An Act To Alter the Distribution of Maine Clean E'lection Act Funding to Gubernatorial Candidates
Maine Legislature, Session 124, LD 1420
Committee: Legal and Veteni
Amends: 21-A MRSA §1125

FIRST REGULAR SESSIOt~-2009 
Legislative Document 
No. 1420 
H.P.996 
House of Representatives, April 7, 2009 
An Act To Alter the Distribution of Maine Clean E'lection Act 
Funding to Gubernatorial Candidates 
Reference to the Committee on Legal and Veteni.ns Affairs suggested and ordered printed. 
Pre.sented by Representative CAREY of Lewiston. 
,Cosponsored by Representative.: PIOTTI of Unity. 
Prim.:d tlll r.:cyckd PiIP!!!" 
7Y/!v~ 111· 7l?tU~{ 
MILLICENT M. MacFARLAND 
Clerk 
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1. 21-A MRSA §1125, sub-§3, ~A, as amended by PL 2007, c. 240, Pt. F, 
§ 1 and c. 443, Pt. B, §6, is further amended to read: 
_ 4 
A. .. For a gubernatorial candidate, at least ~ 
verified registered voters of this 
State must support the candidacy by providing a qualifying contribution to that 
candidate; 
Sec. 2. 21 ... A MRSA §1125, sub-§6, as amended by PL 2007, c. 443, Pt. B, §6, is 
further amended to read: 
. 
6. Restrictions on contributions and expenditures for certified candidates. After 
certification, a candidate must limit the· candidate's campaign expenditures and 
obligations, including outstanding obligations, to the revenues distributed to the candidate 
from the fund and, except as provided in subsection 6-C, may not accept any 
contributions unless specifically authorized by the commission. Candidates may also 
accept and spend interest earned on fund revenues in campaign bank accounts. 
All 
revenu~s distributed to a certified candidate from the fund must be used for campaign-
related purposes. The candidate,the treasurer, the candidate's committee authorized 
pursuant to section 10 13-A, subsection 1 or any agent of the candidate and committee 
may not use these revenues for any but campa:ign-related purposes. The commission 
shall publish guidelines outlining permissible campaign-related expenditures. 
Sec.3. 21-AMRSA §1125, sub-§6-C is enacted to read: 
6-c' 
Additional contributions authorized; gubernatorial candidates. 
After 
certification pursuant to subsection 5, a gubernatorial candidate may continue to collect 
contributions in the amount of $5 from verified registered voters in this State. A voter 
who provides a qualifying contribution during the qualifying period to a candidate in a 
contested primary may provide an additional $5 contribution to that candidate after 
certification pursuant to this subsection. 
Sec. 4. 21 .. ,A MRSA §1125, sub-§8, ~, as enacted by PL 2003, c. 453, §1, is 
amended to read: 
.E. 
For gubernatorial primary elections, the amount of revenues distributed is 
$200,000 an amount equal to $55 for each qualifying contribution collected pursuant 
to subsection 3, paragraph A. up to a maximum of $350,000 per candidate in the 
primary election.· 
. 
. 
Sec. 5. 21-A MRSA §1125, sub-§8, ~F, as amended by PL 2007, c. 443, Pt. B, 
§6, is further amended to read: 
F. 
For,- gubernatorial general elections, the amount of revenues distributed is 
$600,000 an amount equal to $55 for each qualifying contribution collected pursuant 
to subsection 3, paragraph A if that amount was not distributed pursuant to paragraph 
E, plus an amount equal to $55 for each additional $5 contribution collected pursuant 
to subsection 6-C, up to a maximum of $750,000 per candidate in the general 
election. 
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SUMMARY 
This bill does the following. 
1. It reduces from 3,250 to 750 the number of qualifying contributions required for a 
gubernatorial candidate to be certified as a Maine Clean Election Act candidate. 
2. it provides that a Maine Clean Election ·Act gubernatorial candidate may continue 
to collect $5 contributions from registered voters in the State. 
3. It allows a voter who provides a $5 qualifying contribution to a gubernatorial 
candidate in a contested primary to provide an additional $5 'contribution to that candidate 
after certification. 
4. 
It provides that each $5 qualifying contribution and each $5 additional 
contribution must be matched by a distribution of $55 from the Maine Clean Election 
Fund. 
5. 
It increases the distribution limits for gubernatorial primary elections from 
$200,000 to $350,000 and for gubernatorial general elections from $600,000 to $750,000.