Maine Morning Star: Five referendum questions on the November ballot

There will be five referendum questions on the November ballot. Voters may see other local questions, but these are the ones that will appear statewide. 

Maine law outlines the order in which questions are to appear, depending on category. For example, carry-over measures from a previous election are always listed first. After that, the order follows: People’s veto questions, initiated measures, bond issues, constitutional amendments and other legislatively proposed referenda. 

Since three of the questions for this November are bond issues, Secretary of State Shenna Bellows and Deputy Secretary of State Julie Flynn, who oversees Corporations, Elections and Commissions, held a lottery Tuesday at the Secretary of State’s offices at Nash School in Augusta to determine their order.

The lottery was open to the public and viewable via Facebook livestream. 

Here are the exact questions that will appear on the ballot, in order. 

Question 1: PAC contributions

Do you want to set a $5,000 limit for giving to political action committees that spend money independently to support or defeat candidates for office?

This question was born out of a bill that went before the Legislature’s Veterans and Legal Affairs Committee earlier this year. It seeks to limit contributions in Maine to independent political action committees, otherwise known as super PACs. The ultimate goal of the organizers behind the effort, however, is to put Maine law in conflict with federal precedent in order to get the U.S. Supreme Court to rule that PACs should be regulated, as previously reported by Maine Morning Star.  

Question 2: Research, development and commercialization

Do you favor a bond issue of $25,000,000 to provide funds, to be awarded through a competitive process and to leverage matching private and federal funds on at least a one-to-one basis, for research and development and commercialization for Maine-based public and private institutions in support of technological innovation in the targeted sectors of life sciences and biomedical technology, environmental and renewable energy technology, information technology, advanced technologies for forestry and agriculture, aquaculture and marine technology, composites and advanced materials and precision manufacturing?

This question, if passed, would provide funds to the Maine Technology Institute for research, development and commercialization of sectors prioritized in the state’s most recent action plans for science and technology and an innovative economy. It stems from a bill that passed earlier this year. 

Question 3: Restore historic buildings

Do you favor a $10,000,000 bond issue to restore historic buildings owned by governmental and nonprofit organizations, with funds being issued contingent on a 25% local match requirement from either private or nonprofit sources?

This question came from a bill that originally asked for $25 million for restoration projects, but was lowered to $10 million. If it receives voter approval, the process will be administered by the Maine Historic Preservation Commission.

Question 4: Statewide trail system

Do you favor a $30,000,000 bond issue to invest in the design, development and maintenance for nonmotorized, motorized and multi-use trails statewide, to be matched by at least $3,000,000 in private and public contributions?

This question came from bipartisan legislation that was signed into law in April. If approved by voters, the law already lays out how the money will be spent over the course of multiple years to create what would be known as the Maine Trails Program. 

The law also says that a quarter of the funds would be used for nonmotorized trails, another quarter for motorized trails and the other half for multi-use trails for recreation or active transportation. 

Question 5: State flag

Do you favor making the former state flag, replaced as the official flag of the State in 1909 and commonly known as the Pine Tree Flag, the official flag of the State?

Rather than the blue flag with the crest in the middle, this question asks voters if they would like the official state flag to be the buff flag with a pine tree and star. 

The potential new design is already ubiquitous across the state appearing on souvenirs, clothing and many flag poles. Though it is already an iconic image, the Secretary of State held a design contest in June for Mainers to submit their interpretation of the design description. 

Secretary Bellows will choose a model flag for the redesign that will be available for viewing before voting begins.