The Maine Constitution is the fundamental governing document of the state of Maine.
Features
The Maine Constitution consists of a preamble and ten articles.
Maine’s constitution was first adopted in 1820, making it the 23rd state in the Union. The constitution has been amended many times since 1820, and it has been re-codified every 10 years beginning in the late 19th century. By re-codifying it, the repealed portions have been deleted and the original structure has remained intact. This process has made it one of the shorter state constitutions.
Background
The current (and first) Maine Constitution was approved on March 4, 1820.
The current constitution has been amended 175 times.
The most recent amendment to the Maine Constitution was approved by voters in 2021.
Although citizens in Maine can put initiated state statutes on the ballot, Maine does not feature a process for initiated constitutional amendments. Thus, amendments in Maine can be put on the ballot through referral by the legislature or by a constitutional convention.
