During the 2019 legislative session, Maine lawmakers enacted a bill to eliminate certain exemptions from requirements that all children attending accredited schools in Maine, public and private, be vaccinated against preventable childhood illnesses. Gov. Janet Mills signed LD 798 into law in May.

The law eliminated religious, philosophical or personal objections by parents to vaccines, and narrowed exemptions to medical reasons only. Almost immediately, opponents began a “people’s veto” campaign to block the law from taking effect and got the measure on the ballot.

In a March 3, 2020 special election, Mainers voted overwhelmingly against repealing the law, 281,750 to 105,214, an almost 3-1 margin. The date soon became even more significant: Ten days later the entire state and nation bega

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