Quick Explainer: Question 8 on the Maine Ballot

Описание: What’s on your ballot? On November 7, Mainers will vote on 8 different ballot questions. The League of Women Voters of Maine is committed to providing information to voters so that they feel confident when they vote.

Question 8 is a proposed amendments to the Maine Constitution. These questions began as bills that were passed by the Maine Legislature with a two-thirds majority. Unlike other kinds of laws, constitutional amendments must go to the state ballot for final approval by a majority of voters.

ABOUT QUESTION 8:
RESOLUTION, Proposing an Amendment to the Constitution of Maine to Allow Persons Under Guardianship for Mental Illness to Be Electors.

Do you favor amending the Constitution of Maine to remove a provision prohibiting a person under guardianship for reasons of mental illness from voting for Governor, Senators and Representatives, which the United States District Court for the District of Maine found violates the United States Constitution and federal law?

What it’s asking: This would amend the Maine Constitution so that individuals under a guardianship for reasons of mental illness will be able to vote in elections for governor, senators, and representatives. A federal court has already ruled that this restriction violates the U.S. Constitution and federal law.

A YES vote means you want to amend the Maine constitution to get rid of the restriction on voting for people under guardianship for mental illness, which will bring Maine’s constitution into agreement with federal law. A NO vote means you don’t want to amend the Maine constitution to allow people under guardianship for mental illness to vote for governor, senators, and representatives.

**The League of Women Voters of Maine has endorsed Question 8.