rep. Poppy Arford (Brunswick), State Representative

  • Hon. Kyle Bailey (Gorham), former State Representative and former Gorham School Committee Member

  • Sen. Donna Bailey (Saco), State Senator and former State Representative

  • Sen. Joe Baldacci (Bangor), State Senator and former Bangor City Councilor

  • Ronald Bancroft (Cumberland), businessman, corporate board member,  and former columnist for the Portland Press Herald

  • Sen. Pinny Beebe-Center (Rockland), former State Representative and Knox County Commissioner

  • Rep. Art Bell (Yarmouth), State Representative

  • Sen. Rick Bennett (Oxford), State Senator, former Maine Senate President, former Maine Republican Party Chair, former Republican National Committeeman

  • Hon. Seth Berry (Bowdoinham), former Democratic Majority Leader and State Representative

  • Rep. William Bridgeo (Augusta), State Representative

  • Hon. Heidi Brooks (Lewiston), former State Representative

  • Hon. Meredith Strang Burgess (Cumberland), former State Representative and President and CEO of Burgess Advertising & Marketing

  • Councilor Kaitlin Callahan (Rockland), Councilor for the City of Rockland

  • Councilor April Caricchio (South Portland), Councilor for the City of South Portland

  • Justin Cartier (Bangor), Candidate for Maine House

  • Hon. Owen Casas (Rockport), former State Representative

  • Commissioner Justin Chenette (Saco), York County Commissioner, former State Senator, and former State Representative

  • Rep. Benjamin Collings (Portland), State Representative

  • Adam Cote (Sanford), attorney and 2018 gubernatorial candidate 

  • Rep. Sally Cluchey (Bowdoinham), State Representative

  • Rep. Lynn Copeland (Saco), State Representative

  • Rep. Margaret Craven (Lewiston), State Representative and former State Senator

  • Rep. Ed Crockett (Portland), State Representative

  • Hon. Scott Cuddy (Winterport), former State Representative and Candidate, and School Board Member for RSU 22

  • Hon. Dennis Damon (Trenton), former Maine Senator

  • Rep. Deqa Dhalac (South Portland), State Representative

  • Hon. Bill Diamond (Windham), former Maine Senator

  • Rep. Jim Dill (Old Town), State Representative and former State Senator

  • Rep. Jan Dodge (Belfast), State Representative

  • Rep. Victoria Doudera (Camden), State Representative

  • Rep. Holly Eaton (Deer Isle), State Representative

  • Hon. John Michael Eder (Waterboro), former State Representative and Candidate

  • Steve Ellis (Waldo), Candidate for the Maine House

  • Hon. David Emery (Rockland), former U.S. Representative and former State Representative 

  • Hon. Richard Evans, M.D. (Dover-Foxcroft), former State Representative, Candidate for Maine Senate, and Past President of the Maine Medical Association

  • Hon. Susan Farnsworth (Hallowell), former State Representative

  • Hon. Ryan Fecteau (Biddeford), former Speaker of the Maine House 

  • Elaine Fitzgerald (Jay), School Committee Member for RSU 73

  • Councilor Gary Friedmann (Bar Harbor), Vice Chair of the Bar Harbor Town Council and Candidate for Maine House

  • Rep. Vallie Geiger (Rockland), State Representative

  • Rep. Traci Gere (Kennebunkport), State Representative

  • U.S. Rep. Jared Golden (Lewiston), U.S. Representative from Maine’s Second District

  • Rep. Cheryl Golek (Harpswell), State Representative

  • Rep. Annie Graham (North Yarmouth), State Representative

  • Rep. Lori Gramlich (Ocean Park), State Representative

  • Hon. Marty Grohman (Biddeford), Mayor of Biddeford and former State Representative

  • Councilor Scott Harriman (Lewiston), Council President for the City of Lewiston

  • Councilor Terry Hamm-Morris (Herman), Councilor for the Town of Herman

  • Hon. Thom Harnett (Gardiner), former State Representative, former Mayor of Gardiner, and former Maine Deputy Attorney General

  • Rep. Tavis Hasenfus (Readfield), State Representative

  • Stephen J Hemenway (Northport) Candidate for the Maine House

  • Rep. Allison Hepler (Woolwich), State Representative

  • Councilor Matthew Hochman (Bar Harbor), Councilor for the Town of Bar Harbor

  • Sen. Henry Ingwersen (Arundel) State Senator and former State Representative

  • Rep. Christopher Kessler (South Portland), State Representative

  • Rep. Amy Kuhn (Falmouth), State Representative and former Falmouth Town Councilor

  • Councilor Liam LaFountain (Biddeford), Biddeford City Council

  • Rep. Scott Landry (Chesterville), State Representative

  • Rep. Raegan LaRochelle (Augusta), State Representative and Senate Candidate

  • Councilor Rob Lavoie (Gorham), Town Council for the Town of Gorham

  • Adam Lee (Cumberland), Chairman of the Board of Directors at Lee Auto Malls

  • Selectman Thomas Lizotte (Dover-Foxcroft), Chair of the Dover-Foxcroft Select Board

  • Rep. Grayson Lookner (Portland), State Representative

  • Hon. Joyce Maker (Calais), former State Senator, former State Representative, former Calais Town Councilor and School Board Member

  • Councilor Megan Mansfield-Pryor (Bath), Councilor for the City of Bath

  • Rep. Kristi Mathieson (Kittery), State Representative

  • Rep. Ann Matlack (Spruce Head), State Representative

  • Hon. Chloe Maxmin (Lincoln), former State Representative and former State Senator

  • Cara Brown McCormick, Chair of Citizens to End Super PACs and co-founder of The Committee for Ranked Choice Voting

  • Hon. David McCrea (Fort Fairfield), former State Representative and Candidate

  • Selectman Gary McGrane (Jay), Select Board for the Town of Jay

  • Hon. Andrew McLean (Gorham), former State Representative

  • Rep. Nina Milliken (Blue Hill), State Representative and Blue Hill School Committee Member

  • Rep. Karen Montell (Gardiner), State Representative

  • Sen. Marianne Moore (Calais), State Senator and former Mayor of Calais

  • Rep. Steve Moriarty (Cumberland), State Representative

  • Rep. Kelly Murphy (Scarborough), State Representative

  • Peter L. Murray (Portland), Attorney at Law and former Harvard Law Professor

  • Sen. Timothy Nangle (Windham), State Senator and former Windham Town Councilor

  • Councilor Karin Orenstein (Yarmouth), Councilor for Town of Yarmouth

  • Rep. Lori Osher (Orono), State Representative

  • Rep. Kevin O'Connell (Brewer), State Representative

  • Rep. Maggie O'Neill (Saco), State Representative

  • Councilor Dan Ormsby (Bucksport), Councilor for Town of Bucksport

  • Hon. Sean Paulhus (Bath), former State Representative and former Bath City Councilor

  • Clare Payne (Holden), former Holden Town Councilor and founding member of the Maine Heritage Policy Center

  • Hon. Sarah Pebworth (Blue Hill), former State Representative

  • Rep. Anne Perry (Calais), State Representative

  • U.S. Rep. Chellie Pingree (North Haven), U.S. Representative from Maine’s First District

  • Rep. Jane Pringle (Windham), State Representative

  • Sen. Joe Rafferty (Kennebunk), State Senator

  • Rep. Morgan Rielly (Westbrook), State Representative

  • Rep. Amy Roeder (Bangor), State Representative

  • Hon. David Rollins (Augusta), former Mayor of Augusta and Candidate for State House

  • Hon. Diane Russell (Portland), former State Representative

  • Rep. Melanie Sachs (Freeport), State Representative and former Freeport Town Council Chair

  • Rep. Sue Salisbury (Westbrook), State Representative and former Chair of the Westbrook School Committee

  • Rep. Holly Sargent (York), State Representative

  • Rep. Dan Sayre (Kennebunk), State Representative

  • Hon. Bettyann Sheats (Auburn), former State Representative 

  • Councilor Nathaniel Shed (Brunswick), Councilor for the City of Brunswick

  • Rep. David Sinclair (Bath), State Representative

  • Ted Sirois (Saco), Candidate for Maine House

  • Rosa Scarcelli (South Bristol), CEO of Stanford Management and 2010 gubernatorial candidate

  • Justin Schair (Freeport), investor, venture capitalist, and business community leader

  • Rep. David A. Sinclair (Bath), State Representative

  • Rep. Charles Skold (Portland), State Representative

  • Lucas St. Clair (Hampden), Chair of the Trust for Public Land and 2018 congressional candidate in Maine’s second district

  • Rep. Holly Stover (Boothbay), State Representative

  • Hon. Ethan Strimling (Portland), former State Senator and former Mayor of Portland

  • Betsy Sweet (Hallowell), progressive advocate and 2018 gubernatorial candidate

  • Rep. Laura Supica (Bangor), State Representative and former Bangor City Councilor

  • Hon. Mike Sylvester (Portland), former State Representative

  • Speaker Rachel Talbot Ross (Portland), Speaker of the Maine House of Representatives

  • Sen. Mike Tipping (Orono), State Senator

  • Councilor Anna Trevorrow (Portland), Councilor for City of Portland

  • Judy Tunkle (Dresden), Candidate for Maine House

  • Rep. Sophie Warren (Scarborough), State Representative

  • Gordon Weil, former Public Advocate and former Commissioner of Business Regulation

  • Rep. Bruce White (Waterville), State Representative

  • Hon. Lynne Williams (Bar Harbor), former State Representative and former Maine Green Independent Party gubernatorial candidate

  • Hon. Wayne Wertz (Auburn), former State Representative and former Fire Chief for Auburn

  • Councilor Zoe Wolf (Yarmouth), Councilor for Town of Yarmouth

  • Hon. Dick Woodbury (Yarmouth), former State Representative and Senator, and nationally recognized economist

  • Rep. Mark Worth (Ellsworth), State Representative

  • Laurie York (East Millinocket), Candidate for Maine House

  • Rep. Sam Zager (Portland), State Representative

  • Rep. Stanley Paige Zeigler (Montville), State Representative

Constitutional Scholars & Legal Experts

  • Albert Alschuler, Julius Kreeger Professor Emeritus of Law and Criminology, University of Chicago Law School

  • Rebecca L. Brown, The Rader Family Trustee Chair in Law, USC Gould School of Law

  • Yasmin Dawood, Professor of Law and Canada, University of Toronto Law Faculty of Law; Research Chair, Democracy, Constitutionalism, and Electoral Law

  • Neal Katyal, Paul and Patricia Saunders Professor of National Security Law, Georgetown University Law Center; partner, Hogan Lovells; acting & Deputy Solicitor General of the United States, Obama Administration

  • Lawrence Lessig, Roy L. Furman Professor of Law and Leadership, Harvard Law School; Founder, EqualCitizens.US

  • Peter Murray, Attorney at all; former Harvard Law Professor

  • Burt Neuborne, Norman Dorsen Professor of Civil Liberties Emeritus, NYU Law School; founding Legal Director, Brennan Center for Justice, NYU Law School

  • Richard Painter, S. Walter Richey Professor of Corporate Law, University, Minnesota Law School; former Chief White House Ethics Lawyer, Bush Administration

  • Christopher Robertson, Professor of Law, BU School of Law; Professor of Health Law, Policy & Management, BU School of Public Health; Associate Dean for Strategic Initiatives, BU School of Law.

  • Bertrall Ross, Professor of Law, University of Virginia School of Law; Director, Karsh Center for Law and Democracy

  • Douglas M. Spencer, Ira C. Rothgerber Chair in Constitutional Law, University of Colorado

  • Zephyr Teachout, Professor of Law, Fordham Law School; Author

  • Laurence Tribe, Carl M. Loeb University Professor of Constitutional Law Emeritus, Harvard University; Co-founder, the American Constitution Society

“There is something that we can do now to lessen the flow of big and dark money into Maine’s elections. We can vote ‘Yes’ on Question 1.”

— Former Maine Sen. Joyce Maker (R-Calais)

“Power should be in the hands of everyday voters… The ‘Yes on 1’ campaign to end Super PACs works towards that goal and will strengthen our democracy for future generations.”

— U.S. Rep. Chellie Pingree (D-North Haven)

  • Adam Lee (Cumberland)

    Chairman of the Board of Directors at Lee Auto Malls

  • Adam Cote (Sanford)

    Veteran, Attorney, and Civic Leader

  • Hon. Meredith Strang Burgess (Cumberland)

    Former State Representative and President and CEO of Burgess Advertising & Marketing

  • Hon. Dave McCrea (Fort Fairfield)

    Former State Representative and former long-time Councilor for Fort Fairfield

  • Hon. David Rollins (Augusta)

    Former Mayor and former Councilor for the City of Augusta

  • Hon. Bill Diamond (Windham)

    Former Maine Senator from Cumberland Countyand former Maine Secretary of State

“Question 1 is a solution that we can all get behind, regardless of party, to ensure that our children and grandchildren inherit a system that works for the Maine people, not special interests.”

— Maine Sen. Rick Bennett (R-Oxford)

“Billionaire-backed Super PACs are drowning out the voices of hard-working Mainers. Yes On 1 is the change we need to give power and voice back to the Maine people.”

— Former Maine Rep. Thom Harnett (D-Gardiner)

  • Equal Citizens

  • End Citizens United

  • Free Speech for People

  • Issue One

  • The Leadership Now Project

  • Maine Students for Election Reform

  • Maine Unitarian Universalist State Advocacy Network (MUUSAN)

  • RepresentUS

  • Veterans for All Voters