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132nd MAINE LEGISLATURE
FIRST SPECIAL SESSION-2025
Legislative Document No. 1446
S.P. 587 In Senate, April 3, 2025
RESOLUTION, Proposing an Amendment to the Constitution of
Maine to Lower the Voting Age to 16 Years of Age
Reference to the Committee on Veterans and Legal Affairs suggested and ordered printed.
DAREK M. GRANT
Secretary of the Senate
Presented by Senator HICKMAN of Kennebec.
Cosponsored by Representative SUPICA of Bangor and
Senators: DUSON of Cumberland, TALBOT ROSS of Cumberland, TIPPING of Penobscot,
Representatives: ABDI of Lewiston, HASENFUS of Readfield, MURPHY of Scarborough,
PLUECKER of Warren, WARREN of Scarborough.
Page 1 - 132LR0933(01)
1Constitutional amendment. Resolved: Two thirds of each branch of the
2 Legislature concurring, that the following amendment to the Constitution of Maine be
3 proposed:
4Constitution, Art. II, §1 is amended to read:
5Section 1. Qualifications of electors; written ballot; military servicemen
6service members; students. Every citizen of the United States of the age of 18 16 years
7 and upwards, excepting persons under guardianship for reasons of mental illness, having
8 his or her residence established in this State, shall be an elector for Governor, Senators and
9 Representatives, in the city, town or plantation where his or her residence has been
10 established, if he or she continues to reside in this State; and the elections shall be by written
11 ballot. But persons in the military, naval or marine service of the United States, or this
12 State, shall not be considered as having obtained such established residence by being
13 stationed in any garrison, barrack or military place, in any city, town or plantation; nor shall
14 the residence of a student at any seminary of learning entitle the student to the right of
15 suffrage in the city, town or plantation where such seminary is established. No person,
16 however, shall be deemed to have lost residence by reason of the person's absence from the
17 state in the military service of the United States, or of this State.
18Indians. Every Indian, residing on tribal reservations and otherwise qualified, shall
19 be an elector in all county, state and national elections.
20Constitutional referendum procedure; form of question; effective date.
21Resolved: That the municipal officers of this State shall notify the inhabitants of their
22 respective cities, towns and plantations to meet, in the manner prescribed by law for holding
23 a statewide election, at a statewide election held in the month of November following the
24 passage of this resolution, to vote upon the ratification of the amendment proposed in this
25 resolution by voting upon the following question:
26 "Do you favor amending the Constitution of Maine to reduce the voting
27 age qualification by 2 years, from 18 years of age or older to 16 years of
28 age or older?"
29 The legal voters of each city, town and plantation shall vote by ballot on this question
30 and designate their choice by a cross or check mark placed within the corresponding square
31 below the word "Yes" or "No." The ballots must be received, sorted, counted and declared
32 in open ward, town and plantation meetings and returns made to the Secretary of State in
33 the same manner as votes for members of the Legislature. The Governor shall review the
34 returns. If it appears that a majority of the legal votes are cast in favor of the amendment,
35 the Governor shall proclaim that fact without delay and the amendment becomes part of
36 the Constitution of Maine on the date of the proclamation.
37Secretary of State shall prepare ballots. Resolved: That the Secretary of State
38 shall prepare and furnish to each city, town and plantation all ballots, returns and copies of
39 this resolution necessary to carry out the purposes of this referendum.
Page 2 - 132LR0933(01)
1SUMMARY
2 This resolution proposes to amend the Constitution of Maine to reduce the voting age
3 qualification by 2 years, from 18 years of age or older to 16 years of age or older, subject
4 to approval at referendum.
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