An Act Concerning Recognition of Qualified Political Parties LR 1544(02)
Maine Legislature, Session 121, LD 1349
Committee Amendment CA_A_H379 (House)
Amends: 21-A MRSA §305, 21-A MRSA §306, 21-A MRSA §307

AMENDMENT "/I,, to H.P. 
Recognition of Qualified 
991, L.D. 1349, Bill, 
Political Parties" 
"An 
Amend the bill by striking out everything after the enacting 
clause and before the summary and inserting in its place the 
following: 
'Sec. I. 21·A MRS A §301, sub·§l, 1fC, as amended by PL 1999, c. 
450, §1, is repealed and the following enacted in its place: 
C. 
The party had an enrollment of members equal to or 
greater than 15,000 registered voters measured at the time 
of the last preceding gubernatorial or presidential election. 
Sec. 2. 21·A MRS A §302, as amended by PL 1999, c. 450, §§2 to 
5, is repealed. 
Sec. 3. 21·A MRSA §303, as amended by PL 2001, c. 310, §16, 
is further amended to read: 
§303. Formation of new party; organization by enrollment 
hl--addi-t...,i~-1::G---t.Be--pi:'~~-\iaEle~--5e-E:-t..,i~--3-O-d-r-a A party 
whose designation was not listed on the general election ballot 
in the last preceding general election qualifies to participate 
in a primary election, if i~ the party meets the requirements of 
subsections IT and 2 aBEl-~. 
Page l-LRI544(2) 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
~.,. 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT ,~ to H,P, 991, L,D. 1349 
1. 
Declaration of intent. 
Ten or more voters who are not 
enrolled in a party qualified under section 301 must file a 
declaration of intent to form 
a party with the Secretary of 
State. The declaration of intent must be on a form designed by 
the Secretary of State and must include: 
A. 
The designation of the proposed party; and 
B. 
The names, addresses, telephone numbers, if published, 
and signatures of the voters who file the declaration of 
intent. 
2. 
Enrollment of voters. 
After filing the declaration of 
intent required in subsection 1, 
~Re-v9~eF-9F voters ~F9~9SiR~-~9 
i9Fm-~Re-~a~~y may then enroll V9~e~6 in the proposed party under 
sections 141 to 145. 
As of the 180th day preceding a primary 
election, the party must haye enrolled 15,000 yoters according to 
the most recent tabulation of registered voters by the Secretary 
of State. 
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COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT .. fl., to H.P. 991, L.D. 1349 
4. 
Municipal caucuses. 
A party that has qualified under 
subsections IT and 2 
aRe-~ to participate in a primary election 
must conduct municipal caucuses in at least one municipality in 
each of the 16 counties during that election year as prescribed 
in Article 
~~ 2.. 
The chair of the municipal committee or a 
resident voter in the municipality must file a copy of the notice 
required by section 311, subsection 3 with the Secretary of State 
before 5 p.m. on March 20th. 
5. 
Convention. 
A 
party 
that 
has 
qualified 
under 
subsections IT and 2 
aRe-~ to participate in a primary election 
must in that same year conduct the municipal caucuses under 
subsection 4 and hold a state convention as prescribed by Article 
~~~ 1, in order to have the party designation of its candidates 
printed on the ballot in the general election of that year. 
The 
V9EeF-9F group of voters WR9 ~ 
files the declaration of intent 
may perform the duties of the state committee under section 321, 
subsection 1 for the party's initial convention. 
Sec. 4. 21-A MRSA §305, as enacted by PL 1985, c. 161, §6, is 
amended to read: 
§305. Secretary of State 
The Secretary of State shall determine whether or not a 
party has met the requirements of sections 30lT-~Qa and 303. 
Sec. 5. 21-A MRSA §306, as enacted by PL 1985, c. 161, §6, is 
amended to read: 
§306. Enrolled voters 
A voter who is enrolled in a party wR~eR ~ 
failed to meet 
the 
requirements 
of 
section 
~Qa--9F 303, 
or 
wR~eR ~ 
is 
disqualified under section 304, is considered an unenrolled voter 
for all purposes. 
Sec. 6. 21-A MRSA §307, first 1[, as enacted by PL 1985, c. 161, 
§6, is amended to read: 
A v9EeF-9F group of voters seeking to participate as a party 
in a primary election under section 
~Q~-~F 303 must choose a 
party designation that does not:' 
SUMMARY 
This amendment replaces the bill. 
The amendment replaces 
the current system of requirements for ga1n1ng and maintaining 
recognition as a qualified political party with a system based on 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
0\. _ s. 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT .. 1/;, to H.P. 991, L.D. 1349 
enrollment of 
15,000 voters. 
amendment are as follows. 
The 
specific 
elements 
of 
the 
1. 
The amendment requires a recognized political party to 
maintain an enrollment of 15,000 voters in order to maintain its 
qualified status. 
2. 
The 
amendment 
requires 
a political party to enroll 
15,000 voters to obtain qualified status. 
3. 
The 
amendment 
removes 
the statutory provisions that 
currently allow a party to obtain qualified status by organizing 
around a candidate who received 5'\ of the vote for Governor or 
President. 
4. 
The 
amendment 
removes 
the statutory provisions that 
currently allow a party to obtain qualified status by filing a 
petition with the signatures and legal addresses of voters equal 
in number to at least 5'\ of the total vote cast in the State for 
Governor at the last preceding gubernatorial election. 
FISCAL .\U It. ., 
(See attached) 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
Fiscal Detail and Notes 
Approved: 05/13/03 ;t;pae. 
l2lst Maine Legislature 
Office of Fiscal and Program Review 
LD 1349 
An Act Concerning Recognition of Qualified Political Parties 
LR 1544(02) 
Fiscal Note for Bill as Amended by Committee Amendment" " 
Committee: Legal and Veterans Affairs 
Fiscal Note Required: Yes 
Fiscal Note 
Potential future biennium savings - General Fund 
The elimination of the petition process for obtaining qualified status for a political party will avoid some 
administrative costs that would be incurred by the Office of the Secretary of State and municipalities, if a political 
party chooses that method to obtain qualified status. The amount and the timing of the savings can not be determined 
as these avoided costs are unbudgeted. 
LR1544(2) - Fiscal Note - Page 1 of 1