Residents of Bristol objected to cables for the University of Maine's (UMaine) 12MW Aqua Ventus project being laid through the town. Local fishermen also said the cable would impact on their industry.
An overwhelming majority of the 300 citizens voted against the plans, but was warned the result would likely be non-binding as it falls outside of the town's regulatory authority's remit.
The Aqua Ventus demonstration project would consist of two 6MW floating turbines 19 kilometres off the coast of Maine.
UMaine has been developing the VolturnUS floating platform to be used at the site. A one-eighth scale model of the platform has been operating off the Castine peninsula in Maine for over a year.
In May, UMaine missed out on a $47 million grant from the US government to develop the project. However, it received $3.8 million to continue work on the platform.
