Maine House of Representatives
Maine House of Representatives | |
|---|---|
| Maine State Legislature | |
 | |
| Type | |
| Type | |
Term limits | 4 Terms (8 years) |
| History | |
New session started | December 2, 2020 |
| Leadership | |
Majority Leader | |
Minority Leader | |
| Structure | |
| Seats | 151 (and 3 non-voting) |
 | |
Political groups | Majority
Minority
Other
Vacant |
 | |
Length of term | 2 years |
| Authority | Article IV, Part First, Maine Constitution |
| Salary | Session 1: $13,526/year Session 2: $9,661/year + per diem |
| Elections | |
Last election | November 3, 2020 (151 seats) |
Next election | November 8, 2022 (151 seats) |
| Redistricting | Legislative Control |
| Meeting place | |
| House of Representatives Chamber Maine State House Augusta, Maine  | |
| Website | |
| Maine House of Representatives | |
The Maine House of Representatives is the lower house of the Maine Legislature. The House consists of 151 voting members and three nonvoting members. The voting members represent an equal number of districts across the state and are elected via plurality voting. The nonvoting members represent three of Maine's Native American tribes, though two tribes have declined to send representatives. Each voting member of the House represents around 8,800 citizens of the state. Because it is a part-time position, members of the Maine House of Representatives usually have outside employment as well. Members are limited to four consecutive terms of two years each, but may run again after two years.
The House meets at the Maine State House in Augusta.
Leadership of the House
The Speaker of the House presides over the House of Representatives. The Speaker is elected by the majority party caucus followed by confirmation of the full House through the passage of a House Resolution. In addition to presiding over the body, the Speaker is also the chief leadership position, and controls the flow of legislation and committee assignments. Other House leaders, such as the majority and minority leaders, are elected by their respective party caucuses relative to their party's strength in the chamber.
Composition of the 130th (2020-2022) Maine House of Representatives
| Affiliation | Party (Shading indicates majority caucus)
|
Total | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Republican | Green Ind. | Libertarian | Independ. | Vacant | ||
| Begin 126th Legislature (Dec. 2012) | 89 | 58 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 151 | 0 |
| End 126th Legislature | 57 | 150 | 1 | ||||
| Begin 127th Legislature (Dec. 2014) | 79 | 68 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 151 | 0 |
| End 127th Legislature | 78 | 69 | |||||
| Begin 128th Legislature (Dec. 2016) | 77 | 72 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 151 | 0 |
| End 128th Legislature | 73 | 70 | 1 | 6 | 150 | 1 | |
| Begin 129th Legislature (Dec. 2018)[c] | 89 | 57 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 151 | 0 |
| End 129th Legislature | 87 | 56 | 6 | 149 | 2 | ||
| Begin 130th Legislature (Dec. 2020) | 80 | 67 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 151 | 0 |
| December 14, 2020[d] | 66 | 1 | |||||
| July 5, 2021[e] | 65 | 150 | 1 | ||||
| October 15, 2021[f] | 79 | 149 | 2 | ||||
| November 10, 2021[g] | 80 | 150 | 1 | ||||
| November 19, 2021[h] | 64 | 149 | 2 | ||||
| January 5, 2022[i] | 81 | 65 | 0 | 3 | |||
| January 18, 2022[j] | 82 | 150 | 1 | ||||
| January 28, 2022[k] | 81 | 149 | 2 | ||||
| January 31, 2022[l] | 80 | 148 | 3 | ||||
| March 26, 2022[m] | 64 | 147 | 4 | ||||
| May 9, 2022[n] | 79 | 146 | 5 | ||||
| June 12, 2022[o] | 63 | 145 | 6 | ||||
| June 15, 2022[p] | 78 | 144 | 7 | ||||
| July 6, 2022[q] | 77 | 143 | 8 | ||||
| August 15, 2022[r] | 76 | 142 | 9 | ||||
| Latest voting share | 53.5% | 44.4% | 0% | 0% | 2.1% | ||
| Non-voting members | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
Nonvoting members of the House
The three nonvoting members within the House represent the Wabanaki or Dawnland nations of the Penobscot, the Passamaquoddy, and the Maliseet. The special Representatives can sponsor legislation relating specifically to the Tribes or in relation to Tribal - State land claims, as well as co-sponsor any other legislation brought before the House, but do not cast a legislative vote due to their unique tribal status representing their tribal members only. The Penobscot, Passamaquoddy and Maliseet tribal representatives are also entitled to sit as members of joint standing committees during hearings and deliberations, where they do cast votes, which can be very important with respect to specific legislative proposals.
Starting with the second session of the 125th Legislature, the Houlton Band of Maliseets was given a legislative seat in the House of Representatives. The first elected occupant of the seat is Henry John Bear. After being sworn in by Governor Paul LePage, Bear stated he would introduce legislation to give the Micmac people of Maine a nonvoting seat.[1]
The Passamaquoddy and Penobscots announced at a State House rally on May 26, 2015 that they would withdraw their representatives from the Legislature, citing disputes over tribal fishing rights, jurisdictional issues, and a lack of respect for tribal sovereignty. They further cited an executive order by Governor Paul LePage that rescinded a prior order requiring consultation with the tribes on state issues that affected them as a reason for their decision. Subsequently, Matthew Dana II of the Passamaquoddy and Wayne Mitchell of the Penobscot left the legislature leaving Henry John Bear of the Maliseet the only non-voting tribal representative. In response, Speaker Eves said that the tribal representatives are always welcome in the House. Matthew Dana II returned to the House from the Passamaquoddy Tribe in the 2016 elections.[2]
The Maliseets chose not to send a Representative to the 129th Legislature, elected in 2018. As of the 2020 election, the Maliseets and the Penobscots haven't returned to the House, leaving just the Passamaquoddy Representative, Rena Newell.[3]
Independents and other parties
Due to the independent political tradition in the state, the Maine House of Representatives has been an entry ground for several of the state's prominent Independent politicians. From 2002 to 2006, Representative John Eder of Portland (District 118), belonging to the Maine Green Independent Party, served in the Legislature, the highest elected Green politician in U.S. politics at that time. Eder secured recognition as a one-member Green Party caucus in the House, receiving a dedicated staff person, which is unusual for individual legislators in the Maine House. In the 2006 elections, Eder lost his seat to a Democratic challenger.
On September 21, 2017, Ralph Chapman, previously registered as an independent, switched his registration to the Maine Green Independent Party, the first time in over a decade that the Maine Green Independent Party was represented at the state level.[4]
Officers
| Position | Name[5] | Party | Hometown |
|---|---|---|---|
| Speaker of the House | Ryan Fecteau | Democratic | Biddeford |
| Majority Leader | Michelle Dunphy | Democratic | Old Town |
| Majority Whip | Rachel Talbot Ross | Democratic | Portland |
| Minority Leader | Kathleen Dillingham | Republican | Oxford |
| Minority Whip | Joel Stetkis | Republican | Canaan |
Members of the Maine House of Representatives
Districts are currently numbered starting with 1 from south to north. This is often reversed after each decennial redistricting, and it was reversed in the redistricting which occurred in 2021 and which will go into effect beginning with the 2022 primary and general elections. The outgoing district lines, which were drawn in 2013 and were first used in the 2014 primary and general elections, will only be in effect for 8 years rather than the usual 10 as Maine completes the adjustment of its legislative redistricting cycle to conform with most other states.
↑ denotes that the Representative first won in a special election
Non-voting members
| Representing | Representative | Party | Residence | Term-limited |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Passamaquoddy Tribe | Rena Newell | Ind | Princeton | 2026 |
| Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians | Vacant | |||
| Penobscot Nation | Vacant |
Past composition of the House of Representatives
See also
- Category:Members of the Maine House of Representatives
- Maine State House
- Maine Legislature
- Maine Senate
- Wabanaki Confederacy
Notes
- ^ The seats of Chris Johansen, who resigned on November 19, 2021 following the death of his wife; John Tuttle, who died on January 28, 2022; Donna Doore, who died on January 31, 2022; Theodore Kryzak, who died on March 26, 2022; Genevieve McDonald, who resigned on May 9, 2022 during or right after the last Legislative Day of the Second (and final) Regular Session of the 130th Maine Legislature; Jeffery Gifford, who died on June 12, 2022; Seth Berry, who resigned on June 15, 2022 to focus on a campaign for a consumer-owned electric utility in Maine; Nicole Grohoski, who resigned on July 6, 2022 in order to be sworn in to the Maine Senate, to which she was elected in a June 14 special election; and Barbara Cardone, who resigned on August 15, 2022 in order to begin a new job which is within the Maine Judicial Branch.
- ^ The Houlton Band of Maliseets and Penobscot Nation have both withdrawn their non-voting Representatives to the Maine House of Representatives.
- ^ Includes a Rep.-elect who declined to take the oath of office.
- ^ Rep. John Andrews (R-73) informed House staff that he had changed his party enrollment from Republican to Libertarian.
- ^ Rep. Justin Fecteau (R-86) resigns effective the end of July 4, 2021 to accept a teaching position that takes him out of his district.
- ^ Rep. Kyle Bailey (D-27) resigns to pursue a new professional opportunity.
- ^ Rep.-elect Raegan LaRochelle (D-86) is sworn in after winning the November 2 special election triggered by the resignation of Rep. (Justin) Fecteau.
- ^ Rep. Chris Johansen (R-145) resigns following the death of his wife.
- ^ Rep. John Andrews (L-73) informed House staff that he had changed his party enrollment from Libertarian back to Republican, and Rep. Sophia Warren (I-29) informed House staff that she had enrolled as a Democrat.
- ^ Rep. James Boyle (D-27) is sworn in after winning the January 11 special election triggered by the resignation of Rep. Bailey.
- ^ Death of Rep. John Tuttle (D-18).
- ^ Death of Rep. Donna Doore (D-85).
- ^ Death of Rep. Theodore Kryzak (R-20).
- ^ Rep. Genevieve McDonald (D-134) resigns during or right after the last Legislative Day of the Second (and final) Regular Session of the 130th Maine Legislature.
- ^ Death of Rep. Jeffery Gifford (R-142).
- ^ Rep. Seth Berry (D-55) resigns to focus on a campaign for a consumer-owned electric utility in Maine.
- ^ Rep. Nicole Grohoski (D-132) resigns in order to be sworn in to Maine Senate, to which she was elected in a June 14 special election.
- ^ Rep. Barbara Cardone (D-127) resigns in order to begin a new job which is within the Maine Judicial Branch.
References
- ^ Bayly, Julia (January 26, 2012). "Houlton Maliseet, first elected tribal representative to Maine House, looking forward to session". Bangor Daily News.
- ^ Moretto, Mario (May 26, 2015). "Passamaquoddy, Penobscot tribes withdraw from Maine Legislature". Bangor Daily News.
- ^ "Tribal Representatives to the Maine Legislature, 1823 - | Maine State Legislature". legislature.maine.gov.
- ^ "Lawmaker's party switch gives Greens a seat in the Maine House". 22 September 2017.
- ^ a b "Maine House of Representatives". legislature.maine.gov.