Constitution, Art. V, Part Second, §§1 and 1-A are amended to read:

Section 1. Election. The Secretary of State shall must be chosen biennially at the first session of the Legislature, by joint ballot of the Senators and Representatives in convention every 4 years by popular election on the same date and in the same manner as provided by this Constitution for the election of Governor.

Section 1-A. Succession to the office of Secretary of State. If a vacancy occurs in the office of the Secretary of State, the first deputy secretary of state shall act as the Secretary of State until a Secretary of State is elected by the Legislature during the current session if in session, or at the next regular or special session for the remainder of the term. If the vacancy occurs more than 90 days before the primary election for nominating candidates to be voted for at the next biennial election, the vacancy must be filled by the first deputy secretary of state until the first Wednesday after the first Tuesday in January following the biennial election.__At the biennial election, a Secretary of State must be elected to fill the unexpired term created by the vacancy.

; and be it further

Constitutional referendum procedure; form of question; effective date. Resolved: That the municipal officers of this State shall notify the inhabitants of their respective cities, towns and plantations to meet, in the manner prescribed by law for holding a statewide election, at a statewide election, on the Tuesday following the first Monday of November following the passage of this resolution, to vote upon the ratification of the amendment proposed in this resolution by voting upon the following question:

"Do you favor amending the Constitution of Maine to provide that the Secretary of State be elected by the people every 4 years in the same manner as the Governor is elected?"

The legal voters of each city, town and plantation shall vote by ballot on this question and designate their choice by a cross or check mark placed within the corresponding square below the word "Yes" or "No." The ballots must be received, sorted, counted and declared in open ward, town and plantation meetings