Legislative Scorecard

What are the issues you included in the scorecard?

The range of bills we scored touched upon a number of issues, including: tax fairness, climate change, housing, workers’ rights, paid family and medical leave, child care, transgender rights, and immigration. 

How do you determine the governor’s score?

For MPA’s legislative scorecard, we determine the governor’s score by looking at which bills Gov. Janet Mills signed and which bills she vetoed. We do not score based on bills that became law without the governor’s signature, bills that passed but were not funded, or bills that were carried over to a special session which did not take place. These bills do not count for or against the governor.

Why are some bills scored in the House and not the Senate, and vice-versa?

We score bills that received a “roll call” vote (where the individual “yes” or “no” votes on a bill are recorded). Not every bill receives a “roll call” in both chambers. Sometimes that’s because the vote was never taken up by one of the chambers. Other times it’s because the bill passed “under the hammer,” meaning unanimously. We can’t score a bill if we don’t know how each legislator voted on it, so there are a few cases where we could only score it in the House or the Senate.

Do absences count against legislators?

We at MPA believe in the importance of having a legislature led by everyday Mainers. However, the challenges of being a working person or someone with caretaking responsibilities makes legislative duties increasingly difficult for some lawmakers. As such, we do not count absences against a lawmaker’s score as we hope it more accurately reflects who votes to support progressive policies in Maine.

What do I do with this information?

First: Please share this scorecard. Every Mainer has the right to know how their elected officials voted, and whether they were actually representing their constituents—or the interests of the super-rich or wealthy corporations.

Second: Get involved. Write or call your legislator to tell them your thoughts on their votes. Or get involved with MPA by signing up here!

And the ultimate form of accountability? Elections. 

Happy with how they voted? Every seat in the House and Senate is up for reelection in 2026, and if your legislator isn’t termed out (here’s a list of those who are), then they’re up for reelection. So, volunteer to knock on some doors, make phone calls, and help get them back in office. Unhappy with their score? Volunteer with the person challenging them.

Do you have scorecards from past legislative sessions?

Yes! Here are scorecards from 2024, 2023, 2022, 2021, 2019, and 2018.

Who do I talk to if I have any other questions about the scorecard?

Email MPA Director of Public Policy Cate Blackford at [email protected].