An Act To Allow Voters To Choose Ongoing Absentee Voter Status
Maine Legislature, Session 124, LD 0150
Committee: Legal and Veterans Affairs
Sponsors: HINCK, SULLIVAN, CAREY, FITTS, GOODE, PINGREE, RUSSELL, TUTTLE, GOODALL, PLOWMAN
Amends: 21-A MRSA §753, 21-A MRSA §753-B, 21-A MRSA §754-A

Legislative Document 
No.1S0 
H.P.129 
House of Representatives, January 15, 2009 
An Act To Allow Voters To Choose Ongoing Absentee Voter Status 
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 Representative HINCK of Portland. 
!7Jj;~ 1I1.11lt1C;j~{ 
MILLICENT M. MacFARLAND 
Clerk 
Cosponsored by Senator SULLIVAN of York and Representatives: CAREY of Lewiston, 
FITTS of Pittsfield, GOODE of Bangor, Speaker PINGREE ofNOlih Haven, RUSSELL of 
Portland, TUTTLE of Sanford, Senators: GOODALL of Sag ada hoc, PLOWMAN of 
Penobscot. 
Prillt~J \111 rccydcJ paper 
Be it enacted by the People ofthe State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1. 21-A MRSA §753-:A~ s~b-§7 is enacted to read: 
7. Application for ongoing absentee voter status. A voter may apply, in writing, 
for status as an ongoing absentee voter. Each qualified applicant must automatically 
receive an absentee ballot for each ensuing statewide election for which the voter is 
entitled to vote and need not submit ll:. separate request for each election. 
A. A request for status as an ongoing absentee voter must be made in writing by the 
voter on a form designed by the Secretary of State. 
B. A voter's ongoing absentee voter status must be terminated upon: 
(I) The writte'n request of the voter; 
(2) The death or disqualification of the voter; 
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(3) 
The cancellation of the voter's registration record in the "central voter 
registration system; 
(4) The return of an absentee ballot as undeliverable; or 
(5) The designation of a voter's status as inactive in the central voter registration 
system. 
. 
Sec. 2. 21-A MRSA §753-B, sub-§l-A is enacted to read: 
I-A. Ballot issued to ongoing absentee voter. Upon receipt of absentee ballots 
from the printer, the clerk shall immed iately issue an absentee ballot and return envelope 
by mail to any voter who has qualified for ongoing absentee voter status under section 
753-A, subsection 7. 
Sec. 3. 21-A MRSA §754-A, sub-§l, as amended by PL 1999, c. 645, §7, is 
further amended to read: 
1. Ballot delivered to voter or immediate family member. When a voter or an 
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im1l)ediate family member of a voter obtains a ballot from the clerk in person or by mail 
and returns that ballot to the clerk in person or by mail and receives no assistance in 
marking the ballot, the following procedures apply. A ballot that was issued to a voter 
who has filed an application for ongoing absentee voter status under section 753-A, 
subsection 7 must be returned by mail or in person by the voter or an immediate family 
member of the voter. 
. 
A. 
The voter shall mark that ballot according to section 691 or 692 so that it is 
impossible for anyone present at the time to see how the voter voted. 
B. 
While the voter is marking the ballot, there may be no communication between 
the voter and any other individual as to the person or question for which the voter is 
to vote. 
Page I - 124LR0560(OI)-1 
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C. 
After the voter has completed marking the ballot, the voter shall then seal the 
ballot in its return envelope and complete the affidavit on the envelope. No notary or 
witness certification is required. 
D. 
The voter or an immediate family member of the voter shall then mail or deliver 
in person the sealed envelope containing the voted ballot to the clerk of the 
municipality of which the voter is a resident. The voter shall send a completed voter 
registration or absentee ballot application, if necessary, in a separate envelope. 
E. 
If an immediate family member of the voter returns an absentee ballot that was 
requested by the voter or another immediate family member ofthe voter, in writing or 
in person, the clerk shall accept the ballot. The clerk shall have the immediate family 
member who returned the ballot sign the application or written request and shall 
indicate that the ballot was returned by that person. 
SUMMARY 
This bill provides a process for voters to request ongoing absentee voter status, which 
allows them to automatically receive an absentee ballot for each statewide election until 
the status is terminated.