Maine Senate advances Sen. Hickman bill to fund Maine’s elections in unanimous vote

AUGUSTA — On Thursday, June 5, the Maine Senate voted unanimously to advance LD 13, “An Act to Provide Funds Necessary for the Production and Delivery of Election Materials by the Secretary of State.” The bill, sponsored by Sen. Craig Hickman, D-Winthrop, would provide designated funding for the production and delivery of election materials, ensuring that the Office of the Secretary of State has sufficient funding to conduct Maine’s elections every year.

“We must fund our elections, the most foundational infrastructure of our democracy,” said Senator Craig Hickman. “We currently expect the Secretary of State’s office to print and mail hundreds of thousands of ballots for each election without providing dedicated funding for them to do so. This bill provides that funding. Maine has free, fair and secure elections with high voter participation. We must fully fund our elections every election cycle if we wish to protect these qualities”

LD 13, as amended, would establish the Production and Delivery of Election Materials Fund as a dedicated, non-lapsing fund in the Secretary of State’s office. The fund would receive an appropriation from the General Fund every two years. This is a separate stream of funding that can be used to print and distribute ballots and other election materials. Currently, the Secretary of State’s office must request funding from the Legislature to administer elections, frequently after the election has already occurred.

The amendment removed the section reconvening the working group to study polling places at schools, which was in the original bill.

Secretary of State Shenna Bellows testified in support of the bill at its public hearing in January.

“Supply chain and staffing issues have increased the cost of materials for ballots, printing, postage, and other election costs in addition to the delivery of such materials, which in turn has increased the cost of statewide elections dramatically in recent years,” said Secretary Bellows in her testimony. “L.D. 13 offers … a fund to receive ongoing appropriations and allowing any remaining balances to be carried forward [that] will ensure predictability and stability when it comes to election material expenses incurred, instead of this office repeatedly needing to ask for supplemental appropriations to pay for elections we are legally required to hold.”

Al Cleveland, Advocacy Director of the League of Women Voters of Maine, also testified in support of the bill at the public hearing.

“It should never be an issue whether a policy initiative advances simply because we don’t have the money to print an extra ballot page: the fiscal note for ballots or ballot pages should not be the determinant,” said Cleveland in testimony. “It’s a perverse disadvantage for a bill to have as a perceived downside that it aims to increase voter participation.”

LD 13 faces further votes in the House and Senate, as well as consideration for funding.

Sen. Hickman represents Maine Senate District 14, which includes Chelsea, Farmingdale, Gardiner, Hallowell, Manchester, Monmouth, Pittston, Randolph, Readfield, Wayne, West Gardiner and Winthrop.

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