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Do you want to reject the new law that removes religious and philosophical exemptions to requiring immunization against certain communicable diseases for students to attend schools and colleges and for employees of nursery schools and health care facilities? | |||||||||||||
| Results | |||||||||||||
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 Against 80–90% 70–80% 60–70% 50–60%
Results by county | |||||||||||||
| Source:[1] | |||||||||||||
2020 Maine Question 1 was apeople's veto referendum that sought to reject a new law which eliminated religious and philosophical exemptions from schoolvaccination requirements and for employees of nursery schools and health care facilities. The question appeared on the statewide ballot on March 3, 2020,[citation needed] coinciding with theDemocratic andRepublican presidential primaries for the2020 U.S. presidential election.
The veto effort was defeated 73%–27%.[1]
On April 23, 2019, TheMaine House of Representatives voted 78–59 to pass LD 798, "An Act To Protect Maine Children and Students from Preventable Diseases by Repealing Certain Exemptions from the Laws Governing Immunization Requirements". The bill was sponsored by Ryan Tipping (D-Orono).[2]
TheMaine State Senate passed the bill 20–15 on May 2, but amended it to keep religious exemptions.[3] The House rejected the amendment on May 7 and sent the bill back to the Senate.[4]
On May 23, the Senate reversed course and passed the bill, without the religious exemption, by a vote of 19–16.[5][6] On May 24, 2019, Maine governorJanet Mills signed the bill into law effective September 2021. Maine thus became the fourth U.S. state to allow only medical exemptions for school immunization requirements.[7]
Prior to the deadline of September 19, 2019, opponents of the new law submitted 95,071 signatures toMaine Secretary of StateMatthew Dunlap.[8] Of those, 79,000 were deemed valid, surpassing the 63,067 required for the veto effort to be included on a statewide ballot.[9] (In Maine, a number of valid signatures equalling 10% of the votes cast in the previous gubernatorial election are required for a people's veto to be accepted for inclusion on a statewide ballot.)[10]
While signatures were being gathered, Dunlap's office told organizers of the veto effort that, if qualified for the ballot, the vote would coincide with state legislative and congressional primary elections in June 2020. However, that guidance failed to take into account the recent change in the law to hold primary elections for presidential nominees, as opposed to a caucus, on the March 3Super Tuesday. Thus the referendum vote would be held on March 3, as it was the next scheduled statewide election. Dunlap's office admitted to the error, but said that it has no discretion over when to schedule elections and explained that timing is generally not discussed until petitions are submitted and validated, which had not happened yet.[11]
Supporters of the veto campaign, who wished to restore religious and philosophical exemptions for required vaccination, became "Yes on 1 to RejectBig Pharma."
| "Maine has the opportunity to undo this assault on our freedom. Send a message to the pharmaceutical industry and government officials that we will not surrender this basic human right. Help preserve medical freedom in Maine. Vote yes on Question 1." Donna Dodge, resident ofDenmark, Maine[12] |
Opponents of the veto, who wished to allow only medical exemptions for required vaccination, became "No on 1 to Protect Maine's Children."
| "Right now, Maine’s community immunity rates are not high enough to ensure that children who cannot be immunized attend safe schools. On behalf of all children, our communities and the legacy of prioritizing health and education in Maine, on March 3 please vote “No” on Question 1." Anne Coates, pediatric pulmonologist, Maine Medical Center Pediatric Specialty Care[13] |
On February 4, 2020, campaigns on both sides of the referendum held campaign kickoff events at theMaine State House.[14]
Yes on 1 was endorsed by state senatorsMatthew Pouliot (R-Kennebec) andLisa Keim (R-Oxford); state representativesRobert Foley (R-Wells), Justin Fecteau (R-Augusta) andHeidi H. Sampson (R-Alfred); as well as former physicianChristiane Northrup.[citation needed]
No on 1 was endorsed by the Maine Medical Association, the Maine Dental Association, the Maine Hospital Association, the Maine Osteopathic Association, theBarbara Bush Children's Hospital, the Maine Association of School Nurses, the American Academy of Pediatrics,EqualityMaine, GovernorJanet Mills,[15][16] theBangor Daily News,[17] thePortland Press Herald,[18] andThe Ellsworth American.[19]
Supporters of the veto raised over $640,000 while the opposition raised close to $875,000.
| "Yes" contributor (to overturn the new law) | Amount | "No" contributor (to keep the new law) | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Organic Consumers Association | $50,000 | Merck Sharp and Dohme | $250,000 |
| Stephanie Grondin,office manager at Capital City Chiropractic | $25,000 | Pfizer | $250,000 |
| Adaptive Digital Media | $19,500 | Biotechnology Innovation Organization | $98,000 |
| Aaron Hoshide,University of Maine professor | $13,500 | Maine Hospital Association | $50,000 |
| Contributions of $50 or less | $57,957 | Contributions of $50 or less | $11,487 |
The veto effort was defeated 73% (281,750) to 27% (105,214). A total of 386,964 votes were cast.
| County | Yes % | Votes | No % | Votes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Androscoggin | 30.64% | 7,866 | 69.28% | 17,787 |
| Aroostook | 37.04% | 4,879 | 62.96% | 8,295 |
| Cumberland | 17.40% | 17,846 | 82.60% | 84,718 |
| Franklin | 34.90% | 3,000 | 67.10% | 5,597 |
| Hancock | 33.25% | 5,830 | 66.75% | 11,702 |
| Kennebec | 29.49% | 9,849 | 70.51% | 23,550 |
| Knox | 25.94% | 3,644 | 74.06% | 10,405 |
| Lincoln | 24.87% | 3,071 | 75.13% | 9,276 |
| Oxford | 32.12% | 4,798 | 67.88% | 10,141 |
| Penobscot | 35.02% | 12,647 | 64.98% | 23,464 |
| Piscataquis | 47.16% | 1,951 | 52.84% | 2,186 |
| Sagadahoc | 22.96% | 2,931 | 77.04% | 9,833 |
| Somerset | 42.59% | 4,836 | 57.41% | 6,518 |
| Waldo | 37.26% | 4,730 | 62.74% | 7,965 |
| Washington | 42.16% | 3,319 | 57.84% | 4,554 |
| York | 23.69% | 13,848 | 76.31% | 44,595 |
| Total(inc. UOCAVA) | 27.19% | 105,214 | 72.81% | 281,750 |
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