Municipal Committees: Candidates, Referenda & BQCs

The laws governing ballot question committees apply to municipal ballot questions in all Maine towns and cities. If your organization qualifies as a ballot question committee because of its involvement with a municipal ballot question in a town or city of 15,000 or more people, your organization will have to register and file reports with the municipal clerk. For municipalities with fewer than 15,000 people, you will have to register and report with the Ethics Commission. You can view the guidebook for municipal ballot questions here. 21-A M.R.S. § 1056-B

Organizations and others seeking to influence municipal candidate elections and ballot questions may be required to register and file reports with the municipal clerk as a political action committee or a ballot question committee. (30-A M.R.S. § 2502(2))

Candidates, PACs and BQCs who must file with their municipality can obtain the necessary registration and reporting forms from their town clerk. Please see the table below for contact information for the towns in Maine with a population of 15,000 or more:

*Bar Harbor, Standish, and Union have elected to be subject to the provision of Chapter 13 with respect to referenda and initiatives, but not candidate elections. (30-A M.R.S. § 2502(2))