As Election Day nears on Nov. 6, Secretary of State Matthew Dunlap is reminding all Maine voters of a non-partisan resource that can help them make informed decisions at the polls: the 2018 Maine Citizen's Guide to the Referendum Election. 

The guide, prepared by the Department of the Secretary of State in collaboration with the Office of the Attorney General, Office of the State Treasurer and Office of Fiscal and Program Review, is an unbiased and non-partisan review of the issues that voters will consider at the polls this November.

"Maine voters are among the most actively engaged in the nation and were pleased to be able to help them make informed choices," said Dunlap.

The Citizens Guide provides detailed information about each question on the November ballot. Voters can see the legislation behind this year's ballot issues, as well as analysis of the intent and content of each question. Election law also allows for citizen advocacy statements to be published supporting or opposing questions, which provides voters with those viewpoints to consider.

Voters will decide on one citizens' initiative and four bond issues at https://www.maine.gov/sos/cec/elec/upcoming/index.html that will appear on the Nov. 6 ballot:

Question 1: An Act To Establish Universal Home Care for Seniors and Persons with Disabilities. https://www.maine.gov/sos/cec/elec/citizens/uhcleg.pdf

Question 2: An Act To Authorize a General Fund Bond Issue To Fund Wastewater Infrastructure Projects http://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/bills_128th/chapters/PUBLIC425.asp

Question 3: An Act To Authorize a General Fund Bond Issue To Improve Multimodal Facilities, Highways and Bridges and Municipal Culverts http://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/bills_128th/chapters/PUBLIC467.asp

Question 4: Bond Issue: General Fund Bond for Maine's public universities (An Act To Authorize a General Fund Bond Issue To Build Maine's Workforce Development Capacity by Modernizing and Improving the Facilities and Infrastructure of Maine's Public Universities and Community Colleges) http://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/bills_128th/chapters/PUBLIC465.asp

Question 5: Bond Issue: General Fund Bond for Maine's community colleges (An Act To Authorize a General Fund Bond Issue To Build Maine's Workforce Development Capacity by Modernizing and Improving the Facilities and Infrastructure of Maine's Public Universities and Community Colleges) http://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/bills_128th/chapters/PUBLIC465.asp

Voters are encouraged to use the Citizens' Guide to educate themselves about each question before casting a ballot. Voters can cast their ballot at the polls on Election Day, Nov. 6, 2018 or they can request absentee ballots from their municipal clerk or online via the Secretary of State's website at http://www.maine.gov/cgi-bin/online/AbsenteeBallot/index.pl .