Citizen’s Guide to the 2021 Maine Referendum Election now available online

As Election Day nears on November 2, Secretary of State Shenna Bellows is reminding all Maine voters of a non-partisan resource that can help them make informed decisions at the polls: the 2021 Maine Citizen’s Guide to the Referendum Election at www.maine.gov/sos/cec/elec/upcoming/pdf/11-21citizensguide.pdf.

    The guide, prepared by the Maine Department of the Secretary of State in collaboration with the Office of the Attorney General, Office of the State Treasurer, and Office of Fiscal and Program Review, is an unbiased and non-partisan review of the issues that voters will consider at the polls this November.
    “Maine voters are some of the most active, involved voters in the country,” said Bellows. “Good information is power, and this guide is a great resource for any voters looking for more information about the questions on their ballot this fall.”
    The Citizen’s Guide provides detailed information about each question on the November ballot. Voters can see the legislation behind this year’s ballot issues, as well as analysis of the intent and content of each question. Election law also allows for citizen advocacy statements to be published supporting or opposing questions, which provides voters with those viewpoints to consider.
    Voters will decide on one citizen’s initiative, one bond question, and one constitutional amendment that will appear on the November 2 ballot:

• Question 1: Do you want to ban the construction of high-impact electric transmission lines in the Upper Kennebec Region and to require the Legislature to approve all other such projects anywhere in Maine, both retroactively to 2020, and to require the Legislature, retroactively to 2014, to approve by a two-thirds vote such projects using public land?
  
• Question 2: Do you favor a $100,000,000 bond issue to build or improve roads, bridges, railroads, airports, transit facilities and ports and make other transportation investments, to be used to leverage an estimated $253,000,000 in federal and other funds?
  
• Question 3: Do you favor amending the Constitution of Maine to declare that all individuals have a natural, inherent and unalienable right to grow, raise, harvest, produce and consume the food of their own choosing for their own nourishment, sustenance, bodily health and well-being?
  

    Voters are encouraged to use the Citizen’s Guide to educate themselves about each question before casting a ballot. Voters can cast their ballot at the polls on Election Day, November 2, 2021, or they can request absentee ballots from their municipal clerk or online through the Secretary of State’s website.