An Act To Provide Fair Access To Maine Clean Election Act Funds
Maine Legislature, Session 127, LD 0719
Committee: Veterans and Legal Affairs
Sponsors: SUKEFORTH, CAMPBELL, CHIPMAN, EVANGELOS
Amends: 21-A MRSA §1122, 21-A MRSA §1125

Legislative Document 
No. 719 
H.P. 495 
House of Representatives, March 5, 2015 
An Act To Provide Fair Access To Maine Clean Election Act Funds 
Reference to the Committee on Veterans and Legal Affairs suggested and ordered printed. 
ROBERT B. HUNT 
Clerk 
Presented by Representative SUKEFORTH of Appleton. 
Cosponsored by Representatives: CAMPBELL of Newfield, CHIPMAN of Portland, 
EVANGELOS of Friendship. 
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1.  21-A MRSA §1122, sub-§8, ¶B, as amended by PL 2009, c. 286, §5, is 
further amended to read: 
B.  For State Senate or State House of Representatives participating candidates, the 
qualifying period begins January 1st of the election year and ends at 5:00 p.m. on 
April 20th of that election year or the next business day following April 20th if the 
office of the commission is closed on April 20th, except that for State Senate or State 
House of Representatives participating candidates who are unenrolled the qualifying 
period begins January 1st of the election year and ends at 5:00 p.m. on June 30th of 
that election year or the next business day following June 30th if the office of the 
commission is closed on June 30th. 
Sec. 2.  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 and 8-A.  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 June 30th preceding the general election and who is 
certified is eligible for revenues from the fund in the same amounts and at the same time 
as a general election candidate as specified in subsections 7 and 8-A.  Revenues for the 
general election must be distributed to the candidate no later than 3 days after 
certification.  An unenrolled candidate for Governor who submits the required number of 
qualifying contributions and other required documents under subsections 2-B and 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.  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. 
SUMMARY 
Under current law, candidates for the Legislature who are unenrolled in a political 
party have until the April 20th preceding a primary election to submit the required 
qualifying contributions and required documents in order to receive campaign financing 
under the Maine Clean Election Act.  This bill pushes that date back to June 30th.