# Maine may reqyire presidential candidates to release tax returns **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [December 16, 2016, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/maine-may-reqyire-presidential-candidates-to-release-tax-returns/774895 "2016-12-16T23:55:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![boffking](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/858c86/32.png) [@boffking](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/boffking)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2016, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/maine-may-reqyire-presidential-candidates-to-release-tax-returns/774895/1 "2016-12-16T23:55:42Z")
> **[Bill would require presidential candidates to release tax returns in Maine](https://www.bangordailynews.com/2016/12/15/politics/bill-would-require-presidential-candidates-to-release-tax-returns-in-maine/)** > > Maine lawmakers could soon join an effort to force presidential candidates to release their tax returns. A Bill is being proposed in our state house that would bar electora from casting a ballot for a presidential candidate who didn’t release tax returns. ---
**Author:** ![HurricaneDitka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/96bed5/32.png) [@HurricaneDitka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HurricaneDitka)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2016, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/maine-may-reqyire-presidential-candidates-to-release-tax-returns/774895/2 "2016-12-16T23:56:32Z")
I doubt that’s Constitutional. Are they hoping to get this done before Monday? ---
**Author:** ![boffking](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/858c86/32.png) [@boffking](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/boffking)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2016, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/maine-may-reqyire-presidential-candidates-to-release-tax-returns/774895/3 "2016-12-16T23:59:22Z")
It’s for future elections. It will probably come into effect I’m 2020 if it passes. ---
**Author:** ![alphaboi867](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alphaboi867/32/3898_2.png) [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2016, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/maine-may-reqyire-presidential-candidates-to-release-tax-returns/774895/4 "2016-12-17T01:46:55Z")
I don’t see how it would be unconstitutional; states aren’t even required to hold presidential elections in the first place. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2016, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/maine-may-reqyire-presidential-candidates-to-release-tax-returns/774895/5 "2016-12-17T02:47:49Z")
NY and MA are doing the same thing. Lawrence Tribe says it would be constitutional. ---
**Author:** ![HurricaneDitka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/96bed5/32.png) [@HurricaneDitka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HurricaneDitka)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2016, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/maine-may-reqyire-presidential-candidates-to-release-tax-returns/774895/6 "2016-12-17T03:12:27Z")
Didn’t Arizona try something similar with candidates’ birth certificates? Anyone know how that worked out? ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2016, 4:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/maine-may-reqyire-presidential-candidates-to-release-tax-returns/774895/7 "2016-12-17T04:45:45Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > NY and MA are doing the same thing. Lawrence Tribe says it would be constitutional. Wouldn’t it make more sense just to deny such candidates access to the ballot? That would be 100% constitutional and solves the problem without the drama of Electoral College uncertainty. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2016, 5:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/maine-may-reqyire-presidential-candidates-to-release-tax-returns/774895/8 "2016-12-17T05:19:11Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > Wouldn’t it make more sense just to deny such candidates access to the ballot? That would be 100% constitutional and solves the problem without the drama of Electoral College uncertainty. I don’t understand the question since that seems to me to be exactly what they are doing. ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2016, 5:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/maine-may-reqyire-presidential-candidates-to-release-tax-returns/774895/9 "2016-12-17T05:27:20Z")
No, candidates get on the ballot just fine without releasing tax returns. The bill attempts to bar the electors from voting for them even though they won their state’s election. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2016, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/maine-may-reqyire-presidential-candidates-to-release-tax-returns/774895/10 "2016-12-17T16:27:12Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > No, candidates get on the ballot just fine without releasing tax returns. The bill attempts to bar the electors from voting for them even though they won their state’s election. OK. That’s the difference between the ME bill and the other bills. The other ones are designed to deny access to being on the ballot. ---
**Author:** ![boffking](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/858c86/32.png) [@boffking](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/boffking)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2016, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/maine-may-reqyire-presidential-candidates-to-release-tax-returns/774895/11 "2016-12-18T01:09:46Z")
Do any states currently have laws that prevent their electors from voting for candidates for any reason? Not even asking about tax returns , has any measure that did something like this ever passed? ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Tildrum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e95f7d/32.png) [@Tom\_Tildrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Tildrum)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2016, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/maine-may-reqyire-presidential-candidates-to-release-tax-returns/774895/12 "2016-12-18T02:54:25Z")
> [@alphaboi867](#): > > I don’t see how it would be unconstitutional; states aren’t even required to hold presidential elections in the first place. But if they do hold elections, they have to be compliant with the rest of the constitution. The argument against it is that the first amendment protects not speaking as much as it protects speech, and publication of one’s tax returns is compelled speech. If memory serves, the doctrine has been used to invalidate a state law prohibiting anonymous campaign literature, for instance. It’s an interesting question, and I’m not sure I see a clear winner.