Advocates and survivors of domestic violence today made the case for the strong connection between easy access to guns for dangerous people and domestic violence murder. “Half of all murders in Maine are a result of domestic abuse. It’s time that we start connecting this issue of easy access to guns to the domestic abuse […]
AUGUSTA – The Maine Municipal Association has joined the growing coalition in support of Question 3 on November’s ballot, voting to endorse a “Yes” vote on the initiative, which would require background checks for all gun sales in Maine. Citing the strong support from the Maine Chiefs of Police Association, the Maine Municipal Association’s executive […]
The gun lobby continues to spread misinformation about Question 3. Our latest ad, titled “Facts”, corrects the record. Click below to watch.
AUGUSTA — The Maine Medical Association has announced its support for requiring background checks for all gun sales, an initiative that will appear as Question 3 on November’s ballot. “The Maine Medical Association has a long-standing policy of supporting common-sense public policy that will reduce gun violence,” said Dr. Charles Pattavina, a Bangor emergency physician and president of the Maine […]
Maine Women‘s Lobby endorses Question 3 to protect victims of domestic violence AUGUSTA — The Maine Women’s Lobby today announced its endorsement of a “Yes” vote on Question 3, which would require a background check for all gun sales in Maine. “Since it’s founding 37 years ago, The Maine Women’s Lobby has focused on public […]
The Maine Chiefs of Police Association formally announced its endorsement of Question 3 on the Maine ballot in November during a press conference in Gorham. “Question 3 will require background checks for all gun sales in Maine. It’s a common-sense proposal that will help keep guns out of the hands of dangerous people,” said South […]
Several Maine law enforcement officials have argued forcefully for the need to close the existing loophole in the law that allows individuals to easily and anonymously buy guns from strangers at gun shows, over the Internet or through classified ads. Question 3 has the backing of the Maine Chiefs of Police Association. And Bucksport’s Geagan, […]
We’re proud to launch our first television ad of this election. Please click below to watch:
My wife, Judi, and I — both lifelong Mainers — were two of the original citizen co-sponsors of Question 3, along with the chief of police from Bucksport and advocates fighting domestic violence. I’m a gun owner and lifelong hunter. I respect the Second Amendment and celebrate Maine’s heritage of responsible gun ownership.
Gov. Paul LePage continued to repeat incorrect and misleading information about Question 3 during a town hall meeting in South Paris on Wednesday, July 27. A “Yes” vote on Question 3 will require background checks for all gun sales in Maine, with some exceptions, and will help to keep firearms out of the hands of […]
A tried and true tactic used to defeat a referendum question is to employ plain old scare tactics and try to confuse voters about what a proposal actually does and doesn’t do. Question 3 on November’s ballot is simple, straight-forward and common sense. It requires a background check for all gun sales and transfers, with […]
The National Rifle Association recently launched a website, www.votenoquestion3.org, in an attempt to influence Mainers on Question 3 on this November’s ballot. The website is riddled with factual inaccuracies and misleading statements, and we have fact-checked many of them below. Out-of-state influence- from Serbia? In addition to the factual inaccuracies, the NRA website features a […]
ELLSWORTH –Mainers for Responsible Gun Ownership today announced the co-chairs of the campaign’s Law Enforcement Coalition, which has endorsed a “Yes” vote on Question 3 that will close a dangerous loophole in Maine’s background check system. “Requiring background checks for all gun sales is one of the most effective ways to keep firearms out of […]
ELLSWORTH – The Maine Secretary of State today announced the order for the citizens’ initiatives that will be on the ballot in November. The initiative to require background checks for all gun sales will be Question 3. Mainers for Responsible Gun Ownership, a coalition of law enforcement officials, gun violence survivors, sportsmen, gun owners and […]
Gov. Paul LePage today released an inaccurate and misleading depiction of the Maine Background Check referendum through his weekly radio address. It is worth noting that LePage expressed support for a referendum to require background checks for unlicensed gun sales during a gubernatorial debate in 2014. Here is the link to the video: http://www.c-span.org/video/?c4605824/lepage-background-checks Below […]
A new coalition of law enforcement officials, gun violence survivors, sportsmen, gun owners and gun violence prevention advocates launched a campaign Saturday in support of a November referendum to require background checks for nearly all firearms sales in Maine. The group, Mainers for Responsible Gun Ownership, held a gathering on Harlow Street to spread the […]
The campaign Mainers for Responsible Gun Ownership kicked off its volunteer effort today in Bangor. The group is working on an initiative that would close what they’re calling a loophole when it comes to background checks. The initiative would require anyone buying a gun from a private seller with a few exceptions to go to […]
A group dedicated to responsible gun ownership announced a new campaign to close a loophole in background check laws Saturday. The group says they are campaigning to pass a ballot measure that will make all gun sales require a background check. The group is made up of gun owners, law enforcement officials and many others.
BANGOR – Mainers for Responsible Gun Ownership, a new coalition of law enforcement officials, gun violence survivors, sportsmen, gun owners and gun violence prevention advocates, will officially launch the campaign to close a dangerous loophole in Maine’s background check system this Saturday and will conduct a week of volunteer events across the state. “Mainers have […]
Two accomplished and popular leaders of sportsmen have stepped up to support extension of background checks to all gun sales in Maine. Bucky Owen and Bill Vail, former Commissioners of the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, will lead a group of sportsmen who support the initiative.
A survivor of the Virginia Tech shooting is sharing his story in hopes of garnering support for a firearms background check proposal set to appear on the Maine ballot in November.
I write not as a conservative or liberal, not as a gun owner or non-owner, but as a Mainer concerned for our public safety. A gap exists in the current gun law that contradicts its intent: to protect the general welfare of us all.
This November, Mainers will have a chance to take a common-sense step toward reducing gun violence.
A citizens’ initiative to expand criminal background checks to all gun sales in Maine has qualified for the ballot in the November general election.
A question asking Maine voters to expand firearms background checks qualified for the November 2016 state ballot after the secretary of state’s office confirmed Thursday that petitioners had collected enough signatures to force a referendum.
Maine election officials have cleared a firearm background check proposal for the November ballot.
A “mass shooting” (four or more shot in one incident) has occurred in the United States every day this year, but not in Maine. Should we knock on wood or pat ourselves on the back? Clearly the causes of gun violence are many and disputed.
A group advocating federal background checks on all gun sales in Maine said the apparent accidental shooting of a woman in a supermarket parking lot Monday highlights the need for such a law.
Maine Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense plans to begin collecting signatures this weekend for a 2016 ballot initiative. Opponents say the measure would only hurt law-abiding gun owners.
Several Hancock County residents are behind a fledgling effort to expand the criminal background check requirements for Mainers buying firearms. The law currently requires licensed firearms dealers to carry out the checks.
Judi and Wayne Richardson submitted an application for the ballot initiative with the Maine Secretary of State’s office. In order to qualify for the November 2016 ballot, the organization would need to collect more than 61,000 signatures from Maine residents.
Supporters say the measure would close a loophole that currently allows felons, domestic abusers and people with dangerous mental illnesses to buy guns from unlicensed sellers, anonymously and with no questions asked.
Expanding mandatory background checks, already required for gun purchases made through federally licensed firearm dealers, to private sales would cut off one avenue by which the unstable or criminal-minded obtain weapons, and it would do so without placing an undue burden on the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding citizens. Read more >>