Maine voters may decide on becoming 22nd state with an extreme risk protection order

By

Lara Bonatesta

Welcome to the Friday, March 14, 2025, Brew. 

By: Lara Bonatesta

Here’s what’s in store for you as you start your day:

  1. Maine voters may decide on becoming 22nd state with an extreme risk protection order
  2. Minnesota House Democrats restore tie, Iowa House Republicans maintain supermajority in March 11 special elections
  3. Did you know that 20 states have established the state-level position of controller (sometimes called comptroller)? 

Maine voters may decide on becoming 22nd state with an extreme risk protection order

Here’s an update on our Jan 27 story about an extreme risk protection order initiative in Maine. On March 7, Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows (D) announced that the initiative, supported by the Maine Gun Safety Coalition, had submitted enough valid signatures for the measure to go to the Legislature. 

Extreme risk protection orders (ERPOs), also known as red flag laws, allow family members, household members, and law enforcement officers to petition a court to restrict an individual’s access to firearms. 

Citizen initiatives are indirect in Maine. This means that the Legislature will first consider the initiative, and if it rejects or does not act on it, the measure will be on the Nov. 4 ballot. If the Legislature approves the initiative and the governor vetoes it, it will also go to voters for approval. The Legislature can also propose an amended version or a substitute measure to present to voters alongside the original initiative.

After the announcement, Maine Gun Safety Coalition Executive Director Nacole Palmer said, “This was the final hurdle in a process that began in the aftermath of Lewiston, as people across Maine and family members of those lost asked how we prevent this from ever happening again. This is a proven, commonsense tool for families that’s been effective in many other states in saving countless lives and preventing tragedies like Lewiston.”

Laura Whitcomb, president of the Gun Owners of Maine, which opposes the initiative, said, “While the Maine Gun Safety Coalition continues to utilize emotional pleas in an attempt to manipulate the people of Maine, Gun Owners of Maine will stand ready with the facts, and will continue to defend the rights of responsible gun owners in the face of the anti-gun rights lobby’s attempt to turn Maine into states like New York, Illinois and California.”

As of February 2025, 21 states and the District of Columbia have some form of extreme risk protection order. Of those states, 13 had Democratic trifectas when their laws were adopted, one had a Republican trifecta, and seven had divided governments. Four states—Oklahoma, Tennessee, West Virginia, and Wyoming—prohibit extreme-risk protection orders. All four states had Republican trifectas at the time their laws were adopted.

Maine is the only state with what local media outlets call a yellow flag law, which allows law enforcement, not family members, to ask a judge for an extreme risk protection order and requires a mental health evaluation.

Gov. Janet Mills (D) has said she supports the yellow flag law and criticized the red flag law initiative during her 2025 State of the Budget address: “I also don’t believe a private citizen should have to navigate what can be a complex and confusing court procedure by themselves, especially in the middle of already difficult circumstances. It is the government’s responsibility, not that of a private citizen, to protect the public from gun violence.”

In response, Palmer said the state’s current yellow flag law was not enough and referenced the October 2023 mass shooting at a bowling alley and restaurant in Lewiston and said, “Maine communities and families are still reeling from this colossal failure, and we can’t wait until the next tragedy as we tweak our current law bit by bit. Maine voters are clear – it’s time we pass an Extreme Risk Protection Order to empower families to get help when a loved one is in crisis.”

An initiative that would require voter photo identification could also appear on the ballot on the Nov. 4 ballot and is also currently before the Legislature.

Maine has a Democratic trifecta. Democrats have a 20-15 majority in the state Senate and a 76-73-2 majority in the state House.

To learn more about 2025 ballot measures in Maine, click here.

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Minnesota House Democrats restore tie, Iowa House Republicans maintain supermajority in March 11 special elections

Iowa and Minnesota held special elections for seats in their respective state Houses on March 11. As a result of those races, Iowa Republicans maintained their 67-33 supermajority in the state House, and Minnesota Democrats restored a 67-67 tie.

Here’s a look at the election results:

In 10 of the 12 special state legislative elections held so far, Democrats have run ahead of 2024 Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris’ performance in those districts. Democrats have also outperformed their previous performances in the most recent general elections for nine of the 12 seats.

As we mentioned last month, Democrats also gained an Iowa Senate seat in January after Republican Chris Cournoyer resigned to serve as lieutenant governor. 

Here’s a look at all of the special state legislative elections that have happened this year, their margins of victory, and how those results compare to other recent election results in each district:

Republicans similarly outperformed Donald Trump’s (R) 2020 presidential election performance in seven of 12 special elections in the first quarter of 2021, after their party lost the presidency to Democrat Joe Biden. 

Since 2010, 122 state legislative seats have switched partisan control in special elections. The chart below shows the number of changes by partisan affiliation between 2010 and 2025. 

Upcoming special elections

There are five state legislative special elections scheduled on March 25 for the following seats:

The special election in Pennsylvania House District 35 will decide partisan control of the currently tied chamber. 

Click here to learn more about special state legislative elections in 2025. 

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Did you know that 20 states have established the state-level position of controller (sometimes called comptroller)? 

Most controllers and comptrollers share duties similar to state treasurers, exercising varying powers related to budgetary and management matters. The position is popularly elected in 11 states and appointed in nine. 

Of the 11 controllers that run in partisan elections, six are Democrats, and five are Republicans. Nine of the 20 are officially nonpartisan. 

Learn more about the office here.