Background
The Committee on State and Local Government will hold a Public Hearing on Monday, April 7, 2025 at 10:00 AM at
📍 Cross Building, Room 214, 111 Sewall St., Augusta, to discuss LDs 147 "RESOLUTION, Proposing an Amendment to the Constitution of Maine to Provide for the Popular Election of the Secretary of State," 148 "An Act to Provide for the Statewide Popular Election of the State Auditor," 149 "RESOLUTION, Proposing an Amendment to the Constitution of Maine to Provide for the Popular Election of the Attorney General," 150 "RESOLUTION, Proposing an Amendment to the Constitution of Maine to Provide for the Popular Election of the Treasurer of State," 452 "RESOLUTION, Proposing an Amendment to the Constitution of Maine to Provide for the Popular Election of the Secretary of State and the Attorney General by Ranked-choice Voting," 455 "RESOLUTION, Proposing an Amendment to the Constitution of Maine to Require a Statewide Popular Election of the Secretary of State, the Treasurer of State and the Attorney General for 4-year Terms," 508 "RESOLUTION, Proposing an Amendment to the Constitution of Maine to Require Constitutional Officers to Be Elected by Popular Election," 1052 "RESOLUTION, Proposing an Amendment to the Constitution of Maine to Establish the State Auditor as a Constitutional Officer," 1068 "An Act to Allow the People to Elect the State Auditor," 1161 "RESOLUTION, Proposing an Amendment to the Constitution of Maine Providing for the Popular Election of the Attorney General," and 1193 "An Act to Require the Legislature to Elect Constitutional Officers and the State Auditor in Convention with an Open Ballot System."
If you want to read LD 147, click here: https://legislature.maine.gov/bills/display_ps.asp?snum=132&paper=HP0080&PID=1456
If you want to read LD 148, click here: https://legislature.maine.gov/bills/display_ps.asp?snum=132&paper=HP0081&PID=1456
If you want to read LD 149, click here: https://legislature.maine.gov/bills/display_ps.asp?snum=132&paper=HP0082&PID=1456
If you want to read LD 150, click here: https://legislature.maine.gov/bills/display_ps.asp?snum=132&paper=HP0083&PID=1456
If you want to read LD 452, click here: https://legislature.maine.gov/bills/display_ps.asp?snum=132&paper=SP0185&PID=1456
If you want to read LD 455, click here: https://legislature.maine.gov/bills/display_ps.asp?snum=132&paper=SP0188&PID=1456
If you want to read LD 508, click here: https://legislature.maine.gov/bills/display_ps.asp?snum=132&paper=SP0226&PID=1456
If you want to read LD 1052, click here: https://legislature.maine.gov/bills/display_ps.asp?snum=132&paper=HP0681&PID=1456
If you want to read LD 1068, click here: https://legislature.maine.gov/bills/display_ps.asp?snum=132&paper=SP0452&PID=1456
If you want to read LD 1161, click here: https://legislature.maine.gov/bills/display_ps.asp?snum=132&paper=HP0766&PID=1456
If you want to read LD 1193, click here: https://legislature.maine.gov/bills/display_ps.asp?snum=132&paper=SP0482&PID=1456
In lieu of personally testifying in support/opposition of this bill, you may testify via Zoom, or by online testimony using the following link: https://www.mainelegislature.org/testimony/. Do this prior to the public hearing.
See below for EVERYTHING you're going to need to get this done, including testimony!
🔹 Steps to submit testimony online:
1️⃣ Click: "Public Hearing".
2️⃣ Choose a committee: "State and Local Government" - using the drop-down menu.
3️⃣ Choose date: April 7, 2025, 10:00 AM - using the drop-down menu.
4️⃣ Click: LD 147 (You may submit separate testimony for each bill, though not necessary as long as you include all LD#s in your testimony.)
5️⃣ Enter your testimony in the box (or click the checkbox if you want to testify via Zoom).
6️⃣ Complete your contact information.
7️⃣ Click: "I'm not a robot"
8️⃣ Click: "Submit/Register".
You can find a video tutorial on 'Submitting Testimony in Maine" here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iYnhN4ZlpoQ
Action Time-Window
⚠️ Please consider taking action by April 5, 2025 to ensure it gets to the legislature ahead of the meeting.
Template
The below is a community member's testimony. Feel free to use it, something of your own, or something as simple as "I support LDs 147, 148, 149, 150, 455, 508, 1052, 1068, 1161, and 1193, and "they ought to pass." I do not support LD 452, and it "ought not to pass." To get other wording ideas, as online testimony is submitted for these bills, you can see it here: https://legislature.maine.gov/ctl/SLG/04-07-2025?panel=0&time=0&sortdir=0&sortby=2 after clicking on the bill number.
I support LDs 147, 148, 149, 150, 455, 508, 1052, 1068, 1161, and 1193. I do not support LD 452.
These bills, among other things, provide for direct popular election of our constitutional officers, such as Secretary of State, the Treasurer of State and the Attorney General.
Instead of appointed positions as is current practice, we the people would vote for our constitutional officers.
LD 1193 provides for the state legislature to vote for these officials, and their votes recorded.
LD 452 incorporates Rank Choice Voting into the election process. I won’t support it.
I support LDs 147, 148, 149, 150, 455, 508, 1052, 1068, 1161, and 1193, and they “ought to pass.” I do not support LD 452, and it “ought not to pass.”
Credit for the above goes to our community member Danny (@DannyEmerson61) from the South Berwick Republican Committee (@BerwickSouth).
Disclaimer
A community member has shared this personal template for those who wish to express their views on the bill(s) mentioned above. This template is not an official PTP position, and using it is entirely up to you. Pine Tree Patriots encourages civic participation but does not endorse or support specific actions or policies. Please remember this is an individual initiative.
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