An Act To Revise the Laws Governing Candidate Nominations by Petition
Maine Legislature, Session 126, LD 1086
Committee: Veterans and Legal Affairs
Sponsors: VALENTINO, LONGSTAFF, MASON, PATRICK, TUTTLE, CHENETTE, RUSSELL
Amends: 21-A MRSA §354

Legislative Document 
No. 1086 
S.P. 368 
In Senate, March 19, 2013 
An Act To Revise the Laws Governing Candidate Nominations by 
Petition 
Reference to the Committee on Veterans and Legal Affairs suggested and ordered printed. 
DAREK M. GRANT 
Secretary of the Senate 
Presented by Senator VALENTINO of York. 
Cosponsored by Representative LONGSTAFF of Waterville and 
Senators: MASON of Androscoggin, PATRICK of Oxford, TUTTLE of York, 
Representatives: CHENETTE of Saco, RUSSELL of Portland. 
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1.  21-A MRSA §354, sub-§2, as enacted by PL 1985, c. 161, §6, is amended 
to read: 
2.  By whom signed.  A nomination petition may be signed only by unenrolled voters 
of the electoral division which that is to make the nomination, except that nomination 
petitions for presidential electors may be signed by any Maine voter.  Other signatures are 
void. 
Sec. 2.  21-A MRSA §354, sub-§5, as amended by PL 1991, c. 362, §§2 and 3, is 
further amended to read: 
5.  Number of signatures required.  Nomination petitions must be signed by the 
following numbers of voters: 
A.  For a slate of candidates for the office of presidential elector, at least 4,000 and 
not more than 6,000 voters; 
B.  For a candidate for Governor, at least 4,000 2,000 and not more than 6,000 3,000 
voters; 
C.  For a candidate for United States Senator, at least 4,000 2,000 and not more than 
6,000 3,000 voters; 
D.  For a candidate for United States Representative, at least 2,000 1,000 and not 
more than 3,000 1,500 voters; 
E.  For a candidate for county office other than county commissioner or county 
charter commission member, at least 300 150 and not more than 400 200 voters; 
E-1.  For a candidate for county commissioner, at least 100 50 and not more than 150 
voters; 
F.  For a candidate for State Senator, at least 200 100 and not more than 300 150 
voters; 
G.  For a candidate for State Representative, at least 50 25 and not more than 80 40 
voters; and 
H.  For a candidate for county charter commission member, at least 50 and not more 
than 80 voters. 
Sec. 3.  21-A MRSA §354, sub-§7, ¶B, as amended by PL 1999, c. 264, §1, is 
further amended to read: 
B.  Petitions must be delivered to the registrar, or clerk at the request or upon the 
absence of the registrar, for certification by 5 p.m. on May 25th March 8th in the 
election year in which the petitions are to be used, except that petitions for a slate of 
candidates for the office of presidential elector must be delivered for certification by 
p.m. on August 8th in the election year in which the petitions are to be used. 
Sec. 4.  21-A MRSA §354, sub-§8-A, as amended by PL 1999, c. 264, §2, is 
further amended to read: 
8-A.  Filed with the Secretary of State. A nomination petition must be filed in the 
office of the Secretary of State by 5 p.m. on June 1st March 15th in the election year in 
which it is to be used, except that petitions for a slate of candidates for the office of 
presidential elector must be filed in the office of the Secretary of State by 5 p.m. on 
August 15th in the election year in which the petitions are to be used. 
SUMMARY 
This bill amends the laws governing the nomination of candidates by petition in the 
following ways. 
1.  It provides that only an unenrolled voter may sign a nomination petition. 
2.  It changes the number of signatures that are required on a nomination petition for 
various offices to the same number that are required on a primary petition. 
3.  It changes the deadline for filing a nomination petition to March 15th, which is the 
same deadline as for a primary petition.