TMP Podcast #4 – Who Voted for Joe Biden & What’s Counting Our Votes?

In this episode we use Maine’s Secretary of State Election data to look at the top 5 counties where Biden’s surge in support came from.  We also take a look at the vote tabulator machines use by over half of Maine’s communities and their known security issues.  Continue Reading Below for Episode Sources.

Continue Reading TMP Podcast #4 – Who Voted for Joe Biden & What’s Counting Our Votes?

TMP Podcast #3 – November Election Follow-up: Finding Biden’s Base

Biden got record breaking support in Maine in the November election and in this episode. we’re going to dig at where, exactly, his support came from. We’ll take a hard look at the Associated Press election projections and also take a look at Secretary of State’s voter registration data and party enrollment shifts in Maine since the 2016 Presidential election. Continue Reading Below for Episode’s Voter Enrollment Data Sources.

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TMP Podcast #2 – Maine’s November 3rd Election Results Shakedown

On the second episode of The Maine Polis Podcast we take a in depth look at the result in Maine’s November 3rd Election. Starting with what’s changed and what’s staying the same in Maine’s legislature and then we’ll examine the results of Maine’s federal elections.

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TMP Podcast #1 Sara Gideon’s Time at the State House

On the first episode of the Maine Polis Podcast we take a closer look at Sara Gideon’s record in the Maine State House. Gideon is running for a senate seat against incumbent Susan Collins, Lisa Savage and Max Lin.

 

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Report finds 5 Maine Counties Have Voter Registrations Exceeding Voter-Age Populations

A Judicial Watch report released last month found that Cumberland, Sagadahoc, Hancock, Lincoln and Waldo counties all had voter registrations exceeding their total eligible voter populations. The study compared publicly available voter registration data to the Census’s American Community Survey data from 2014-2018.

Continue Reading Report finds 5 Maine Counties Have Voter Registrations Exceeding Voter-Age Populations

Update: RSU 16 Reconfiguration Talks Set Aside For Now, But Board Still Blunders Budget

Approximately 85 community members, made up of teachers, parents & bus drivers packed the PRHS Library for the March 9th School board meeting.

While the subject of school configuration was not listed on the agenda, Board Chair Mary Martin allowed several parents to speak on the matter and express their concerns regarding plans to reconfigure the district’s 3 elementary schools.

During this question and comment period, Martin stated that…

Continue Reading Update: RSU 16 Reconfiguration Talks Set Aside For Now, But Board Still Blunders Budget

Residents Upset With Move to Reconfigure District’s 3 Community Elementary schools.

The parents of Maine School District RSU 16 (Poland, Mechanic Falls & Minot), have recently become aware of an administrative plan to eliminate the district’s three community based, preK-6th grade elementary schools in order to reconfigure the grade-span of each building to only include 2 – 3 grades each. 

Continue Reading Residents Upset With Move to Reconfigure District’s 3 Community Elementary schools.

Legislative Council Considering Hundreds of Bills for Legislature’s Second Session

Senators and Representatives have submitted a total of 397 bill requests for The Legislative Council’s consideration during the current legislative session.

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Legislature Supports Bill requiring CMP’s Clean Energy Connect project get town approvals first

UPDATE:  After reconsidering LD 1363 on May 22nd, the Committee on Energy, Utilities and Technology (the committee) provided three different options for the legislature’s consideration.

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Committee Hearings Now Required for Citizen-Initiated Legislation Before Being Allowed On Ballot

UPDATE: After Passage in the Senate on May 15, Governor Mills signed LD 1209, a bill requiring all citizen-initiated legislation (referendums) face committee hearings prior to being allowed on a ballot, into law on May 23.

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Additional 25 Bills Become Law With Mills’ Signature

Governor Janet Mills has signed the following into law:

Continue Reading Additional 25 Bills Become Law With Mills’ Signature

10 More Bills Become Law With Mills’ Signature

Governor Janet Mills has signed the following into law:

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78 More Bills Become Law With Mills’s Signature

Governor Janet Mills has signed the following into law:

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Gov. Mills Signs 37 More Bills into Law

Governor Janet Mills has signed the following into law:

Continue Reading Gov. Mills Signs 37 More Bills into Law

A Heavily Amended Bill allowing Crossbows during archery season becomes law

UPDATE: Designed to replace Maine’s Archery Only Deer Season with a combined Archery & Crossbow Deer Season, LD 27 easily passed the legislature, but not without adding a 3 year sunset rule & name change reflecting the inclusion of turkey season.

Continue Reading A Heavily Amended Bill allowing Crossbows during archery season becomes law

Governor Mills Signs 54 Bills Into Law

Continue Reading Governor Mills Signs 54 Bills Into Law

Move To Elect President With National Popular Vote Fails in Maine House

UPDATE #2 Move to Elect President With National Popular Vote Fails in Maine House

Even though a majority of the Veterans and Legal Affairs committee voted against LD 816, it’s future was still unclear with both Committee Chairs, Sen. Louis Luchini (D-Hancock) & Rep. John Schneck (D-Bangor) supporting the minority opinion and the Senate voting to approve on May 14th.  But, after 14 days on the House Floor, , Rep. Schnieck (D-Bangor) called for a vote and the measure failed 76-66. A total of 9 votes were not cast, 6 abstained, 2 were excused and 1 is vacant

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Bill requiring CMP get town approvals for NECEC divides Committee

Despite a third work session held May 22nd, the Committee on Energy, Utilities and Technology was still unable to agree on an emergency bill requiring CMP’s New England Clean Energy Connect (NECEC) receive voter approval from each municipality it intends to cross.

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Persons Reporting a Drug-related Medical Emergency are Now Exempt from Criminal Liability

Governor Janet Mills today signed into law LD 329, An Act To Exempt from Criminal Liability Persons Reporting a Drug-related Medical Emergency, sponsored by Representative Barbara Cardone of Bangor and passed unanimously by the Legislature.

Maine now joins forty other states and the District of Columbia in enacting some form of a Good Samaritan or 911 drug immunity law.

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Bill Aims to Restore Maine’s Original State Flag

UPDATE 2: After receiving significant negative feedback to changing the current state flag, the Committee on State & Local Government voted 8 to 4 in favor of supporting a heavily amended LD 687. The amendment does away with re-instating Maine’s original state flag and instead tasks the Secretary of State’s office to develop a commemorative bicentennial flag for 2020.

Continue Reading Bill Aims to Restore Maine’s Original State Flag