An Act To Amend the Laws Governing the Political Party Representation of Election Clerks
Maine Legislature, Session 128, LD 0813
Committee: Veterans and Legal Affairs
Sponsors: GRATWICK, DENNO, CARPENTER, CHIPMAN, LIBBY, VITELLI, FARNSWORTH, FULLER, HANDY
Amends: 21-A MRSA §503

Legislative Document
No. 813
S.P. 258
In Senate, March 2, 2017
An Act To Amend the Laws Governing the Political Party 
Representation of Election Clerks
Reference to the Committee on Veterans and Legal Affairs suggested and ordered printed.
HEATHER J.R. PRIEST
Secretary of the Senate
Presented by Senator GRATWICK of Penobscot.
Cosponsored by Representative DENNO of Cumberland and
Senators: CARPENTER of Aroostook, CHIPMAN of Cumberland, LIBBY of Androscoggin, 
VITELLI of Sagadahoc, Representatives: FARNSWORTH of Portland, FULLER of Lewiston, 
HANDY of Lewiston.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1.  21-A MRSA §503, sub-§2, as amended by PL 2013, c. 131, §14, is 
further amended to read: 
2.  Representation of parties.  The municipal officers shall consider the following 
for appointment as election clerks. 
A.  The municipal officers shall consider persons nominated by the municipal, county 
or state committees of the major parties to serve as election clerks.  The municipal 
officers shall appoint at least one election clerk from each of the major parties to 
serve at each voting place during the time the polls are open.  The municipal officers 
shall also appoint a sufficient number of election clerks to serve as counters after the 
polls close.  The election clerks must be selected so that, of the total number of 
election clerks selected, 33% are selected from one major party does not exceed the 
number of election clerks and 33% are selected from another major party by more 
than one and the remaining 34% are selected without regard to party enrollment. 
B.  The municipal officers shall appoint at least one election clerk nominated by the 
municipal committee of a qualified minor party represented on the last general 
election ballot for each voting place at the committee's request. 
C.  Notwithstanding subsection 1, the municipal officers may also consider persons 
who are 17 years of age to serve as student election clerks for a specific election.  A 
student election clerk may perform all the functions of an election clerk as prescribed 
by this Title. 
All nominations for election clerks must be submitted to the municipal officers no later 
than April 1st of each general election year.  If a municipal committee of a major party 
fails to submit a list of nominees to serve as election clerks, the municipal officers may 
appoint registered voters enrolled in that party to serve as election clerks. 
If the municipal officers are unable to appoint a sufficient number of election clerks as set 
forth in paragraphs A, B and C, they may appoint any other registered voter, as long as 
the balance between representation of major political parties is maintained as described in 
this subsection. 
SUMMARY 
This bill requires election clerks in a municipality to be selected so that 33% of clerks 
are from one major party and 33% from another, with 34% of clerks being selected 
without regard to party enrollment.