Bill > LD991

This bill addresses potential conflicts of interest in municipal voting by prohibiting voters from participating in votes that directly impact their personal compensation. Specifically, the bill prevents municipal employees from voting on articles, referendum questions, or budget items that could affect their own salary, hourly rate, or employment benefits. The legislation applies to town meetings, secret ballot referendums, and city referendum questions. It requires the Secretary of State to develop and distribute guidance to municipal clerks on how to identify and prevent such conflicts of interest, including instructions for: 1) identifying voters who are disqualified from voting on specific articles or questions due to a direct pecuniary interest, and 2) ensuring these disqualified voters are not permitted to vote or receive ballots containing the relevant articles or questions. The bill modifies existing state laws to explicitly outline these voting restrictions, aiming to prevent potential self-serving voting behavior and maintain the integrity of municipal decision-making processes. By narrowly defining "direct pecuniary interest" as it relates to compensation-related votes, the legislation seeks to create a clear and fair standard for voter participation in municipal elections and budget decisions.

Government Affairs

https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/display_ps.asp?LD=991&snum=132