As might have been expected in the run up to the statewide referendum vote, turnout was high across Lincoln County during polling hours Nov. 3.
As of this posting, results are still preliminary. The Lincoln County News is still awaiting voting results from Waldoboro, Dresden and Monhegan Plantation. The outstanding totals may, in whole or in part, change the county wide verdict in some questions, most notably in regards to the hotly contested Question 1.
LCN anticipates having complete numbers to report by press time Wednesday morning.
However, with 16 towns reporting, by a vote of 7221-7099, Lincoln County voters have apparently narrowly approved Question 1; the citizen’s veto repealing Maine’s same sex marriage law.
Lincoln County voters also approved Question 3, a citizen’s initiative repealing the state’s school consolidation law 7334-6623.
Local voters overwhelmingly approved expanding Maine’s Medical Marijuana law, favoring Question 5, 8850-5364.
Lincoln County voters rejected both tax initiatives on the ballot. Question 2, a citizen’s petition proposal to cut the excise tax by 55 percent and implement tax incentives for green and hybrid vehicles was defeated: 10,761-3372.
Question 4, the so called TABOR II citizens petition proposing a hard cap on state and municipal spending was also defeated 8776-6107.
Local voters split on Questions 6 and 7, passing Question 6, a $71 million bond package for highway and infrastructure improvements, 9220-4844, and rejecting a constitutional amendment increasing the amount of time for local officials to certify signatures on citizen’s petitions: 7007-6768.
The Lincoln County News will have complete report of the local vote in this week’s print and web editions.
