More than three-quarters of Maine voters plan to turn out for the November election — but many know little about the eight referendums on the ballot, according to a new poll.
The poll conducted earlier this month by the University of New Hampshire Survey Center found that respondents were most familiar with a proposed takeover of Maine’s two largest electric utilities, but knew little about the other three citizen initiatives and even less about the four amendments to the Maine Constitution.
A majority of respondents said they understand Question 3 — the takeover of Central Maine Power and Versant Power — but not Question 1, which seeks voter approval for public borrowing by the entity that could replace those companies.
Respondents had a slightly better grasp of Question 2, which would ban referendum electioneering by entities controlled by foreign governments, and Question 4, the automotive right-to-repair initiative.
The November referendums poll included 555 respondents who completed an online survey between Aug. 17 and Aug. 21. The margin of error is plus or minus 4.2 percent.
This article appears through a media partnership with Maine Public.