| HP0574 LD 838 |
First Regular Session - 124th Maine Legislature Text:
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LR 1839 Item 1 |
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| Bill Tracking | Chamber Status | ||
RESOLUTION, Proposing an Amendment to the Constitution of Maine To Elect 2 Senators from Each County and To Increase the Senate Term from 2 to 4 Years
Constitutional amendment. Resolved: Two thirds of each branch of the Legislature concurring, that the following amendment to the Constitution of Maine be proposed:
Constitution, Art. II, §4 is amended to read:
Section 4. Time of state election; absentee voting. The election of Senators and Representatives shall be on the Tuesday following the first Monday of November biennially forever except as provided in this Section. Beginning with the general election held in 2010, the election of Senators and the election of Governor shall be on the Tuesday following the first Monday of November every 4 years , except that the term of a Senator from an odd-numbered legislative district remains a 2-year term until 2012, after which time the election of all Senators must be held every 4 years. The Legislature under proper enactment shall authorize and provide for voting by citizens of the State absent therefrom in the Armed Forces of the United States or of this State and for voting by other citizens absent or physically incapacitated for reasons deemed sufficient.
Constitution, Art. IV, Pt. Second, §1 is amended to read:
Section 1. Number of Senators. The Senate shall consist of an odd number of 32 Senators, not less than 31 nor more than 35, elected at the same time and for the same term as Representatives as provided in Article II, Section 4 by the qualified electors of the districts into which the State shall be from time to time divided.
Constitution, Art. IV, Pt. Second, §2, first ¶ is amended to read:
Section 2. Submission of reapportionment plan to Secretary of Senate; Legislature's action on commission's plan; division of State into Senatorial Districts; division by Supreme Judicial Court. The Legislature which shall convene in the year 1983 and every tenth year thereafter 2013 shall cause reapportion the State to be divided into districts for the choice of a Senator from each district, using the same method as provided in Article IV, Part First, Section 2 for apportionment of Representative Districts so that the Senate districts coincide with the counties of the State. The voters of each county shall vote for 2 Senators.
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. 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 proposes to amend the Constitution of Maine to reduce the size of the Senate from no more than 35 members to 32 members and increase the Senate term from 2 years to 4 years. The resolution also requires the redrawing of district lines, to occur during the regularly scheduled redistricting following the decennial census. The redistricting will be done in 2013.