2025 Maine Question 2
In today's world, 2025 Maine Question 2 has become increasingly relevant. Whether due to its impact on society, its influence on popular culture, or its importance in academia, 2025 Maine Question 2 has become a topic of interest for people of all ages and professions. Since its inception, 2025 Maine Question 2 has generated passionate debate and has been the subject of intense study and research. Without a doubt, 2025 Maine Question 2 is a multifaceted topic that covers a wide range of aspects, and that deserves to be explored in depth to understand its true scope and meaning in today's world.
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November 4, 2025
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Extreme Risk Protection Orders to Restrict Firearms and Weapons Access Initiative | |||||||||||||||||||
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Maine Question 2, officially the Extreme Risk Protection Orders to Restrict Firearms and Weapons Access Initiative, was an indirect initiated state statute that appeared on the ballot in the U.S. state of Maine on November 4, 2025, concurrent with the 2025 United States elections. The measure passed.
Background
The Maine Gun Safety Coalition announced in January 2025 that they had gathered over 80,000 signatures from Maine citizens in support of the initiative.[1] The signatures were validated in March 2025, and the initiative was certified as having qualified for the ballot in the November 2025 election.[2]
In June, gun owners' rights groups threatened to file a lawsuit against the Maine Legislature if it did not schedule a public hearing on the citizens' proposed ERPO Act, as required by state law.[3] Opposition within the Legislature to holding the hearing was dropped soon after.[4] As the Legislature did not vote to enact the citizens' initiated Act, it will now go to the voters on the November 2025 ballot as Question 2.[5]
Question 2 is a citizen-initiated measure in response to a 2023 mass shooting in Lewiston that killed 18 people.[6] The shooter's family had previously expressed concern about his mental wellbeing and unsuccessfully urged law enforcement to confiscate his guns, though the 'yellow flag' law in effect at the time required that police officers take the gun owner into custody, then submit him to a mental health evaluation by medical personnel, before they could go to court for a temporary order to remove his guns, none of which occurred.[7][8]
Unlike Maine's yellow flag law, Question 2 does not require the homicidal or suicidal individual to be taken into custody first and subjected to mental health evaluation before obtaining the temporary gun removal order.[9] Thus, if Question 2 passes, law enforcement will have the ability to obtain a court order to remove the individual's guns when they are away from their home or car, without having to find and detain them. [9]
Maine currently has yellow flag laws, a lesser version of red flag laws. In Maine, only law enforcement officers can confiscate firearms, while a judge requires a mental health evaluation to do the same.[10]
Text
Do you want to allow courts to temporarily prohibit a person from having dangerous weapons if law enforcement, family, or household members show that the person poses a significant danger of causing physical injury to themselves or others?[11]
Impact
The initiative would allow judges to more easily issue extreme risk protection orders, permitting them to authorize confiscation of firearms if an individual is deemed a threat by a judge based on evidence presented by law enforcement or family members.[12] It would also prohibit the individual from purchasing a firearm for one year, unless the respondent files a successful motion to terminate the extreme risk protection order early.[13]
The confiscation/prohibition process begins with a family member or a law enforcement officer filing an affidavit attesting to the alleged threat the individual poses. A judge may hold a hearing, at which the individual may argue in their defense, within fourteen days of the affidavit's filing, or a judge may choose to use an "emergency clause" to forcibly confiscate the individual's firearms immediately, before any due process, with a hearing scheduled within fourteen days.[13] A confiscation may last for up to a year.[13]
Endorsements
- State legislators
- Troy Jackson, former president of the Maine Senate (2018–2024) from the 1st district (2016–2024)[a] (Democratic)[14]
- Organizations
- Maine Association of Psychiatric Physicians[15]
- Maine Medical Association[16]
- Episcopal Diocese of Maine[17]
- Global Impact Social Welfare Fund[18]
- Media
- Statewide officials
- Janet Mills, Governor of Maine (2019–present) (Democratic)[21]
- State legislators
- Jennifer Poirier, state representative from the 70th district (2020–present) (Republican)[11]
- David Trahan, former state senator from the 20th district (2008–2012) (Republican)[11]
- Organizations
- Political parties
Polling
| Poll source | Date(s) administered |
Sample size[b] |
Margin of error |
Yes | No | Undecided |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of New Hampshire[23] | October 16–21, 2025 | 1,015 (LV) | ± 3.1% | 38% | 40% | 22% |
Results
| Choice | Votes | % |
|---|---|---|
 Yes
|
307,911 | 62.90 |
| No | 181,601 | 37.10 |
| Invalid or blank votes | 2,496 | 0.51 |
| Total votes | 492,008 | 100.00 |
| Source: Associated Press[24] | ||
By county
| County | Yes | No | Invalid | Total | Turnout | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| # | % | # | % | ||||
| Androscoggin | 19,060 | 57.56% | 14,051 | 42.44% | 183 | 33,294 | |
| Aroostook | 8,267 | 46.98% | 9,391 | 53.02% | 84 | 17,742 | |
| Cumberland | 94,471 | 77.27% | 27,784 | 22.73% | 600 | 122,855 | |
| Franklin | 5,307 | 51.57% | 4,983 | 48.43% | 42 | 10,332 | |
| Hancock | 14,587 | 63.01% | 8,563 | 36.99% | 96 | 23,246 | |
| Kennebec | 23,436 | 55.49% | 18,798 | 44.51% | 152 | 42,386 | |
| Knox | 11,394 | 66.86% | 5,647 | 33.14% | 63 | 17,104 | |
| Lincoln | 10,582 | 63.04% | 6,203 | 36.96% | 70 | 16,855 | |
| Oxford | 10,358 | 52.39% | 9,412 | 47.61% | 102 | 19,872 | |
| Penobscot | 24,693 | 52.54% | 22,305 | 47.46% | 177 | 47,175 | |
| Piscataquis | 2,399 | 41.26% | 3,415 | 58.74% | 22 | 5,836 | |
| Sagadahoc | 10,681 | 64.08% | 5,987 | 35.92% | 75 | 16,743 | |
| Somerset | 6,287 | 42.74% | 8,357 | 57.26% | 330 | 14,974 | |
| Waldo | 9,315 | 58.67% | 6,563 | 41.33% | 61 | 15,939 | |
| Washington | 5,064 | 44.68% | 6,269 | 55.32% | 104 | 11,437 | |
| York | 49,929 | 64.32% | 23,702 | 35.68% | 325 | 73,956 | |
| Totals | 307,911 | 62.26% | 181,601 | 37.74% | 2,496 | 492,008 | |
See also
Notes
References
- ^ St Pierre, Ariana (January 23, 2025). "Maine Gun Safety Coalition submits signatures for new 'red flag' law ballot initiative". WGME. Retrieved August 7, 2025.
- ^ Mistler, Steve (March 7, 2025). "Maine gun control groups' bid for red flag law qualifies for ballot". Maine Public. Retrieved August 7, 2025.
- ^ Miller, Kevin (June 2, 2025). "Gun owners' rights groups threaten lawsuit to force public hearing on 'red flag' proposal". Maine Public. Retrieved August 7, 2025.
- ^ Billings, Randy (June 10, 2025). "Maine Democrats drop opposition to 'red flag' hearing". Portland Press Herald. Retrieved August 7, 2025.
- ^ Hilton, AnnMarie (July 31, 2025). "Here are the big questions that will appear on Maine's November ballot • Maine Morning Star". Maine Morning Star. Retrieved October 20, 2025.
- ^ Maine, Susan Cover. "Maine Question 2 proposes new gun law in wake of Lewiston mass shooting". spectrumlocalnews.com. Retrieved October 20, 2025.
- ^ "Final Report of the Independent Commission to Investigate the Facts of the Tragedy in Lewiston" (PDF). maine.gov. pp. 46–52.
- ^ "Maine's Yellow Flag Law: Criteria, Process, and Penalties". LegalClarity. January 30, 2025. Retrieved October 20, 2025.
- ^ a b "Maine Citizen's Guide to the Referendum Election, Tuesday, November 4, 2025" (PDF). maine.gov. pp. 23–34.
- ^ Pendharkar, Eesha (January 23, 2025). "Gun safety groups deliver signatures to place red flag law on November ballot". Maine Morning Star. Retrieved August 7, 2025.
- ^ a b c Wooten, Rya (June 18, 2025). "Republicans push new proposal to counter Maine's red flag law referendum". News Center Maine. Retrieved August 8, 2025.
- ^ Pendharkar, Eesha; Hilton, Annmarie (June 11, 2025). "Advocates make case for red flag ballot measure in last-minute legislative hearing". Maine Morning Star. Retrieved August 7, 2025.
- ^ a b c Mistler, Steve (October 16, 2025). "With Question 2, voters will weigh in on whether Maine's current gun-confiscation law is sufficient". Maine Public. Retrieved October 17, 2025.
- ^ Jackson, Troy (October 7, 2025). "Maine's traditions are not at odds with a red flag law". Central Maine. Retrieved October 16, 2025.
- ^ Hilton, AnnMarie (October 14, 2025). "What would it mean for Maine to have a yellow and red flag law?". Maine Morning Star. Retrieved October 20, 2025.
- ^ Davis, Emma (September 19, 2024). "Maine gun safety advocates launch citizen initiative to pass 'red flag' law". Maine Morning Star. Retrieved October 20, 2025.
- ^ Davis, Emma (September 19, 2024). "Maine gun safety advocates launch citizen initiative to pass 'red flag' law". Maine Morning Star. Retrieved August 8, 2025.
- ^ a b "Maine Question 2, Extreme Risk Protection Orders to Restrict Firearms and Weapons Access Initiative (2025)". Ballotpedia.
- ^ PPH Editorial Board (October 24, 2025). "Vote 'Yes' on Maine's Question 2". Portland Press Herald. Retrieved October 27, 2025.
- ^ BDN Editorial Board (October 17, 2025). "Reject voting restrictions and give families more options to stop gun violence". Bangor Daily News. Retrieved August 8, 2025.
- ^ a b Cover, Susan (June 12, 2025). "Proposed Maine red flag law draws emotional testimony". Spectrum News. Retrieved August 8, 2025.
- ^ Bader, Emily (October 5, 2025). "Here's what you need to know about Maine's two ballot questions this November". The Maine Monitor. Retrieved October 12, 2025.
- ^ "Early Look at Maine Primary Races: Platner Leads Mills, Collins Far Ahead of Unknown GOP Challengers 10/23/2025". October 23, 2025. Retrieved October 23, 2025.
- ^ "Maine Question 2". Associated Press. November 3, 2025. Retrieved November 3, 2025.