📰BIDDEFORD | Nomination Papers for Biddeford’s Charter Revision Commission Available March 2

By Danica Lamontagne, Contributing Writer

February 24, 2026, Nomination Papers for the City of Biddeford’s Charter Revision Commission will be available on Monday, March 2 in the City Clerk’s Office at Biddeford City Hall.

The City of Biddeford’s Charter outlines how its government is structured and how it operates. State law requires that if any changes are to be made to the Charter, a Charter Revision Commission must be created to review the Charter and propose revisions.

Biddeford voters approved the creation of a Charter Revision Commission at the November 4, 2025 election. The Charter Review Commission will consist of nine members – one elected from each of the City’s seven wards, and two appointed by the Mayor and confirmed by the City Council.

Interested candidates must have been a resident of Biddeford for at least six months prior to the date on which nomination papers are to be filed. Candidates may not hold another elected office within the City and may not be employed by the City of Biddeford or Biddeford School Department.

Nomination papers must be returned to the Clerk’s office by Monday, April 13, 2026 at 5:00 pm. The petition of a candidate for the Charter Revision Commission must be signed by no less than 25 qualified voters of the candidate’s respective ward. The election to choose the Charter Revision Commission (CRC) members will be held on Tuesday, June 9, 2026.

After members are elected or appointed, the Charter Review Commission will hold an organizational meeting to choose leadership positions and decide on the dates and times of their meetings. Within 30 days of that meeting, they will hold a public hearing to gather input from citizens. The Charter Review Commission will have nine months to work on their recommendations and submit a preliminary report to the City Council and 12 months to submit a final report.

Once the final report is received, the City Council will hold a public hearing to gather input on the recommendations and vote to approve ballot questions. These will be voted on by secret ballot at the next eligible election. After the election, the approved changes will become effective no later than the first day of the next municipal year, July 1.

Additional information about Charter revisions may be found in the Revision of Charter section of the Biddeford City Charter and Title 30-A, §2102: Charter revisions, adoptions, procedure

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