$19 Minimum Wage on the Ballot
By Tony Zeli
The Portland City Council voted in August to place an increase in the minimum wage on the November 4th municipal ballot. Voters will find it as Question A on the municipal ballot.
Question A
An Act to Increase Portland’s Minimum Wage will increase Portland’s minimum wage to $19/hour by 2028. This amendment will be effective beginning January 1, 2026.
Currently the minimum wage in Portland is $15.50 per hour (and Maine’s state minimum is $14.65 per hour). If approved by Portland voters, this ordinance would raise the minimum wage in steps starting January 1st, 2026, until it reaches $19 per hour by 2028.
Workers and supporters pointed to the high cost of living in Portland and advocated for a $20 minimum wage. With pushback from small businesses, nonprofit organizations, and others, the council ultimately settled on $19 per hour.
Vote Nov. 4th
In-person absentee voting has already begun at Portland City Hall. Go to the State of Maine Room, adjacent to the City Clerk’s Office, on the 2nd floor. The hours are Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. On the Thursday before the election only, voting will continue until 7:00 p.m. This is the last day to absentee vote.
You can register to vote on Election Day at your polling location. Polls will open on Tuesday, November 4th from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. For your polling location visit https://www.maine.gov/portal/government/edemocracy/voter_lookup.php.
