1. Ratification of the Minutes of the May 28, 2025 Meeting
2. Request for Investigation – School Construction Referenda in Cape Elizabeth
In April, the Commission received a complaint asking the Commission to investigate whether the Cape Elizabeth school department qualified as a ballot question committee with respect to 2024 and 2025 school construction referenda. The school department responded that advertising in the local newspaper was to engage and educate members of the public, consistent with direction from the School Board and Town Council. The Commission will review legal memos concerning the applicability of the ballot question committee reporting requirements to municipal entities.
Additional Material - Lynch-Benoit Response
3. Proposed Investigation – Potential Coordinated Spending
In the course of assisting a party committee with campaign finance reporting, the Commission staff received preliminary information indicating the party committee may have made an expenditure to rebroadcast some paid radio messages of several 2024 legislative candidates. The Commission staff proposes gathering more information through an investigation to determine if any contributions received by the candidates complied with legal requirements and (if not) whether the noncompliance was inadvertent or intentional.
Commissioner Dennis Marble will update the Commission on the working group formed to simplify campaign finance reporting deadlines close to a general election.
The Commission will consider whether to initiate a rulemaking by inviting comments from the public on rule amendments drafted by staff.
6. Report on Campaign Finance Constitutional Amendments
The Commission will review a draft report on proposals in the U.S. Congress to amend the federal constitution to allow for greater regulation of how money is raised and spent to influence elections.
Other Business
Executive Session (if necessary)
ADJOURNMENT