Maine town rejects mandatory gun ownership

BYRON, Maine (AP) — Residents of a small western Maine town have rejected a proposal that would have required a gun in every home.

About 50 registered voters in Byron on Monday voted against an article that read: "Shall the town of Byron vote to require all households to have firearms and ammunitions to protect the citizens?"

Even Anne Simmons-Edmunds, head of the select board, who initially supported the measure, says she voted it down.

The measure was proposed by her father, Bruce Simmons. He voted it down too, saying the wording was wrong. He says it should have read "recommend' rather than "require."

Some of the town's roughly 140 residents say the proposal made the town a laughingstock.

Randy Richards says he's a gun owner, but resented the proposal because it was government overreach.