Resolve, Requiring the Secretary of State To Develop Voting Systems Standards
Maine Legislature, Session 122, LD 0100
Committee: Legal and Veterans Affairs
Sponsors: GAGNON, BROWN, FISHER, HOTHAM, MOORE, OTT, VALENTINO, MARTIN

Legislative Document 
No. 100 
H.P.76 
H'Ouse of Representatives, January 11,2005 
Resolve, Requiring the Secretary of State To Develop Voting 
Systems Standards 
(EMERGENCY) 
Submitted by the Secretary of State pursuant to Joint Rule 204. 
Reference to the Committee on Legal and Veterans Affairs suggested and ordered printed. 
Presented by Representati ve PATRICK of Rumford. 
Cosponsored by Senator GAGNON of Kennebec and 
'7J'l~ 1J? 77lt1£~ 
MILLICENT M. MacFARLAND 
Clerk 
Representatives: BROWN of South Berwick, FISHER of Brewer, HOTHAM of Dixfield, 
MOORE of Standish, OTT of York, VALENTINO of Saco, Senators: MARTIN of Aroostook, 
PERR Y of Penobscot. 
Printed on recycled paper 
Emergency preamble. 
Whereas, acts 
Legislature 
do 
not 
become 
effective 
and 
resolves 
of 
the 
until 
days 
after 
adjournment unless enacted as emergencies; and 
Whereas, federal 
law 
requires 
that 
the 
State 
certain voting systems standards no later then January 
and 
implement 
1, 2006; 
Whereas, in order to adopt those standards, it is vital that 
a 
stakeholders 
group 
begin its work 
immediately 
so 
that 
a 
legislative proposal may be crafted and acted upon before the 
adjournment 
of 
the 
First 
Regular 
Session 
of 
the 
122nd 
Legislature; and 
Whereas, in the judgment of the Legislature, these facts 
create an emergency within the meaning of the Constitution of 
Maine 
and 
require 
the 
following 
legislation 
as 
immediately 
necessary for the preservation of the public peace, health and 
safety; now, therefore, be it 
Sec. 1. Voting systems standards. Resolved: 
That, pursuant to 
the federal Help America Vote Act of 2002, Public Law 107-252, 
Section 301, the State shall adopt and implement by January l, 
2006 voting systems standards that apply uniformly and in a 
nondiscriminatory manner and that define what constitutes a vote 
and what must be counted as a vote for each category of voting 
system used in the State; and be it further 
Sec. 2. Secretary of State to convene stakeholders group. Resolved: 
That the Secretary of State shall convene a group of stakeholders 
to review the relevant case law and the law in other states 
regarding the standards required under section 1 and to develop 
proposed legislation to 
accomplish the 
implementation of the 
standards; and be it further 
Sec. 3. Submission to joint standing committee. Resolved: 
That 
the Secretary of State shall submit a report of the stakeholders' 
review, 
including proposed legislation, to the Joint Standing 
Committee on Legal and Veterans Affairs by March 11, 2005 and the 
committee may submit a bill based on the report to the First 
Regular Session of the 122nd Legislature. 
Emergency clause. 
In view of the emergency cited in the 
preamble, this resolve takes effect when approved. 
SUMMARY 
This resolve directs the Secretary of State tc' 
':"D'.'ene 
,-\ 
stakeholders 
group 
to 
develop 
tor 
the 
State 
certaill 
votillO 
systems standards required by the federal Help America Vote 
I\C(-
of 2002, Public Law 107-252, Section 301.