2017 Maine Question 1

Question 1: Citizen Initiative
An Act To Allow Slot Machines or a Casino in York County
Results
Choice
Votes %
Yes 57,280 16.72%
No 285,372 83.28%
Valid votes 342,652 100.00%
Invalid or blank votes 0 0.00%
Total votes 342,652 100.00%
Source: Maine Secretary of State[1]

Maine Question 1, formally An Act To Allow Slot Machines or a Casino in York County, was a citizen-initiated referendum question that appeared on the November 7, 2017, statewide ballot in Maine. It sought to award a license for the construction and operation of a casino in York County, Maine by a qualified entity as spelled out in the proposed law, with tax revenue generated by the casino to go to specific programs. The wording of the proposed law effectively permitted only one company, Capital 7, to be awarded the license. The ballot measure was defeated, with 83% of voters opposing it.

The effort to put the question on the ballot generated controversy due to how the petition drive and campaign for the casino were funded and conducted, as well as the fact that the casino would have effectively not been given out by a competitive process. The campaign committees supporting the question had record fines levied against them from authorities related to violations of Maine campaign finance law.

  1. ^ "Citizens Initiatives & People's Veto". Maine Department of Secretary of State.