AUGUSTA — Secretary of State Shenna Bellows has issued the question for the people’s veto of the state’s two-year budget, led by Rep. Gary Drinkwater. The question, which will appear on the petitions and – should the people’s veto move forward – Mainers’ ballots, reads
“Do you want to stop most state government operations and programs, including new and ongoing state funding for cities, towns, and schools, by rejecting the state's two-year budget?”
The applicants have until 5 p.m. on June 18 to submit at least 67,682 voters’ signatures to the Secretary of States’s office to pause implementation of P.L. 2025, ch. 2 “An Act Making Certain Appropriations and Allocations and Changing Certain Provisions of Law Necessary to the Proper Operations of State Government.”
Should the Secretary of State validate that sufficient signatures were filed, the question – with the law paused from going into effect – would appear on the next statewide election ballot (not sooner than 60 days after the Governor issues the proclamation putting it on the ballot, which is to be issued as soon as the signatures are validated). The next election is the November 4, 2025 Referendum Election.
More information about the people’s veto process may be found at: https://www.maine.gov/sos/elections-voting/peoples-veto-or-citizens-initiative-resources.
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