Maine voters choose whether to pass a red flag law after a deadly 2023 mass shooting.

Maine voters are deciding on a ballot measure to establish a red flag law, allowing family members to petition courts to temporarily remove guns from individuals deemed a threat. The proposal follows the October 2023 Lewiston mass shooting that killed 18 people, after a state commission found the existing yellow flag law—limited to police-initiated actions—was too slow and ineffective. Advocates, including victims’ families, say the new law could prevent future tragedies, while opponents, including Governor Janet Mills and gun rights groups, argue it could undermine public safety and create confusion in Maine’s low-crime, gun-friendly environment. The vote comes amid ongoing legal actions against the U.S. Army over its failure to act on warnings about the shooter, Robert Card, who had a documented mental health crisis and expressed violent intentions.