130th MAINE LEGISLATURE
FIRST REGULAR SESSION-2021
Legislative Document No. 1056
H.P. 785 House of Representatives, March 11, 2021
RESOLUTION, Proposing an Amendment to the Constitution of
Maine To Provide for the Popular Election of the Attorney General
Reference to the Committee on State and Local Government suggested and ordered printed.
ROBERT B. HUNT
Clerk
Presented by Representative FAULKINGHAM of Winter Harbor.
Cosponsored by Representatives: DILLINGHAM of Oxford, FECTEAU of Augusta, GRIFFIN
of Levant, HARRINGTON of Sanford, MASON of Lisbon, NEWMAN of Belgrade.
Printed on recycled paper
 1 Constitutional amendment. Resolved: Two thirds of each branch of the
2 Legislature concurring, that the following amendment to the Constitution of Maine be
3 proposed:
4 Constitution, Art. IX, §11 is amended to read:
5 Section 11. Attorney General. The Attorney General shall be chosen biennially
6 by joint ballot popular election on the same date and in the same manner as provided by
7 this Constitution for the election of the Senators and Representatives in convention.
8 Vacancy in said office occurring when the Legislature is not in session, may be filled by
9 appointment by the Governor, subject to confirmation as required by this Constitution for
10 Justices of the Supreme Judicial Court.
11 Constitutional referendum procedure; form of question; effective date.
12 Resolved: That the municipal officers of this State shall notify the inhabitants of their
13 respective cities, towns and plantations to meet, in the manner prescribed by law for holding
14 a statewide election, at a statewide election held in the month of November following the
15 passage of this resolution, to vote upon the ratification of the amendment proposed in this
16 resolution by voting upon the following question:
17 "Do you favor amending the Constitution of Maine to provide that the
18 Attorney General be elected by the people biennially in the same manner
19 as members of the Senate and the House of Representatives?"
20 The legal voters of each city, town and plantation shall vote by ballot on this question
21 and designate their choice by a cross or check mark placed within the corresponding square
22 below the word "Yes" or "No." The ballots must be received, sorted, counted and declared
23 in open ward, town and plantation meetings and returns made to the Secretary of State in
24 the same manner as votes for members of the Legislature. The Governor shall review the
25 returns. If it appears that a majority of the legal votes are cast in favor of the amendment,
26 the Governor shall proclaim that fact without delay and the amendment becomes part of
27 the Constitution of Maine on the date of the proclamation.
28 Secretary of State shall prepare ballots. Resolved: That the Secretary of State
29 shall prepare and furnish to each city, town and plantation all ballots, returns and copies of
30 this resolution necessary to carry out the purposes of this referendum.
31 SUMMARY
32 This resolution proposes a constitutional amendment that provides for direct popular
33 election beginning in 2022 of the Attorney General biennially in the manner currently
34 provided for Senators and Representatives.
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