Maine Legislature, Session 122, LD 0623
Committee Amendment CA_A_H283 (House)
Amends: 21-A MRSA §1, 21-A MRSA §153, 21-A MRSA §354

COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "1/,, to H. P. 456, L.D. 623, Bill, "An 
Act To Ensure Participation by Voters with Disabilities in the 
Electoral Process" 
Amend the bill by striking out everything after the enacting 
clause and inserting in its place the following: 
'Sec. 1. 21-A MRSA §1, sub-§40-A is enacted to read: 
40-A. 
Signature. 
"Signature" includes a 
signature stamp 
and a signature written by another registered voter on behalf of 
an individual in accordance with the procedure set forth in 
section 153-A and, for an individual who is unable to sign that 
individual's own name, a mark. 
Sec. 2. 21-A MRSA §153, as amended by PL 1985, c. 614, §10, 
is repealed. 
Sec. 3. 21-A MRS A §153-A is enacted to read: 
§153-A. 
Alternative registration procedure for voters with 
disabilities 
1. 
Alternative application for voter who is UDable to 
sign. 
An applicant who is unable to sign that applicant's name 
because of a physical disability may use a signature stamp or 
authorize another person to sign on behalf of the applicant on an 
application to register to vote or to enroll or make any changes 
to the applicant's voter registration status, as provided by this 
Page l-LR1792(2) 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
~~. 
~~ 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT Ii " 
to H.P. 456, L.D. 623 
Title. 
The individual assisting the applicant shall prepare and 
sign 
the 
registration 
application 
or 
form. 
along 
with 
an 
alternative registration signature statement. at the applicant's 
direction, in the presence of the applicant and one corroborating 
witness. 
The 
individual 
assisting 
the 
applicant 
and 
the 
corroborating witness must be registered to vote in the State. 
but neither may be a candidate. the applicant's employer or an 
agent of that employer or an officer or agent of the applicant's 
union. 
The alternative registration signature statement 
form 
must be designed by the Secretary of State and must indicate that: 
A. 
The applicant is unable to sign the applicant's name 
because of a physical disability: 
B. 
The applicant meets all the gualifications to become a 
registered yoter in the State or to make the reguested 
changes to the yoter's registration: and 
C. 
The information supplied on the form concerning the 
applicant is true. 
2. 
Alternative application for voter who becomes unable to 
sign after beigg registered. 
A yoter who becomes unable to sign 
that yoter' s name because of a pbysical disability after being 
registered 
to 
vote 
and 
who 
wishes 
to 
change 
the 
voter'S 
registration or enrollment status may do so by using a signature 
stamp or by authorizing another registered voter to sign on the 
voter's behalf if the voter files with the voter registration 
application 
or 
form 
an 
alternative 
registration 
signature 
statement prepared in accordance with subsection 1. 
3. 
Signing petitions. 
Once 
an alternative registration 
signature statement is on file with the registrar. the voter may 
authorize 
any other Maine-registered yoter to sign candidate 
petitions and any Maine Clean Election Act forms requ1nng a 
voter's signature in the presence and at the direction of the 
voter. except that the individual assisting the voter may not be 
the circulator of the petition or form. the voter's employer or 
an agent of that employer or an officer or agent of the yoter's 
union. 
In addition to using the voter's signature stamp or 
signing for the voter, the individual assisting the voter must 
print and sign the individual's own name and residence address on 
the petition or form and attest that the individual is signing on 
the 
voter's behalf. 
This 
method 
of 
signing satisfies 
the 
requirements in this Title that voters personally sign candidate 
petitions. 
4. 
Registrar assistance. 
An applicant or voter described 
in subsection 1 or 2 who does not have another registered voter 
available 
to 
assist 
the 
applicant 
or 
voter 
may 
request 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
I 
~~. 
~. 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT .. /}., to H. P. 456, L. D. 623 
the registrar to provide that assistance. 
If the applicant or 
voter is unable to appear at the office of the registrar I 
the 
registrar shall visit the individual to provide that assistance, 
upon request and with reasonable notice. 
The municipality shall 
pay the registrar travel expenses at the same rate paid other 
municipal employees. 
Sec. 4. 21-A MRS A §335, sub-§7, ,A, as enacted by PL 1985, c. 
161, §6, is amended to read: 
A. 
The circulator of a primary petition shall verify by 
oath or affirmation before a notary public or other person 
authorized by law to administer oaths or affirmations that 
all of the signatures to the petition were made in his ~ 
circulator's presence and that to the best of his the 
circulator's knowledge 
and belief each signature is the 
signature of the person whose name it purports to be: each 
signature authorized under section 153-A was made by the 
authorized signer in the presence and at the direction of 
the voter: and each person is enrolled in the party named in 
the petition and is a resident of the electoral division 
named in the petition. 
Sec. 5. 21-A MRSA §354, sub-§7, ,A, as enacted by PL 1985, c. 
161, §6, is amended to read: 
A. 
The circulator of a nomination petition shall verify by 
oath or affirmation before a notary public or other person 
authorized by law to administer oaths or affirmations that 
all of the signatures to the petition were made in his the 
circulator's presence 
and that to the best of his the 
circulator's knowledge 
and belief each signature is the 
signature of the person whose name it purports to be: each 
signature authorized under section 153-A was made by the 
authorized signer in the presence and at the direction of 
the voter; and each person is a resident of the electoral 
division named in the petition.' 
SUMMARY 
This amendment provides a legal framework and a process for 
a person who is unable to sign that person's name due to a 
physical disability to be able to register to vote and sign 
candidate petitions. 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT