CAMDEN — The paper ballots and final tallies on Camden’s non-binding advisory referendum question were counted by hand after the polls closed Tuesday, June 13, and reported Wednesday morning, with the answer to Question 1, to “prohibit all retail sales of marijuana” coming down to a difference of 101 votes.

Camden voters voted 919 opposed and 818 in favor of prohibiting all retails sales of marijuana, defeating the question. The town’s marijuana referendum has no impact “whatsoever” on the legal or medical use of marijuana, nor does it bind the town legally to any outcomes. The referendum was put to the voters for information gathering purposes only.

Question 2 asked voters whether the town should “prohibit all retails sales of marijuana in social smoking clubs (taverns, pubs, restaurants, bar rooms)?” and the answer was a resounding Yes, with 1,141 votes cast in favor and 595 cast against.

Questions 3 and 4 asked whether voters were in favor of adopting an ordinance to “reasonably approve the location and conduct for retail sales” of marijuana in commercial business(es) and adopting an ordinance that “reasonably regulates the location and operation of marijuana [use] in social smoking clubs.” Respectively, voters were in favor of Question 3 by a vote of 1,123 to 579; and Question 4 by a vote of 1,033 to 676.

The questions asked follow a a six-month moratorium on marijuana sales and social clubs that was enacted last winter. After a substantial discussion, however, the town amended its original moratorium language to assign a committee to gather public input on ordinances related to retail and marijuana social clubs while the moratorium is underway.

This is the marijuana ballot: Non-Binding Advisory Ballot

Reach Editorial Director Holly S. Edwards at hollyedwards@penbaypilot.com; 207-706-6655