An Act To Amend the Election Laws
Maine Legislature, Session 126, LD 1615
Committee: Veterans and Legal Affairs
Sponsors: LUCHINI, TUTTLE, BERRY, HOBBINS, WILLETTE, COLLINS, CRAVEN, JACKSON, MAZUREK, VALENTINO
Amends: 21-A MRSA §23, 21-A MRSA §144, 21-A MRSA §753-B, 21-A MRSA §760-B, 21-A MRSA §906, 21-A MRSA §1203-B, 21-A MRSA §1204-B, 30-A MRSA §66-B

Legislative Document 
No. 1615 
H.P. 1187 
House of Representatives, December 30, 2013 
An Act To Amend the Election Laws 
(EMERGENCY) 
Submitted by the Secretary of State pursuant to Joint Rule 204. 
Received by the Clerk of the House on December 23, 2013.  Referred to the Committee on 
Veterans and Legal Affairs pursuant to Joint Rule 308.2 and ordered printed pursuant to Joint 
Rule 401. 
MILLICENT M. MacFARLAND 
Clerk 
Presented by Representative LUCHINI of Ellsworth. 
Cosponsored by Senator TUTTLE of York and 
Representatives: BERRY of Bowdoinham, HOBBINS of Saco, WILLETTE of Mapleton, 
Senators: COLLINS of York, CRAVEN of Androscoggin, JACKSON of Aroostook, 
MAZUREK of Knox, VALENTINO of York. 
Emergency preamble. Whereas, acts and resolves of the Legislature do not 
become effective until 90 days after adjournment unless enacted as emergencies; and 
Whereas, changes to the election laws should apply to both the primary and general 
elections and thus should be effective prior to the June primary election; and 
Whereas, in the judgment of the Legislature, these facts create an emergency within 
the meaning of the Constitution of Maine and require the following legislation as 
immediately necessary for the preservation of the public peace, health and safety; now, 
therefore, 
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1.  21-A MRSA §23, sub-§4, as amended by PL 2013, c. 131, §4, is further 
amended to read: 
4.  Receipts for ballots.  The Secretary of State and each clerk shall keep a record of 
receipts for ballots issued and received under sections 606 and 651 in the office of the 
Secretary of State their respective offices for 6 months. 
Sec. 2.  21-A MRSA §144, sub-§3, as amended by PL 2013, c. 131, §8 and c. 
173, §1, is repealed and the following enacted in its place: 
3.  Restrictions during change of enrollment.  Except as provided in subsection 4, a 
voter may not vote at a caucus, convention or primary election for 15 days after filing an 
application to change enrollment.  A voter may sign a primary nomination petition during 
the 15-day period after filing an application to change enrollment, and the voter’s 
signature must be counted as valid, as long as the 15-day period has elapsed by the time 
the petition is certified pursuant to section 335, subsection 7 and the voter otherwise is 
qualified to sign a petition for that office.  Notwithstanding subsection 4, a voter must file 
an application to change enrollment prior to January 1st to be eligible to file a petition as 
a candidate in that election year. 
Sec. 3.  21-A MRSA §753-B, sub-§6, ¶A, as amended by PL 2005, c. 364, §7, is 
further amended to read: 
A.  The list of absentee voters must include each voter's name, residence address, 
voting district and party affiliation; the date and manner by which the ballot was 
requested, issued and received; and a notation of whether the application and the 
ballot were accepted or rejected; and a place for the registrar to certify the voter 
registration status of the absentee voters.  The clerk must also indicate on the list 
when the absentee voter is a uniformed service voter, overseas voter or township 
voter.  By the time that all absentee ballots have been processed on election day, the 
clerk must update the central voter registration system or annotate the printed list of 
absentee voters to reflect all ballots that were received by the close of the polls on 
election day, including a notation of whether the ballots were accepted or rejected 
and the reasons for such rejections.  This list, reflecting all absentee ballots received 
by the close of the polls, must be made available for public inspection.  Any absentee 
voter certified as a participant in the Address Confidentiality Program pursuant to 
Title 5, section 90-B must be listed by the voter code assigned to that individual 
under the program instead of by the voter's name and reflect the Address 
Confidentiality Program address assigned to the voter.  The list of absentee voters 
must be sorted so that the program participants appear at the end of the list and must 
be printed on a separate page of the list.  The portion of the list of absentee voters 
relating to Address Confidentiality Program participants must be kept under seal and 
excluded from public inspection. 
Sec. 4.  21-A MRSA §760-B, sub-§2, as amended by PL 2013, c. 131, §23, is 
further amended to read: 
2.  Notice of early processing.  The clerk must give notice of the municipality's 
intent to process absentee ballots prior to election day using the notice of election under 
section 621-A, stating the time that the clerk intends to begin processing absentee ballots 
and the inspection period provided in subsection 3.  At least 30 60 days before election 
day, the clerk shall provide a copy of the notice of election to the Secretary of State and 
the chairs of each political party of the municipality indicating that early processing of 
absentee ballots will occur.  The notice to the political parties must be considered 
sufficient as long as it is mailed to the last address of each municipal chair that is known 
to the clerk.  The notice to the Secretary of State may be delivered by mail or facsimile or 
as a scanned attachment to an e-mail address established by the Secretary of State.  If the 
notice is not received by the Secretary of State by 5:00 p.m. on the 30th 60th day before 
election day, the municipality may not process absentee ballots prior to election day. 
Sec. 5.  21-A MRSA §906, sub-§3, as amended by PL 1997, c. 581, §8, is 
repealed. 
Sec. 6.  21-A MRSA §1203-B, sub-§12, ¶A, as enacted by PL 2013, c. 270, Pt. 
A, §2 and affected by §3, is amended to read: 
A.  In Knox County, the minor civil divisions and unorganized territories of 
Appleton; Camden; Criehaven; Cushing; Friendship; Hope; Isle au Haut; Matinicus 
Isle; Mussel Muscle Ridge Islands; North Haven; Owls Head; Rockland; Rockport; 
South Thomaston; St. George; Thomaston; Union; Vinalhaven; and Warren. 
Sec. 7.  21-A MRSA §1203-B, sub-§31, ¶A, as enacted by PL 2013, c. 270, Pt. 
A, §2 and affected by §3, is amended to read: 
A.  In York County, the following census units in the minor civil division of Buxton:  
Blocks 4003, 4017, 4019, 4020, 4021, 4022, 4023, 4024, 4025, 4026, 4027, 4029, 
4030, 4031, 4032, 4033, 4034, 4035, 4036, 4037, 4038, 4039, 4040, 4041, 4042, 
4043, 4047, 4048, 4049, 4050, 4051, 4052, 4053, 4054, 4055, 4056, 4057, 4058 and 
4059 of Tract 02000 020000; and the minor civil divisions of Hollis; Limington; Old 
Orchard Beach; and Saco. 
Sec. 8.  21-A MRSA §1204-B, sub-§9, ¶A, as enacted by PL 2013, c. 270, Pt. B, 
§2 and affected by §3, is amended to read: 
A.  In York County, the minor civil division of Kennebunkport; the following census 
units in the minor civil division of Biddeford:  Blocks 1028, 1029, 2000, 2001, 2002, 
2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 
2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024 and 2025 of Tract 025300; 
Tract 025400; Block 0006 of Tract 990100; and the following census units in the 
minor civil division of Kennebunk:  Blocks 1000, 1001, 1002, 1003, 1004, 1005, 
1006, 1007, 1008, 1026, 1027, 1028, 1029, 1030, 1031, 1032, 1033, 1034, 1050, 
1051, 1052, 1057, 1058, 1059, 1060, 1061, 1062, 1063, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 
2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 
2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025, 2026, 2027, 2028, 2029, 
2030, 2031, 2032, 2033, 2034, 2035, 2036, 2037, 2038, 2039, 2040, 2041, 2042, 
2043, 2044, 2045, 2046, 2047, 2048, 2049, 2050, 2051, 2052, 2053, 2054, 2055, 
2056, 2057, 2058, 2059, 2060, 3020, 3022 and 3023 of Tract 028002; and Blocks 
0006, 0009 and 0010 of Tract 990100. 
Sec. 9.  21-A MRSA §1204-B, sub-§36, ¶A, as enacted by PL 2013, c. 270, Pt. 
B, §2 and affected by §3, is amended to read: 
A.  In Cumberland County, the following census units in the minor civil division of 
Portland:  Blocks 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2009 of Tract 001800; Block 
1002 of Tract 001900; Block 1042 of Tract 00201 002001; Blocks 1000, 1001, 1002, 
1003, 1004, 1005, 1006, 1007, 1008, 1009, 1010, 1011, 1012, 1013, 1014, 1015, 
1016, 1017, 1018, 1019, 1020, 1021, 1022, 1023, 1024, 1025, 1026, 1027, 1028, 
1029, 1030, 1031, 1032, 1033, 1034, 1035, 1036, 1037, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 
2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 
2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025, 2026, 2027, 2028, 2029, 
2030, 2031, 2032, 2033, 2034, 2035, 2036, 2037, 2038, 2039, 2044, 2045, 2046, 
2047, 3000, 3001, 3002, 3003, 3004, 3005, 3006 and 3007 of Tract 002102; and 
Blocks 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 
2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 
2025, 2026, 2027, 2028, 2029, 2030, 2031 and 2032 of Tract 002200. 
Sec. 10.  21-A MRSA §1204-B, sub-§66, ¶A, as enacted by PL 2013, c. 270, Pt. 
B, §2 and affected by §3, is amended to read: 
A.  In Androscoggin County, the following census units in the minor civil division of 
Poland:  Blocks 1000, 1001, 1002, 1003, 1004, 1005, 1006, 1007, 1008, 1009, 1010, 
1011, 1012, 1013, 1014, 1015, 1016, 1017, 1018, 1019, 1020, 1021, 1022, 1023, 
1024, 1025, 1026, 1027, 1028, 1029, 1030, 1031, 1032, 1033, 1034, 1035, 1036, 
1037, 1038, 1039, 1040, 1041, 1042, 1043, 1045, 1046, 1047, 1048, 1049, 1050, 
1051, 1052, 1053, 1054, 1055, 1056, 1057, 1058, 1059, 1060, 1061, 2021, 2024, 
2026, 2027, 2028, 2029, 2030, 2031, 2032, 2033, 2034, 2035, 2036, 2037, 2038, 
2039, 2040, 2041, 2043, 2062, 2063, 2064, 2065, 2066, 2067, 2068, 2069, 2070, 
2071, 2072, 2073, 2074, 2075, 2076, 2077, 2078, 2079, 2080 and 2086 of Tract 
041000; and 
Sec. 11.  21-A MRSA §1204-B, sub-§92, ¶A, as enacted by PL 2013, c. 270, Pt. 
B, §2 and affected by §3, is amended to read: 
A.  In Knox County, the minor civil divisions and unorganized territories of 
Criehaven, Cushing, Matinicus Isle, Mussel Muscle Ridge Islands, South Thomaston, 
St. George and Thomaston. 
Sec. 12.  30-A MRSA §66-B, sub-§3, ¶D, as enacted by PL 2013, c. 270, Pt. C, 
§2, is amended to read: 
D.  Commissioner District Number 4, in the County of Cumberland, consists of the 
minor civil division of Cape Elizabeth; the following census units in the minor civil 
division of Portland:  Tract 002101; Blocks 1000, 1001, 1002, 1003, 1004, 1005, 
1006, 1029, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 
2018 and 2044 of Tract 002102; and Blocks 1000, 1001, 1002, 1003, 1004, 1005, 
1006, 1007, 1008, 1016, 1019, 2000 and 2001 of Tract 002200; and the minor civil 
divisions of South Portland and Westbrook.  The term of office of the commissioner 
from this district expires in 2014 and every 4 years thereafter. 
Sec. 13.  30-A MRSA §66-B, sub-§7, ¶C, as enacted by PL 2013, c. 270, Pt. C, 
§2, is amended to read: 
C.  Commissioner District Number 3, in the County of Knox, consists of the minor 
civil divisions and unorganized territories of Appleton, Camden, Criehaven, Hope, 
Isle au Haut, Matinicus Isle, Mussel Muscle Ridge Islands, North Haven, Rockport 
and Vinalhaven.  The term of office of the commissioner from this district expires in 
2016 and every 4 years thereafter. 
Emergency clause.  In view of the emergency cited in the preamble, this 
legislation takes effect when approved. 
SUMMARY 
This bill makes the following changes to the election laws: 
1.  It specifies that a municipal clerk must keep the record of receipts for ballots 
issued and received in that clerk's office; 
2.  It resolves a conflict in the Maine Revised Statutes created when 2 public laws 
amended the same section of law in different ways by incorporating the changes made by 
both laws; 
3.  It removes the requirement that a list of absentee voters include a place for the 
registrar to certify the voter registration status of the absentee voters; 
4.  It changes the deadline, from 30 days to 60 days prior to the election, for a 
municipality to give notice to the Secretary of State that the municipality intends to 
process absentee ballots prior to election day; 
5.  It repeals the requirement that referendum ballots be printed on paper of a 
distinctive color; and 
6.  It corrects a number of typographical and other errors in the laws that reapportion 
the State Senate, State House and County Commissioner districts.