FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 7, 2023
Contact: Sam D’Arcangelo, RepresentUs, sdarcangelo@represent.us
Maine Voters Overwhelmingly Approve Ban on Foreign Government Interference in Elections in Major Win for Democracy
Maine voters approved Question 2, which prohibits foreign governments, or entities with at least 5% foreign government ownership, from spending on elections
Maine - Maine voters made history today when they overwhelmingly approved Question 2, a ballot measure that bans foreign governments and foreign government-controlled entities from spending on candidate and ballot elections. As of press time (with 28% of precincts reporting), the count shows more than 86% of Maine voters have approved of Question 2. The vote makes Maine the 2nd state in 2023 to prohibit foreign government-controlled entities from spending money on campaigns.
In addition to banning election spending by foreign governments, Question 2 also requires media outlets to disclose illegal spending by foreign governments, imposes public disclosure requirements on foreign entities that engage in issue advertising, and reaffirms Maine’s support for adding an anti-corruption amendment to the U.S. Constitution.
The Yes on 2 campaign was led by Protect Maine Elections with support from Maine Citizens for Clean Elections, American Promise, Campaign Legal Center, Veterans For All Voters, and RepresentUs.
RepresentUs CEO Joshua Graham Lynn issued the following statement in response:
Maine’s victory shows the anti-corruption movement is still making incredible progress. It’s a major milestone and a crucial step forward for Maine, where foreign government-owned entities have spent more than $100 million on referendum campaigns since 2020. In fact, the latest filings showed 83% of spending on Maine’s current election cycle came from foreign government-owned entities. Congrats to the people of Maine for putting a stop to that.
This win is a testament to the dedication and hard work of the local activists at Protect Maine Elections who led the Yes on 2 campaign from start to finish. We’d like to give a huge shout out to them, and to our fellow coalition partners at Maine Citizens for Clean Elections, American Promise, Campaign Legal Center, and Veterans For All Voters. Finally, this victory is also a testament to the strength of the wider anti-corruption movement, which continues to win at the local, state, and national level.
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RepresentUs is America’s leading nonpartisan organization fighting to protect and strengthen democracy. We unite unlikely allies from across the political spectrum who put country over party to pass pro-democracy laws, fight corruption, and defeat authoritarian threats. We have won more than 170 victories in cities and states across America since our founding 11 years ago. Each win brings us one step closer to our vision of making America the world’s strongest democracy.
For more information, contact: Sam D’Arcangelo, RepresentUs, sdarcangelo@represent.us