An Act To Strengthen the Maine Clean Election Act
Maine Legislature, Session 126, LD 1309
Committee: Veterans and Legal Affairs
Sponsors: YOUNGBLOOD, CAREY, ALFOND, HILL, KATZ, LANGLEY, SAVIELLO, TUTTLE, EVES, LUCHINI
Amends: 21-A MRSA §1125

Legislative Document 
No. 1309 
S.P. 452 
In Senate, April 2, 2013 
An Act To Strengthen the Maine Clean Election Act 
Reference to the Committee on Veterans and Legal Affairs suggested and ordered printed. 
DAREK M. GRANT 
Secretary of the Senate 
Presented by Senator YOUNGBLOOD of Penobscot. 
Cosponsored by Representative CAREY of Lewiston and 
Senators: President ALFOND of Cumberland, HILL of York, KATZ of Kennebec, LANGLEY 
of Hancock, SAVIELLO of Franklin, TUTTLE of York, Representatives: Speaker EVES of 
North Berwick, LUCHINI of Ellsworth. 
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1.  21-A MRSA §1125, sub-§2, ¶¶B and C, as enacted by IB 1995, c. 1, 
§17, are amended to read: 
B.  One thousand five hundred Three thousand dollars for a candidate for the State 
Senate; or 
C.  Five hundred One thousand dollars for a candidate for the State House of 
Representatives. 
Sec. 2.  21-A MRSA §1125, sub-§2-B, as amended by PL 2009, c. 524, §14, is 
repealed. 
Sec. 3.  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: 
A.  For a gubernatorial candidate, at least 3,250 3,200 verified registered voters of 
this State must support the candidacy by providing a qualifying contribution to that 
candidate; 
Sec. 4.  21-A MRSA §1125, sub-§3-A is enacted to read: 
3-A.  Additional qualifying contributions.  Participating candidates may obtain 
additional qualifying contributions at the times specified in subsection 8-E as follows: 
A.  For a gubernatorial candidate, up to 12,800 verified registered voters of this State 
may support the candidacy by providing an additional qualifying contribution to that 
candidate; 
B.  For a candidate for the State Senate, up to 360 verified registered voters from the 
candidate's electoral division may support the candidacy by providing an additional 
qualifying contribution to that candidate; and 
C.  For a candidate for the State House of Representatives, up to 120 verified 
registered voters from the candidate's electoral division may support the candidacy by 
providing an additional qualifying contribution to that candidate. 
A verified registered voter may give to the same candidate either one qualifying 
contribution or one additional qualifying contribution but not both during the same 
election year. 
Sec. 5.  21-A MRSA §1125, sub-§5, ¶C-1, as enacted by PL 2009, c. 363, §5, is 
repealed. 
Sec. 6.  21-A MRSA §1125, sub-§7, as amended by PL 2009, c. 302, §15 and 
affected by §24 and amended by c. 363, §7, is further amended to read: 
7.  Timing of initial fund distribution.  The commission shall distribute to certified 
candidates revenues from the fund in amounts determined under subsection 8-A 
subsections 8-B to 8-D in the following manner. 
A.  Within 3 days after certification, for candidates certified prior to March 15th of 
the election year, revenues from the fund must be distributed as if the candidates are 
in an uncontested primary election. 
B.  Within 3 days after certification, for all candidates certified between March 15th 
and the end of the qualifying period of the election year, revenues from the fund must 
be distributed according to whether the candidate is in a contested or uncontested 
primary election. 
B-1.  For candidates in contested primary elections receiving a distribution under 
paragraph A, additional revenues from the fund must be distributed within 3 days of 
March 15th of the election year. 
C.  No later than 3 days after the primary election results are certified, for general 
election certified candidates, revenues from the fund must be distributed according to 
whether the candidate is in a contested or uncontested general election. 
Funds may be distributed to certified candidates under this section by any mechanism that 
is expeditious, ensures accountability and safeguards the integrity of the fund. 
Sec. 7.  21-A MRSA §1125, sub-§7-B is enacted to read: 
7-B.  Timing of supplemental fund distribution.  The following provisions govern 
the timing of supplemental fund distributions. 
A.  For gubernatorial candidates, any supplemental primary or general election 
distributions made pursuant to subsection 8-B must be made within 3 business days 
of certification by the commission of the required number of additional qualifying 
contributions. 
B.  For legislative candidates, any supplemental general election distributions made 
pursuant to subsections 8-C and 8-D must be made within 3 business days of 
certification by the commission of the required number of additional qualifying 
contributions. 
Sec. 8.  21-A MRSA §1125, sub-§8-A, as amended by PL 2011, c. 558, §§6 and 
7, is further amended to read: 
8-A.  Amount of fund distribution.  By September 1, 2011, and at least every 2 
years after that date, the commission shall determine the amount of funds to be 
distributed to participating candidates in legislative elections based on the type of election 
and office.  In making this determination, the commission may take into consideration 
any relevant information, including but not limited to: 
A.  The range of campaign spending by candidates for that office in the 2 preceding 
elections; and 
B.  The Consumer Price Index published monthly by the United States Department of 
Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics and any other significant changes in the costs of 
campaigning such as postage or fuel. 
Before making any determination, the commission shall provide notice of the 
determination and an opportunity to comment to the President of the Senate, the Speaker 
of the House of Representatives, all floor leaders, the members of the joint standing 
committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over legal affairs and persons who have 
expressed interest in receiving notices of opportunities to comment on the commission's 
rules and policies.  The commission shall present at a public meeting the basis for the 
commission's final determination. 
For contested gubernatorial primary elections, the amount of revenues distributed is 
$400,000 per candidate in a primary election.  For uncontested gubernatorial primary 
elections the amount of revenues distributed is $200,000.  For contested and uncontested 
gubernatorial general elections, the amount of revenues distributed is $600,000 per 
candidate in the general election. 
Sec. 9.  21-A MRSA §1125, sub-§§8-B to 8-E are enacted to read: 
8-B.  Distributions to participating gubernatorial candidates.  Distributions from 
the fund to participating gubernatorial candidates must be made as follows. 
A.  For uncontested primary elections, the total distribution of revenues is $200,000 
per candidate. 
B.  For contested primary elections, the amount of revenues distributed is as follows: 
(1)  The initial distribution of revenues is $400,000 per candidate; 
(2)  For each increment of 800 additional qualifying contributions the candidate 
submits pursuant to subsection 3-A, not to exceed a total of 3,200 additional 
qualifying contributions, the supplemental distribution of revenues is $150,000 
per candidate; and 
(3)  The total amount of revenues distributed for a contested primary election 
may not exceed $1,000,000 per candidate. 
C.  For uncontested general elections, the total distribution of revenues is $600,000 
per candidate. 
D.  For contested general elections, the amount of revenues distributed is as follows: 
(1)  The initial distribution of revenues is $600,000 per candidate; 
(2)  For each increment of 1,200 additional qualifying contributions the candidate 
submits pursuant to subsection 3-A, not to exceed a total of 9,600 additional 
qualifying contributions, the supplemental distribution of revenues is $175,000 
per candidate; and 
(3)  The total amount of revenues distributed for a contested general election may 
not exceed $2,000,000 per candidate. 
8-C.  Distributions to participating candidates for State Senate.  Distributions 
from the fund to participating candidates for the State Senate must be made as follows. 
A.  For uncontested primary elections, the total distribution of revenues is $2,000 per 
candidate. 
B.  For contested primary elections, the total distribution of revenues is $10,000 per 
candidate. 
C.  For uncontested general elections, the total distribution of revenues is $20,000 per 
candidate. 
D.  For contested general elections, the amount of revenues distributed is as follows: 
(1)  The initial distribution of revenues is $20,000 per candidate; 
(2)  For each increment of 45 additional qualifying contributions the candidate 
receives pursuant to subsection 3-A, not to exceed a total of 360 additional 
qualifying contributions, the supplemental distribution of revenues is $5,000 per 
candidate; and 
(3)  The total amount of revenues distributed for a contested general election may 
not exceed $60,000 per candidate. 
8-D.  Distributions to participating candidates for State House of 
Representatives.  Distributions from the fund to participating candidates for the State 
House of Representatives must be made as follows. 
A.  For uncontested primary elections, the total distribution of revenues is $500 per 
candidate. 
B.  For contested primary elections, the total distribution of revenues is $2,500 per 
candidate. 
C.  For uncontested general elections, the total distribution of revenues is $5,000 per 
candidate. 
D.  For contested general elections, the amount of revenues distributed is as follows: 
(1)  The initial distribution of revenues is $5,000 per candidate; 
(2)  For each increment of 15 additional qualifying contributions the candidate 
receives pursuant to subsection 3-A, not to exceed a total of 120 additional 
qualifying contributions, the supplemental distribution of revenues is $1,250 per 
candidate; and 
(3)  The total amount of revenues distributed for a contested general election may 
not exceed $15,000 per candidate. 
8-E.  Collection and submission of additional qualifying contributions.  
Participating candidates may collect and submit additional qualifying contributions to the 
commission as follows: 
A.  For gubernatorial candidates, no earlier than October 15th of the year before the 
election and no later than 3 weeks before election day; and 
B.  For legislative candidates, no earlier than January 1st of the election year and no 
later than 3 weeks before election day. 
Additional qualifying contributions may be submitted at any time in any amounts in 
accordance with the schedules in this subsection.  The commission shall make 
supplemental distributions to candidates in the amounts specified in subsections 8-B to 
8-D as the number of certified qualifying contributions submitted equals the increments 
specified in subsections 8-B to 8-D.  In the event that a candidate submits additional 
qualifying contributions prior to a primary election in excess of the number of qualifying 
contributions for which a candidate may receive a distribution, the excess qualifying 
contributions must be counted as general election additional qualifying contributions if 
the candidate has a contested general election, but supplemental distributions based on 
these excess qualifying contributions may not be distributed until after the primary 
election. 
Sec. 10.  21-A MRSA §1125, sub-§10, as amended by PL 2011, c. 389, §56 and 
affected by §62, is further amended to read: 
10.  Candidate not enrolled in a party.  An unenrolled candidate for the Legislature 
who submits the required number of qualifying contributions and other required 
documents under subsection 4 by 5:00 p.m. on April 20th preceding the primary election 
and who is certified is eligible for revenues from the fund in the same amounts and at the 
same time as an uncontested primary election candidate and a general election candidate 
as specified in subsections 7, 8-C and 8-A 8-D.   Revenues for the general election must 
be distributed to the candidate no later than 3 days after certification as specified in 
subsection 7.  An unenrolled candidate for Governor who submits the required number of 
qualifying contributions and other required documents under subsections 2-B and 
subsection 4 by 5:00 p.m. on April 1st preceding the primary election and who is certified 
is eligible for revenues from the fund in the same amounts and at the same time as an 
uncontested primary election gubernatorial candidate and a general election gubernatorial 
candidate as specified in subsections 7 and 8-A 8-B.  Revenues for the general election 
must be distributed to the candidate for Governor no later than 3 days after the primary 
election results are certified as specified in subsection 7. 
SUMMARY 
This bill makes the following changes to the Maine Clean Election Act. 
1.  It doubles the current seed money cap for participating Senate and House 
candidates and removes the seed money requirement for gubernatorial candidates. 
2.  It replaces the Maine Clean Election Act matching funds system with a system of 
optional supplemental funding for participating Maine Clean Election Act candidates who 
collect additional qualifying contributions. 
3.  It also establishes new baseline initial distribution amounts.