Four former Midcoast legislators endorse Sen. Maxmin’s semi-open primary bill

Wed, 05/05/2021 - 2:45pm

    AUGUSTA — Today, Open Primaries Maine announced that dozens of former legislators have endorsed L.D. 231, the semi-open primaries bill sponsored by Sen. Chloe Maxmin, D-Lincoln.

    Under current Maine law, the 32% of Maine voters who are unenrolled — often referred to as independent — are prohibited from participating in taxpayer funded primary elections.

    L.D. 231 would allow semi-open primaries, meaning these unenrolled voters would be permitted to cast one ballot in the primary of their choice.

    Republicans would not be able to vote in Democratic primaries and Democrats would not be able to vote in Republican primaries.

    Maine is one of just 14 states with completely closed primaries, and 80% of Maine voters support semi-open primaries, according to a news release. 

    “For so many Mainers, being an independent is a key part of their political identity,” said Sen. Maxmin. “But primaries are important parts of our political process that these voters are currently shut out of. Many races are effectively decided in the primary, and even though unenrolled voters can’t participate, they still fund these elections with their tax dollars. I’ve heard from so many of my constituents that our current political system isn’t working for them and isn’t hearing their voices. This bill would make some of the necessary changes to get our politics back on track.”

    Former Lawmakers for Semi-Open Primaries

    Kent Ackley (I-Monmouth), former State Representative

    Anne “Pinny” Beebe-Center (D-Rockland), former State Representative

    Owen Casas (I-Rockport), former State Representative, former Rockport Select Board, Vice Chair

    Justin Chenette (D-Saco), former State Senator, former State Representative

    Dennis Damon (D-Hancock), former State Senator, former County Commissioner

    Jill Goldthwait (I-Hancock), former State Senator, current Town Councilor

    Donna Finley (R-Skowhegan), former State Representative

    Stacey Fitts (R-Pittsfield), former State Representative,

    Jayne Crosby Giles (R-Belfast), former State Representative

    Geoff Gratwick (D-Penobscot), former State Senator, former City Councilor

    Skip Greenlaw (D-Stonington), former State Representative, former School Board member

    Marty Grohman (I-Biddeford), former State Representative and former candidate for U.S. Congress

    Roger Katz (R-Kennebec), former State Senator and former Mayor of Augusta

    Marge Kilkelly (D-Dresden), former State Senator, former State Representative

    Walter Kumiega (D-Deer Isle), former State Representative, former school board member

    Brian Langley (R-Hancock), former State Senator, former State Representative

    District Attorney Maeghan Maloney (D-Kennebec & Somerset), former State Representative

    Joyce Maker (R-Washington), former State Senator, former State Representative, former town councilor, former school board member

    Peter Mills (Somerset), former State Senator, former Rebublican candidate for Governor

    John Nutting (D-Androscoggin), former State Senator, former candidate for U.S. Congress

    Leila Percy (D-Harpswell), former State Representative

    Wendy Pieh (D-Bremen), former State Representative

    Kevin Raye (R-Washington), former Senate President, former candidate for U.S. Congress

    Richard Rosen (R-Hancock), former State Senator, former State Representative, former candidate for U.S. Congress

    Christine Savage (R-Knox), former State Senator, former State Representative, former member of Union selectboard

    Richard Spencer (D), former State Representative

    Meredith Strang Burgess (R-Cumberland), former State Representative

    Ed Suslovic (D-Portland), former State Representative, former City Councilor & Mayor of Portland

    Dianne Tilton (R-Harrington), former State Representative

    Karl Turner (Cumberland), former State Senator, former Falmouth Town Councilor

    Jim Wilfong (D-Stow), former State Representative, current member of the Stow Select Board

    Dick Woodbury (I-Yarmouth), former State Senator, former State Representative