An Act To Ensure the Timely and Transparent Delivery of Unofficial Election Results in Maine
Maine Legislature, Session 130, LD 0638
Committee: Veterans and Legal Affairs
Sponsors: TUELL
Amends: 21-A MRSA §700

Legislative Document
No. 638
H.P. 469
House of Representatives, March 3, 2021
An Act To Ensure the Timely and Transparent Delivery of 
Unofficial Election Results in Maine
Received by the Clerk of the House on March 1, 2021.  Referred to the Committee on 
Veterans and Legal Affairs pursuant to Joint Rule 308.2 and ordered printed pursuant to Joint 
Rule 401.
ROBERT B. HUNT
Clerk
Presented by Representative TUELL of East Machias.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1.  21-A MRSA §700, as amended by PL 2019, c. 320, §6, is repealed and the 
following enacted in its place:
§700.  Posting of unofficial election results
1.  Definition.  For the purposes of this section, unless the context otherwise indicates, 
"unofficial election results" means the number of votes cast in a ward or precinct as 
declared by the warden pursuant to section 695, subsection 3 in an election other than an 
election determined by ranked-choice voting with respect to each state or municipal 
question that appeared on a ballot in that ward or precinct and for each candidate, including 
each declared write-in candidate pursuant to section 722-A, for a federal, state, county or 
municipal office that appeared on the ballot in that ward or precinct.  For an election 
determined by ranked-choice voting, "unofficial election results" means the results of the 
first choice votes cast for each candidate, including each declared write-in candidate 
pursuant to section 722-A.
2.  Posting of unofficial election results.  As soon as practicable after declaring the 
results pursuant to section 695, subsection 3, the warden shall:
A. Post a paper copy of the unofficial election results at the voting place or at the 
municipal office in a secure place where the public may view that copy of the unofficial 
election results even when the voting place or municipal office is closed; and
B. Electronically transmit the unofficial election results to the Secretary of State in a 
format approved by the Secretary of State.
3.  Secretary of State duties.  The Secretary of State shall:
A.  Immediately post unofficial election results received pursuant to subsection 2, 
paragraph B on the Secretary of State's publicly accessible website;
B.  Upon receipt of an attested copy of an election return pursuant to section 711, 
subsection 3, correct any errors in the unofficial election results posted on the Secretary 
of State's publicly accessible website pursuant to paragraph A; and
C.  Develop and implement a statewide public awareness program about the 
availability of unofficial election results under this section.
4.  Acceptance of funds.  The Secretary of State may accept gifts, donations and grants 
from any private or public source, in addition to money appropriated or allocated by the 
State, for the purposes of implementing this section.
SUMMARY
This bill requires, as soon as practicable after the election results are tabulated, the 
posting of unofficial election results for each municipality outside either the municipal 
office or each voting place in the municipality as well as on the Secretary of State's publicly 
accessible website.