AUGUSTA, Maine — A ballot initiative that would place limits on contributions to state-level political action committees in Maine is eligible for the November ballot, Secretary of State Shenna Bellows ruled on Thursday.
The petition effort got more than 76,000 valid signatures from registered voters, easily clear the required threshold of 67,682 signatures. That sends the measure to the Legislature, which has the option to approve it but is more likely to toss the question to voters later this year.
The proposal to limit contributions to political action committees, or PACs, has been circulated since October. Though voters approved the Maine Clean Election Act in 1996 to eliminate large contributions to state-level candidates, Maine is one of relatively few states with no limits on how much individuals can give to PACs. Contributors only must provide names and addresses.
Gov. Janet Mills, a Democrat, signed a 2021 campaign finance reform measure that took effect Jan. 1, 2023, and limited PAC contributions from corporations, unions and other business entities. However, the Democratic-led Legislature repealed that law in June.
Those groups can take unlimited sums of money and spend unlimited amounts in supporting or opposing candidates. PACs must follow rules on how much they can give directly to candidates per election cycle. Those limits are $1,950 for a gubernatorial candidate, $475 for a legislative candidate, $575 for a municipal candidate and $975 for any other candidate.
