Maine House Bill LD149

Maine 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 1/14/25
• Refer: 1/14/25
• Failed: 6/9/25

Caption

RESOLUTION, Proposing an Amendment to the Constitution of Maine to Provide for the Popular Election of the Attorney General

Summary

LD 149 is a proposed constitutional amendment that would change how Maine’s Attorney General is selected. Under the resolution, the Attorney General would no longer be chosen by the Legislature; instead, the office would be filled by popular election every two years, on the same schedule and in the same general manner as elections for state Senators and Representatives. The measure also preserves a gubernatorial appointment process for vacancies that occur while the Legislature is not in session, subject to the same confirmation requirements referenced in the Constitution for Supreme Judicial Court justices. If approved by voters, the amendment would take effect through the constitutional referendum process and would begin applying in 2026. The bill sets out the ballot question, directs election officials to place the proposal before the voters at a statewide November election, and provides for the counting, certification, and proclamation procedures needed to ratify a constitutional amendment in Maine.

Impact

LD 149 would amend the Maine Constitution and alter the selection method for the Attorney General, shifting the office from legislative election to direct statewide election by the people. This would affect the constitutional provisions governing the Attorney General’s office, the Legislature’s role in choosing the officeholder, and the vacancy-filling process when the Legislature is not in session. It would also require election administration for a statewide referendum and, if ratified, would make the Attorney General a partisan or nonpartisan statewide elective office depending on the election laws then in effect.

Sentiment

The available voting history suggests the proposal faced significant resistance. Both recorded votes on June 9, 2025 failed, with the majority report and the amended motion each receiving more nays than yeas. There is no committee transcript available here, but the roll-call results indicate that support existed for moving the proposal forward while a larger bloc opposed it. Overall, the sentiment appears mixed to unfavorable in the Legislature, with the measure not advancing on the recorded votes.

Contention

The main point of contention is the shift in power from the Legislature to the electorate in choosing the Attorney General. Supporters likely view popular election as increasing democratic accountability and voter control over a major constitutional officer, while opponents may prefer legislative selection as a check on politicization or as a way to preserve the current balance of powers. The vacancy provision may also raise questions about executive appointment authority and confirmation requirements. The failed votes indicate that these institutional and separation-of-powers concerns were enough to prevent the resolution from gaining majority support.