An Act To Recognize and Regulate the Proper Formation of Minor Political Parties
Maine Legislature, Session 122, LD 1154
Committee: Legal and Veterans Affairs
Sponsors: LINDELL
Amends: 21-A MRSA §308, 21-A MRSA §331

Legislative Document 
No. 1154 
H.P.797 
House of Representatives, March 8, 2005 
An Act To Recognize and Regulate the Proper Formation of Minor 
Political Parties 
Reference to the Committee on Legal and Veterans Affairs suggested and ordered printed. 
Presented by Representative LINDELL of Frankfort. 
'17/~/J7.~ 
MILLICENT M. MacFARLAND 
Clerk 
Cosponsored-by Representatives: CUMMINGS of Portland, HOTHAM of Dixfield, McKANE 
of Newcastle. 
Pnoted on recycled paper 
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1. 21-A MRSA §308 is enacted to read: 
S308. 
Minor parties 
1. 
~ani~ion. Notwitn&tanding the provisions of this 
article, a minor party may organize pursuant to the provisions of 
this section. 
2. 
Municipal caucuses. 
A minor party must organize every 
odd-numbered year by holding at least one municipal caucus in 
every county pursuant to section 311. 
3. 
County 
conmit~Q~s. 
A mino~rty county committee is 
formed by the municipal caucuses in that county pursuant to 
subsection 1. The number of delegates nominated to a minor party 
county committee by a municipal caucus must be determined by the 
minor party state committee 
formed pursuant to subsection 4, 
except that each municipal caucus is entitled to nominate at 
least 3 delegates to the minor party county committee. If there 
are at least two municipal 
caucuses held in 
a 
county under 
subsection 2, then the caucuses must form a minor party county 
committee. If a minor party county committee is not formed in a 
.QQJ.ID.ty, then the caucl,.!S of a 
munici,~lity in that county pursuant 
to subsection 1 is deemed to be the minor party county committee. 
4. 
State conmitte~. 
The chair of each minor party county 
committee is a member of the minor party state committee and each 
minor party county committee may elect up to 2 other delegates to 
the minor party state committee. 
5. 
Nominations. 
A minor party county committee nominates a 
minor party local or county candidate for that county. 
A minor 
party state committee nominates a minor party statewide, federal 
or 
presidential 
eJector 
candid~he~. __ I~arty must 
file 
a 
certification of the name of a candidate nominated under this 
_subsection to the Secretar;-y~f State by 5:JL~.m. on June 1st in 
the election year in which the candidate is running, except that 
certification for 
a 
slate 
of 
candidates 
for 
the 
office 
of 
presidential elector must be filed in the office of the Secretary 
of State by 5:00 p.m. 
on August 15th in the election year in 
which the slate of candidates is running. 
The requirements of a 
nomination by petition under sections 351, 352 and 353; section 
354, subsection 1; and sections 355 and 357 apply, as applicable L 
to a nomination by certification under this section. 
Sec. 2. 21-A MRSA §331. sub-§2, 1f1fB and C, as eilacted by PL 
1985, c. 161, §6, are amended to read: 
Page I-LR1l24 (1) 
B. 
Nominations to fill vacancies under subchapter III ~; aBS 
C. 
Nominations by petition under subchapter lIT 2; and 
Sec. 3. 21-A MRSA §331, sub-§2"n is enacted to read: 
D. 
Nominations 
by 
certification 
under 
section 
308, 
subsection 5. 
SUMMARY 
This bill allows the formation of minor political parties in 
the State. 
Minor political parties are organized by holding at 
least 
one 
municipal 
caucus 
in 
every 
county 
and 
nominate 
candidates through a party committee nominating process.