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Supporters Of Home Care Proposal Have 40,000 Signatures

Organizers of a referendum effort aimed at guaranteeing access to home care for all seniors and those with a disability say they collected more than 40,000 signatures on Election Day.

Mike Tipping, of the Maine People's Alliance, says he's pleased with the progress made so far and is confident that the Home Care for All initiative will make the 2018 ballot.

"I am incredibly proud of the work that so many volunteers have done on this issue," Tipping says. "You know, hundreds of people are talking to their neighbors, stood outside polling stations with their clipboards. It's really the purest form of democracy and it's great to see. And I am glad we're gonna get this issue on the ballot and we're gonna help so many people."

If approved, the initiative would ensure that families do not go bankrupt trying to find care for a loved one and that seniors are not forced into a facility when they're capable of living at home with help.

The campaign is led by a coalition of seniors, caregivers and public interest groups.  Tipping says they're already two-thirds of the way to their goal.

The campaign needs 61,123 signatures by Jan. 29 to make the ballot.