Maine Question 3, Transportation Bond Issue (2018)
- General election: Nov. 6
- Voter registration deadline: Oct. 16, or Nov. 6 (in-person)
- Early voting: When ballots become available through Nov. 1
- Absentee voting deadline: Nov. 6
- Online registration: No
- Same-day registration: Yes
- Voter ID: No
- Poll times: 6:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
| Maine Question 3 | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Election date November 6, 2018 | |
| Topic Bond issues and Transportation | |
| Status | |
| Type Bond issue | Origin State Legislature |
Maine Question 3, the Transportation Bond Issue, was on the ballot in Maine as a legislatively referred bond question on November 6, 2018. The measure was approved.
| A "yes" vote supported authorizing $106 million in general obligation bonds for transportation infrastructure projects. |
| A "no" vote opposed authorizing $106 million in general obligation bonds for transportation infrastructure projects. |
Election results
|
Maine Question 3 |
||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Result | Votes | Percentage | ||
|
|
427,357 | 67.71% | ||
| No | 203,780 | 32.29% | ||
Overview
What was Question 3 bond money intended for?
Question 3 authorized $106 million in general obligation bonds for transportation infrastructure projects, including:[1]
- $80 million for the construction, reconstruction, and rehabilitation of highways and bridges;
- $20 million for facilities and equipment related to ports, piers, harbors, marine transportation, airports, freight and passenger railroads, transit, and bicycle and pedestrian trails;
- $5 million for a competitive grant program to make upgrades to municipal culverts at stream crossings that improve safety and improve fish and wildlife habitats; and
- $1 million for improvements to the Maine Maritime Academy's waterfront pier in Castine, Maine.
What were recent bond measures on the ballot in Maine?
Voters of Maine cast ballots on 33 bond issues, totaling $1.12 billion in value, between January 1, 2007, and January 1, 2018. All but one bond issue question was approved. This 2018 bond measure was designed to issue bonds related to transportation projects. There were eight other bond issues addressing transportation on the ballot during the 11 previous years. All eight of them were approved, issuing a combined total of $673.53 million in bonds.
How much debt did Maine have from voter-approved bonds?
As of June 30, 2017, Maine had $460.24 million in debt from voter-issued bonds. The June 2017 debt from general obligation bonds was higher than the June 2016 debt, which was $380.99 million. During the period between January 1, 2007, and January 1, 2018, debt from general obligation bonds peaked at $529.99 million in 2009 and was at a $369.73 million low in 2013.
Text of measure
Ballot question
The ballot question was as follows:[1]
| “ |
Do you favor a $106,000,000 bond issue, including $101,000,000 for construction, reconstruction and rehabilitation of highways and bridges and for facilities and equipment related to ports, piers, harbors, marine transportation, freight and passenger railroads, aviation, transit and bicycle and pedestrian trails, to be used to match an estimated $137,000,000 in federal and other funds, and $5,000,000 for the upgrade of municipal culverts at stream crossings?[2] |
” |
Readability score
- See also: Ballot measure readability scores, 2018
| Using the Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level (FKGL and Flesch Reading Ease (FRE) formulas, Ballotpedia scored the readability of the ballot title and summary for this measure. Readability scores are designed to indicate the reading difficulty of text. The Flesch-Kincaid formulas account for the number of words, syllables, and sentences in a text; they do not account for the difficulty of the ideas in the text. The secretary of state wrote the ballot language for this measure.
In 2018, for the 167 statewide measures on the ballot, the average ballot title or question was written at a level appropriate for those with between 19 and 20 years of U.S. formal education (graduate school-level of education), according to the FKGL formula. Read Ballotpedia's entire 2018 ballot language readability report here. |
Campaign finance
| Total campaign contributions: | |
| Support: | $0.00 |
| Opposition: | $0.00 |
No ballot question committees registered to support or oppose the bond measure.[3]
Background
Bond issues on the ballot in Maine
- See also: Bond issues on the ballot
Voters of Maine cast ballots on 34 bond issues, totaling $1,122,925,000 in value, from January 1, 2007, through January 1, 2018. All but one bond issue, an $11 million bond to expand the state's community college system, was approved. This means that Mainers approved 97 percent of bond issues on the ballot between 2007 and 2017.
Prior to the election on November 6, 2018, the most recent bond issue that citizens voted on was a $105 million transportation bond titled Question 3.
The following table contains information on the 34 bond issues that appeared on the ballot in Maine between 2007 and 2018:
| Year | Measure | Amount | Primary purpose | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 (June) | Question 1 | $112,975,000 | Transportation projects | |
| 2007 (June) | Question 2 | $18,300,000 | Water facilities | |
| 2007 | Question 2 | $55,000,000 | Economic development | |
| 2007 | Question 3 | $43,500,000 | Higher education | |
| 2007 | Question 4 | $35,500,000 | Environmental conservation and recreation | |
| 2008 (June) | Question 1 | $29,725,000 | Water facilities and transportation projects | |
| 2008 | Question 3 | $3,400,000 | Water facilities | |
| 2009 | Question 6 | $71,250,000 | Transportation projects | |
| 2010 (June) | Question 2 | $26,500,000 | Energy projects and higher education | |
| 2010 (June) | Question 3 | $47,800,000 | Transportation projects | |
| 2010 (June) | Question 4 | $23,750,000 | Economic development | |
| 2010 (June) | Question 5 | $10,250,000 | Water facilities | |
| 2010 | Question 2 | $5,000,000 | Healthcare services | |
| 2010 | Question 3 | $9,750,000 | Environmental conservation and recreation | |
| 2012 | Question 2 | $11,300,000 | Higher education | |
| 2012 | Question 3 | $5,000,000 | Environmental conservation and recreation | |
| 2012 | Question 4 | $51,500,000 | Transportation projects | |
| 2012 | Question 5 | $7,925,000 | Water facilities | |
| 2013 | Question 1 | $14,000,000 | Military facilities | |
| 2013 | Question 2 | $15,500,000 | Higher education | |
| 2013 | Question 3 | $100,000,000 | Transportation projects | |
| 2013 | Question 4 | $4,500,000 | Higher education | |
| 2013 | Question 5 | $15,500,000 | Higher education | |
| 2014 | Question 2 | $8,000,000 | Agricultural research | |
| 2014 | Question 3 | $12,000,000 | Economic development | |
| 2014 | Question 4 | $10,000,000 | Healthcare research | |
| 2014 | Question 5 | $3,000,000 | Healthcare research | |
| 2014 | Question 6 | $10,000,000 | Water facilities and environmental conservation | |
| 2014 | Question 7 | $7,000,000 | Economic development | |
| 2015 | Question 2 | $15,000,000 | Housing projects | |
| 2015 | Question 3 | $85,000,000 | Transportation projects | |
| 2016 | Question 6 | $100,000,000 | Transportation projects | |
| 2017 | Question 1 | $50,000,000 | Economic development | |
| 2017 | Question 3 | $105,000,000 | Transportation projects |
Debt from voter-approved bonds
The Maine state treasurer provides an overview of the state’s debt resulting from general obligation bonds, which include all voter-approved bonds.[4] A general obligation bond constitutes public debt and is paid for through state funds. Section 14 of Article IX of the Maine Constitution requires that general obligation bonds exceeding $2 million be referred to the ballot for voter approval.
According to the state treasurer's overview on June 30, 2017, Maine had $460.24 million in debt from general obligation bonds. An additional $85.21 million had been approved by voters at the ballot box but not yet issued.[5] The June 2017 debt from general obligation bonds was higher than the June 2016 debt, which was $380.99 million with an additional $49.88 million in unissued bonds.[6] The graph below provides an illustration of state debt from general obligation bonds and the annual amount of unissued bonds in millions of dollars between June 30, 2005, and June 30, 2017:
Path to the ballot
- See also: Legislatively-referred state statute
Section 14 of Article IX of the Maine Constitution requires that state general obligation bonds exceeding $2 million be referred to the ballot for voter approval. A two-thirds vote in both chambers of the Maine State Legislature is required to put bond issues before voters.
The bond issue was introduced into the Maine State Legislature as Legislative Document 1815 (LD 1815).[7]
On July 9, 2018, the Maine House of Representatives approved the bill in a unanimous vote. The Maine State Senate also approved the bill (no roll-call available) on July 9, 2018.[7]
Gov. Paul LePage (R) signed LD 1815 on July 10, 2018, certifying the bond measure to appear on the ballot.[7]
How to cast a vote
- See also: Voting in Maine
Poll times
In Maine, municipalities with a population of 500 or more open their polls between 6:00 a.m. and 8:00 a.m., while municipalities with a population of less than 500 open their polls between 6:00 a.m. and 10:00 a.m. All polls close at 8:00 p.m. An individual who is in line at the time polls close must be allowed to vote.[8]
Registration requirements
- Check your voter registration status here.
To register to vote in Maine, one must be "a United States citizen, at least 16 years of age to pre-register to vote, and have established a fixed principal home in Maine. To vote in a Referendum or General Election, you must be registered in the community where you reside, and be at least 18 years of age. A 17 year old may vote in a Primary Election, if that person will be 18 by the General Election."[9]
Voters can return completed registration cards in person or by mail to their town office or city hall, any Motor Vehicle branch office, most state & federal social service agencies, or a voter registration drive. There is no deadline for voter registration if completed in person. If registering by mail, the deadline is 21 days prior to the election.[9]
When registering for the first time in Maine, voters must provide documents verifying their identity and residence. The following documents are acceptable identification for the purpose of registering to vote:
- Government ID with a photo (i.e. driver’s license, State ID, valid U.S. Passport, military ID, ID card issued by a federally recognized Indian tribe)
- Government ID without photo (i.e. certified birth certificate or signed Social Security card)
- Other official document showing the name and address of voter (i.e. eligibility for public benefits, utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck)
- Student photo ID from a state-approved public or private school or institute of higher education in Maine
- Maine driver’s license number or last four digits of Social Security Number[9]
Automatic registration
On June 19, 2019, Gov. Janet Mills signed an automatic voter registration bill into law that was scheduled for implementation in 2022. The law registers voters through the Department of Motor Vehicles.[10]
Online registration
- See also: Online voter registration
Maine has implemented an online voter registration system. Residents can register to vote by visiting this website.
Governor Janet T. Mills (D) signed L.D. 1126 into law on July 9, 2021, allowing online voter registration in Maine. This legislation went into effect on November 1, 2023.[11]
Same-day registration
Maine allows same-day voter registration.[9][12]
Residency requirements
To register to vote in Maine, you must be a resident of the state. State law does not specify a length of time for which you must have been a resident to be eligible.
Verification of citizenship
Maine does not require proof of citizenship for voter registration. An individual must attest that they are a U.S. citizen when registering to vote.[13]
All 49 states with voter registration systems require applicants to declare that they are U.S. citizens in order to register to vote in state and federal elections, under penalty of perjury or other punishment.[14] As of January 2025, six states — Alabama, Arizona, Georgia, Kansas, Louisiana, and New Hampshire — had passed laws requiring verification of citizenship at the time of voter registration. However, only two of those states' laws were in effect, in Arizona and New Hampshire. In three states — California, Maryland, and Vermont — at least one local jurisdiction allowed noncitizens to vote in some local elections as of November 2024. Noncitizens registering to vote in those elections must complete a voter registration application provided by the local jurisdiction and are not eligible to register as state or federal voters.
Verifying your registration
The Maine voter information lookup service allows residents to check their voter registration status online.
Voter ID requirements
Maine does not require voters to present identification while voting. If a voter registers to vote on Election Day, he or she must provide identification and proof of residence.[15]
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Maine State Legislature, "LD 1815," accessed July 12, 2018
- ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ Maine Commission of Governmental Ethics & Election Practices, "Ballot Question Committees," accessed July 24, 2017
- ↑ Maine State Treasurer, "Bonds on the Ballot," accessed January 12, 2017
- ↑ Maine State Treasurer, "Maine's Debt Snapshot - 6/30/17," June 30, 2017
- ↑ Maine State Treasurer, "Maine's Debt Snapshot - 6/30/16," June 30, 2016
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 Maine State Legislature, "LD 1815 Overview," accessed July 12, 2018
- ↑ Maine Revised Statutes, "Title 21-A, Chapter 9, Section 626," accessed April 14, 2023
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 Maine Bureau of Corporations, Elections & Commissions, "State of Maine Voter Guide," accessed April 14, 2023
- ↑ WMTW 8, “Maine governor signs automatic voter registration bill into law,” June 21, 2019
- ↑ Maine Legislature, "H.P. 804 - L.D. 1126: An Act To Update the Voter Registration Process," accessed June 8, 2023
- ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "Same Day Voter Registration," accessed January 31, 2023
- ↑ Department of the Secretary of State, "Maine Voter Registration Application," accessed November 1, 2024
- ↑ Under federal law, the national mail voter registration application (a version of which is in use in all states with voter registration systems) requires applicants to indicate that they are U.S. citizens in order to complete an application to vote in state or federal elections, but does not require voters to provide documentary proof of citizenship. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, the application "may require only the minimum amount of information necessary to prevent duplicate voter registrations and permit State officials both to determine the eligibility of the applicant to vote and to administer the voting process."
- ↑ Maine Secretary of State, "Your Right to Vote in Maine," accessed April 15, 2023
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