Maine voters on Tuesday approved a new law to temporarily remove firearms from people in crisis that was put on the ballot after legislative efforts came up short after the 2023 Lewiston mass shooting that killed 18 people.

The Associated Press called the race at about 10 p.m., at which point Question 2 had secured about 59% support, with roughly half of all results counted.

The proposal asked voters to approve a so-called red flag law that would make it easier to confiscate firearms from a person in crisis by allowing family members, in addition to law enforcement, the ability to petition a judge for a temporary removal order. The proposal also would eliminate the requirement for a mental health evaluation, as is necessary in Maine’s current yellow flag law.

It was put on the ballot after Maine lawmakers failed to pass a red flag law following the 2023 mass shooting in Lewiston, which killed 18 people and injured 13 others. The Maine Gun Safety Coalition led efforts to then gather enough signatures to get the proposal before voters as a citizens’ initiative, saying it would improve public safety and provide another tool for police and family members to get firearms away from people in crisis.

“Today, we have taken the safety of our communities into our own hands by finally passing commonsense, responsible gun legislation that will save lives,” said Nacole Palmer, executive director of the coalition, in remarks to a gathering of supporters at Ri Ra pub in Portland.

Opponents of the measure, led by the Sportsman’s Alliance of Maine and Gun Owners of Maine, said the proposal isn’t necessary since awareness and use of Maine’s yellow flag law has increased since the Lewiston shooting. They also criticized the evidence standards in the red flag proposal as making it too easy for a person’s weapons to be taken.

Opponents did not host any public events Tuesday.

“Thank you to all the Mainers who helped us stand up to the out-of-state dark money that flooded into the state for this gun control referendum,” the No on 2 campaign said in a written statement. “We deeply appreciate every volunteer, every supporter, every vote, and every law enforcement officer who weighed in against Question 2.”

Gov. Janet Mills, who opposed the measure, pledged to “work with law enforcement and the public to implement this new law, along with our existing extreme risk protection law, to best ensure the safety of Maine people.”

Supporters of Question 2 had far outraised and outspent opponents leading up to Tuesday. More than $880,000 was raised in support of the question, including a $190,000 loan from the Maine Gun Safety Coalition, and over $800,000 was spent. Opponents raised and spent just over $100,000.

Giffords, a Washington, D.C.-based gun violence prevention organization that was among major donors to supporters of Question 2, praised the new law in a news release Tuesday night, saying it will work well alongside Maine’s existing yellow flag law, which remains in place as another option for police to use.

“In the wake of the devastating mass shooting that took place in Lewiston two years ago, critical reforms like this one take on an even deeper importance,” said former Arizona Congresswoman Gabby Giffords, who leads the organization. “They show the families and communities affected that we won’t turn our backs on the problem… This new red flag law is an important step forward, and will protect families from the irreparable pain of violence and suicide.”

Voters in Lewiston supported the red flag law proposal by a large margin Tuesday, with a tally of 6,027 to 2,866. Yes on 2 also won handily in neighboring Auburn, 4,319 to 2,342.

Arthur Barnard, whose son Artie Strout was killed in the shooting and who has been a vocal supporter of a red flag law, told the crowd gathered at Ri Ra that he was pleased with the results. “I just knew that there were more people with commonsense to take this step in the state,” Barnard said. “I wish we could do a nation-wide vote like this.”

Tuesday’s vote makes Maine the 22nd state in the U.S. to adopt a red flag law, according to the gun violence prevention group Everytown for Gun Safety.

It’s unclear exactly when the new law will take effect. The Maine Department of the Secretary of State has 20 days to certify and send the election results to the governor, who is then required by the state constitution to make a public proclamation of the outcome.

A measure would then normally become law 30 days after the governor’s proclamation, but a spokesperson for the department said Tuesday there are additional considerations that also must be taken into account due to the fiscal note associated with the referendum.