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 and returns made to the Secretary of State in the same manner as votes for members of the Legislature. The Governor shall review the returns and, if it appears that a majority of the legal votes are cast in favor of the amendment, the Governor shall proclaim that fact without delay and the amendment becomes part of the Constitution of Maine on the date of the proclamation; and be it further

Secretary of State shall prepare ballots. Resolved: That the Secretary of State shall prepare and furnish to each city, town and plantation all ballots, returns and copies of this resolution necessary to carry out the purposes of this referendum.

SUMMARY

This resolution expands on the education provisions currently in the Constitution of Maine to guarantee that if the State undertakes to support local schools it must do so in a way that equalizes opportunity for all children whether they live in service center communities or in rural areas.

It also prevents the State from taking any steps that will lead to the closure of isolated schools if the closure will force children under 12 years of age to spend more than 2 hours on a school bus or children 12 years of age or over to spend more than 3 hours on a bus.

It also guarantees every municipality the freedom to decide how its schools will be organized and permits the State to adjust its aid to account for any inefficiencies that result from those local decisions.

It also makes clear that these rights extend to and are enforceable by every Maine taxpayer.