Election signs line the Eastern Promenade in Portland on Sunday ahead of Election Day. Derek Davis/Staff Photographer
Mainers will head to the polls Tuesday to vote on a variety of important issues, including two statewide ballot questions that could determine the future operation of Central Maine Power Co. and Versant Power.
Voters also will decide mayoral races in Portland, Biddeford, Lewiston and Auburn, among other local elections.
And Portland voters will consider three municipal referendum questions, including one that calls for gender-inclusive and -neutral language in the city charter. Another would exempt owners of nine or fewer rental units from meeting the requirements of the city’s rent control ordinance.
On the state ballot, Question 3 calls for creating a new publicly owned and controlled utility, to be named Pine Tree Power, by taking over the assets of CMP and Versant, which together distribute 97% of Maine’s electricity. Buying CMP and Versant would cost $6 billion to $13 billion and require the state to assume considerable debt.
Question 1 is a measure initiated by Avangrid, CMP’s investor-owned parent company, as a backstop if Question 3 passes. It would require the Maine state treasurer to seek voter approval before the state could take on more than $1 billion in debt for certain quasi-governmental entities and all publicly owned electric utilities.
Question 2 of the eight referendum questions on the state ballot asks voters if they want to prohibit foreign governments and the entities they control or influence from spending money on state and local referendum campaigns in Maine.
The question comes in response to record spending during a 2021 referendum campaign that aimed to halt construction of a controversial power transmission corridor in western Maine. Hydro-Quebec, wholly owned by the province of Quebec, and Spain-based Avangrid spent millions to fight the measure.
Federal and state election laws already prohibit foreign nationals from contributing to candidates seeking office in Maine, but they are free to spend money to influence state and local referendums or elections.
Question 2 would require news outlets, including newspapers and television broadcasters, cable and satellite television broadcasters, and social media companies, to establish due diligence policies to ensure that campaign ads comply.
Question 4 asks whether car and truck manufacturers should be required to provide access to advanced technology and information necessary for owners and independent mechanics to repair increasingly complex vehicles outside dealerships. The referendum question is a part of the national “Right to Repair” movement.
Questions 5 through 8 are proposed constitutional amendments, including Question 6, which would reverse a provision that currently keeps a section on tribal obligations from being included in print versions of the Maine Constitution.
In the mayoral races, Portland voters will be choosing a replacement for Mayor Kate Snyder, who didn’t seek a second four-year term. The candidates in that nonpartisan race are city councilors Pious Ali, Mark Dion and Andrew Zarro, former councilor Justin Costa, and political newcomer Dylan Pugh.
In Biddeford, former legislators Susan Deschambault and Martin Grohman are vying to replace longtime Mayor Alan Casavant, who isn’t seeking reelection after 12 years in office.
Lewiston Mayor Carl Sheline is being challenged by Jon Connor, Luke Jensen and Joshua Pietrowicz, while Auburn Mayor Jason Levesque is defending his seat against Jeff Harmon.
Under Maine law, polling places must open between 6 a.m. and 8 a.m., except in towns with fewer than 500 residents, where the polls must open by 10 a.m. Polling places must close at 8 p.m., except in towns with fewer than 100 residents, where the polls may close after all registered voters have cast their ballots.
Check your municipality for exact polling times and locations.
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