Maine House rejects giving towns ‘local control’ over guns in polling places

AUGUSTA — A proposal to allow municipalities to prohibit guns at public meetings and in polling places has been defeated in the Legislature.

The House voted 85-61 to reject a bill that would have allowed towns, counties and school boards in Maine to adopt their own policies banning “the carrying of dangerous weapons at its public proceedings and voting places.” The Senate had rejected the bill on a 21-14 vote Tuesday.

Supporters of the bill, L.D. 1470, said it was consistent with Maine’s long-held tradition of “local control” without imposing a mandate on municipalities. They also pointed out that some voters are already prohibited from bringing guns into polling places if ballots are cast in schools or other buildings where firearms are banned.

But opponents portrayed the bill as another attempt to strip away citizens’ rights to bear arms.

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