Happy April! We're gearing up to release the third edition of our report State of Maine Democracy this month. Our report examines and assesses the state of democracy in Maine along several dimensions using indicators based on publicly-available data, published reports, and research conducted by Democracy Maine. Chapters include breakdowns of voter participation, money in politics, conduct of elections, and more. Read the 2021 edition here.
Here are your weekly updates 👇
Last week was a doozy as the Legislature worked to pass the Governor's $10 billion current services budget and avoid a government shutdown. In fact, the First Regular Session of the 131st Maine Legislature adjourned sine die on Thursday, March 30 to allow this budget to take effect by the end of the fiscal year, June 30. But don't worry — the budget passed and life rolls on. Here are some of the bills that we're watching this week.
Public Hearings in the VLA // Wednesday, April 5 // 1:00 PM
- 🌟 New! LD 1255 — Improving the Security of Voting Places: This bill would restrict dangerous weapons at polling places, except when carried by on-duty police or locked in motor vehicles. We plan to support this one.
Additional Updates:
- 🪦 LD 812 — Improving the Absentee Ballot Process: This bill would have improved the accessibility of in-person absentee voting by expanding Clerk's office hours to include weekend voting. This one is officially dead. RIP.
- 👎❓ LD 1038 — Repealing Ranked Choice Voting: Bad bill alert! If enacted, it would repeal RCV. We oppose this bill. The committee issued a divided report on this one, but we're hoping its future is short-lived.
- 🪦 LD 1055 — Bans Ballot Drop boxes: We opposed this one, too. In perhaps one of the shortest work sessions ever, with a lot of absences in the committee, this bill was quickly voted "Ought Not to Pass" (ONTP). We’d be happy to say, “Good riddance!”
It's Here: Local Guide to Government
We hope that you take a 👀 peek at our Guide to Local Government in Maine. The purpose of this guide is to provide an easy-to-use resource. Local government can be complex and tricky to understand, especially in Maine, yet its role has so many impacts on our daily lives in so many ways. We hope that the guide will be a one-stop-shop for educators, activists, community members, and any Mainer hoping to better understand or get involved in their local government. Check it out here.