Are new hampshire and Maine libertarian?

[Kevinstat]

Socially, I think the median Maine voter is socially moderate-to-liberal and votes for candidates who say they are socially moderate but are really socially liberal.  Citizen's initiatives and people's vetos (aka tha popular referendum) on social issues generally go the liberal way nowadays, although often with the conservative side initially ahead in the polls and with a gay rights law being rejected in winter 1998 (successful people's veto) and November 2000 (rejected legislative referendum) before being passed in November 2005 (failed people's veto).

Fiscally, I think the median Maine voter's vote will be up for grabs in referendum elections, although with the opposition to whatever tax cap or Taxpayer Bill of Rights citizen initiative is on the ballot generally prevailing in the end, coming from behind in the case of TABOR 2006.  In elections to an office, I think the median Maine voter will vote for candidates who claim to be fiscally conservative and will vote to reelect them as long as they don't keep their word but are able to point to certian legislation to make a case that they have.

On land use issues (clearcutting, bear trapping, nuclear power), citizen initiatives (always launched by those on the liberal side (or leftist end, depending on your point of view) have always failed as far as I can tell, although they sometimes start ahead in the polls before the better financed and usually more savvy opposition turns the tide with their ad campaign.

Casino citizen initiatives (always launched by advocates of one) generally fail and those referenda may be done for a while, although a Bangor "racino" (off track slots near a horse-racing track; statewide question) citizan initiative passed in 2003 and a Waskington County tribal "racino" casino (also a statewide question) only lost by 4.5% in 2007.  The pro-casino/racino side's numbers seem to always go south in October.  The Legislature has been pro-gambling in recent years (actually passing the 2007 Washington County racino initiative itself before Governor Baldacci vetoed it, and coming pretty close I believe to overriding Baldacci's veto).  Governor Baldacci has been staunchly anti-gambling, although I'm not sure how much if at all he got involved on the Bangor racino question (there was a southern Maine tribal casino initiative, initially ahead but tanking badly in October, at the same time and the racino may have benefitted as the more "moderate" proposal).

I hope that gives you kind of an idea of the median Maine voter.