In January 2015, Governor Paul LePage (R) and his advisers proposed legislation to eliminate the secretary's office in favor of a lieutenant governor. Under the proposal, the lieutenant governor would assume all of the duties of the secretary of state. The legislation also included provisions for the gubernatorial appointment of the attorney general and state treasurer instead of appointment by the Maine State Legislature. These changes would have required approval by two-thirds of legislators and gain approval from the public during a statewide vote. In an interview with the Bangor Daily News, then-Secretary of State Matthew Dunlap recounted an exchange during LePage's 2015 swearing-in that confirmed the proposed constitutional changes. The proposal would have paired the governor and lieutenant governor as a joint ticket during elections. Proposals to amend the Maine Constitution to change the selection process for the secretary of state previously occurred 21 times: 13 efforts would have made the office and elected position, while eight other efforts would have made the office appointed by the governor. State Rep. Christopher Babbidge (D) said that the proposals represented a "consolidation of power in the hands of the chief executive." On June 15, 2015, the Maine House of Representatives voted the proposal down by accepting an "Ought Not To Pass" report. The next day, the Maine State Senate defeated an "Ought to Pass" report by a 12-23 vote. The proposal was opposed by every Senate Democrat and eight Senate Republicans. LePage's proposals to allow the governor to appoint the state attorney general and state treasurer also failed.