An Act To Facilitate Fair Ballot Representation for All Candidates
Maine Legislature, Session 129, LD 0517
Committee Amendment CA_A_H164 (House)
Amends: 21-A MRSA §336, 21-A MRSA §355, 21-A MRSA §363, 21-A MRSA §601

COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "!I" to H.P. 374, L.D. 517, Bill, "An Act To 
Facilitate Fair Ballot Representation for All Candidates" 
Amend the bill by striking out all of sections 1 to 3 and inserting the following: 
'Sec. 1. 21-A MRSA §336, sub-§3, as amended by PL 1995, c. 459, §24, is 
repealed and the following enacted in its place: . 
3. Name, residence, party and qualifications declared. The consent must contain: 
A. A declaration of the candidate's legal name or. if the candidate wishes to have the 
candidate's nickname on the ballot, the candidate's first initial and middle initial, if 
any, of the candidate's legal name followed by the nickname that the candidate 
wishes to appear on the ballot and the candidate's last name; 
B. 
If the candidate wishes to have the candidate's nickname on the ballot, a 
declaration that that nickname is the name by which the candidate is known to others; 
C. The candidate's place of residence; 
D. The candidate's party designation; and 
E. A statement that the candidate meets the qualifications of the office that the 
candidate seeks. 
The candidate shall verify the consent by oath or affirmation before a notary public or 
other person authorized by law to administer oaths or affirmations that the declaration is 
true. If, pursuant to the challenge procedures in section 337. any part of the declaration is 
found to be false by the Secretary of State, the consent and the nomination petition are 
void. 
Sec. 2. 21-A MRSA §355, sub-§3, as amended by PL 1999, c. 645, §2, is 
repealed and the following enacted in its place: 
3. Name, residence, party and qualifications declared. The consent must contain: 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
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COMMITTEE AMENDMENT,#,, to H.P. 374, L.D. 517 
A. A declaration of the candidate's legal name or, if the candidate wishes to have the 
candidate's niclmame on the ballot, the candidate's first initial and middle initial, if 
any. of the candidate's legal name followed by the niclmame that the candidate 
wishes to appear on the ballot and the candidate's last name; 
B. If the candidate wishes to have the candidate's niclmame on the ballot, a 
declaration that that niclmame is the name by which the candidate is lmown to others; 
C. The candidate's place ofresidence; 
D. A statement that the candidate has not been enrolled in a party qualified to 
participate in a primary or general election after March 1st of that election year; and 
E. A statement that the candidate meets the qualifications of the office the candidate 
seeks. 
The candidate shall verify the consent by oath or affirmation before a notary public or 
other person authorized by law to admiriister oaths or affirmations that the declaration is 
true, except that candidates for the office of county commissioner need not verify by oath 
or affirmation that they are not enrolled in a party. 
If. pmsuant to the challenge 
procedures in section 356. any part of the declaration is found to be false by the Secretary 
of State, the consent and the nomination petition are void. 
Sec. 3. 21-A MRSA §363, sub-§3, as amended by PL 2015, c. 447, §9, is 
repealed and the following enacted in its place: 
3. Acceptance filed. A person chosen as a candidate under this section shall file a 
written acceptance with the Secretary of State containing: 
A. A declaration of the candidate's legal name or. if the candidate wishes to have the 
candidate's niclmame on the ballot, the candidate's first initial and middle initial. if 
any. of the candidate's legal name followed by the niclmame that the candidate 
wishes to appear on the ballot and the candidate's last name; 
B. If the candidate wishes to have the candidate's niclmame on the ballot. a 
declaration that that niclmame is the name by which the candidate is lmown to others; 
C. The candidate's place of residence; 
D. The candidate's party enrollment; and 
E. A statement that the candidate meets the qualifications of the office sought. 
The Secretary of State shall provide a form for the candidate's acceptance that includes a 
list of the statutory and constitutional requirements of the office sought by the person. 
The form must include a place for the registrar of the candidate's municipality of 
residence to certify the candidate's registration and enrollment status.' 
Amend the bill by strildng out all of section 6 and inserting the following: 
'Sec. 6. 21-A MRSA §601, sub-§2, GJH, as amended by PL 2007, c. 455, §18, is 
repealed and the following enacted in its place: 
H. The name of each candidate must appear on the ballot as follows: 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
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COMMITTEE AMENDMENT ,.fl:,, to H.P. 374, L.D. 517 
(1) The candidate's legal name, including the last name first followed by the first 
name and middle name or initial: last name first followed by the first name or the 
first initial and the middle name; or last name first followed by the first name: or 
(2) If a candidate has requested that the candidate's nickname appear on the 
ballot pursuant to section 336, 355 or 363, the candidate's legal last name first 
followed by the first initial and middle initial, if any. of the candidate's legal 
name followed by the niclmame in quotation marks.' 
Amend the bill by relettering or renumbering any nonconsecutive Part letter or 
section number to read consecutively. 
SQMMARY 
This amendment is the majority report of the committee and specifies that if a 
candidate requests that the candidate's nickname appear on the ballot for an election in the 
State, the candidate must include the nickname on the candidate's declaration of consent 
or written acceptance filed with the Secretary of State and must declare that the nickname 
is actually the name by which the candidate is lmown to others. The amendment also 
specifies that if a candidate requests that the candidate's nickname appear on the ballot for 
an election in the State, the Secretary of State must set off the candidate's nickname by 
quotation marks and it must be placed on the ballot following the candidate's legal last 
name, first initial and middle initial, if any. 
FISCAL NOTE REQUIRED 
(See attached) 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
Approved: 04/12/19 ;tW.ac. 
LD 517 
LR 853(02) 
An Act To Facilitate Fair Ballot Representation for All Candidates 
Fiscal Note for Bill as Amended by Committee Amendment 'fJn(j1-/t 4-) 
Committee: Veterans and Legal Affairs 
Fiscal Note Required: Yes 
Fiscal Note 
Current biennium cost increase - General Fund 
Referendum Costs 
Month/Year 
Election Type 
Question 
Length 
Nov-21 
General 
Election 
Unknown 
If candidates choose to include nicknames on the ballot, a second ballot may be required to be printed. If that 
situation occurs, the Department of Secretary of State would require a General Fund appropriation of $172,000 for 
additional ballot printing and postage costs. 
LR0853(02) - Fiscal Note - Page 1 of 1