Maine Voters Approve Question 2
Mainers pass Extreme Risk Protection Order law two years after Lewiston tragedy
FOR RELEASE: Nov. 4, 2025
PORTLAND – Maine voters have approved Question 2, the ballot measure to create an Extreme Risk Protection Order law, which empowers families and law enforcement to go directly to a court when someone is in crisis and, if a court finds them dangerous, temporarily restrict their access to deadly weapons.
“Maine voters have taken the safety of our communities into our own hands by passing common-sense, responsible gun legislation that will save lives and help keep our kids and families safe, not just from the horrors of a tragedy like Lewiston, but from the devastating impacts of everyday gun violence,” said Nacole Palmer, executive director of the Maine Gun Safety Coalition, which sponsored Question 2. “Despite years of opposition from the gun lobby and the politicians they back, we’ve shown that our movement for common-sense, responsible gun ownership is stronger. We hope our elected leaders see the results tonight, and hear loud and clear where voters are on this issue. There are more of us, and we reject a false choice between gun rights and responsibilities and say that in Maine, we believe in both.”
Tonight’s victory comes two years after the tragedy in Lewiston, which took the lives of 18 people, including Artie Strout. Artie’s father was one of the citizen sponsors of Question 2 after state lawmakers failed to pass a true Extreme Risk Protection Order law following Lewiston.
“It’s been over two years since I last saw my son, Artie, while we were playing pool at the bar, and not a day goes by that I don't think about him and how it could have been stopped,” said Arthur Barnard, Question 2 citizen sponsor and father of Lewiston victim Arthur Strout. “For me, tonight’s victory is bittersweet. Nothing will bring back my son, or the 17 others who lost their lives that night. But this common-sense measure will help prevent other parents from ever having to experience what we have.”
Despite consistent false claims from gun industry lobbyists and their allies throughout the campaign, Question 2 does not repeal the existing yellow flag law. If law enforcement choose to use the yellow flag procedure less, as some opponents have suggested, it will be because ERPOs are a proven tool that work in 21 other states and are simpler and more effective.
“While tonight’s victory is a victory for Mainers, it’s also bigger than Maine — it’s part of the roadmap for how we enact life-saving laws and make progress on this issue state-by-state,” Palmer said. “After years of no or incremental progress at the federal level, the road to creating safer communities and a safer nation runs through states like Maine, where voters have the power to take direct action on this issue when politicians. I’m proud that Maine is a part of that movement, alongside other local, state-based gun violence prevention organizations across the country.”
