An Act Regarding Ongoing Absentee Voting and Tracking of Absentee Ballots
Maine Legislature, Session 131, LD 1690
Committee: Veterans and Legal Affairs
Sponsors: DAUGHTRY, TALBOT ROSS, HICKMAN, VITELLI, RIELLY, SUPICA
Amends: 21-A MRSA §753-A, 21-A MRSA §765

Legislative Document
No. 1690
S.P. 677
In Senate, April 18, 2023
An Act Regarding Ongoing Absentee Voting and Tracking of 
Absentee Ballots
Reference to the Committee on Veterans and Legal Affairs suggested and ordered printed.
DAREK M. GRANT
Secretary of the Senate
Presented by Senator DAUGHTRY of Cumberland.
Cosponsored by Speaker TALBOT ROSS of Portland and
Senators: HICKMAN of Kennebec, VITELLI of Sagadahoc, Representatives: RIELLY of 
Westbrook, SUPICA of Bangor.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1.  21-A MRSA §753-A, sub-§8, as enacted by PL 2021, c. 398, Pt. UUUU, 
§3 and affected by §7, is amended to read:
8.  Application for ongoing absentee voter status.  A Any voter who will be at least 
years of age by the next election or who self-identifies as having a disability may apply 
for status as an ongoing absentee voter.  Each qualified applicant must automatically 
receive an absentee ballot for each ensuing statewide election, municipal election and any 
other election for which the voter is entitled to vote and need not submit a separate request 
for each election.
A.  An application for status as an ongoing absentee voter must be made by a voter 
using procedures designed by the Secretary of State.  These procedures must include a 
process for notifying the voter that if the voter moves out of the municipality, that 
voter's status as an ongoing absentee voter in that municipality terminates.  A voter 
may apply for status as an ongoing absentee voter in the same manner as a voter 
requesting an absentee ballot under this section or at any time the voter is able to 
register to vote or update the voter’s voter registration under chapter 3.  A voter may 
obtain assistance in completing an application for ongoing absentee voter status 
pursuant to subsection 5.
B.  The clerk or Secretary of State shall terminate a voter's ongoing absentee voter 
status only upon:
(1)  The written request of the voter;
(2)  The death or disqualification of the voter;
(3)  The cancellation of the voter's registration record in the central voter 
registration system; or
(4)  The return of an absentee ballot as undeliverable;.
(5)  The failure of the voter to vote by absentee ballot for a general election; or
(6)  The designation of the voter's status as inactive in the central voter registration 
system.
This subsection does not apply to uniformed service voters or overseas voters who are 
covered by the federal Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act, 52 United 
States Code, Section 20302 (2019).
Sec. 2.  21-A MRSA §765, as enacted by PL 2021, c. 273, §28, is repealed and the 
following enacted in its place:
§765.  Absentee ballot tracking and notification system
1.  Absentee ballot tracking.  The Secretary of State shall establish and maintain an 
online service that allows a voter who requests an absentee ballot to track the status of the 
absentee ballot process, including by use of a telephone hotline.
2.  Automatic notification system.  The Secretary of State shall automatically notify 
a voter who provides contact information pursuant to section 753-A, subsection 9 of the 
status of the voter’s ballot when:
A.  The ballot is mailed to the voter;
B.  The clerk has received the ballot;
C.  The ballot has been accepted by the clerk;
D.  The clerk determines there is a defect with the ballot under section 756-A;
E.  The voter has not returned the ballot within a certain amount of time as determined 
by the Secretary of State; or
F.  The ballot is cast.
3.  Voter access to ballot status information.  A voter may check the status of the 
voter's ballot:
A.  Through the Secretary of State’s publicly accessible website under section 152, 
subsection 6;
B.  By calling the appropriate clerk by telephone; or
C.  Using the telephone hotline established by the Secretary of State pursuant to 
subsection 1.
Sec. 3.  Effective date. This Act takes effect July 1, 2025.
SUMMARY
This bill amends the provisions of law regarding ongoing absentee voter status, 
clarifies provisions regarding the tracking of absentee ballots and implements provisions 
regarding notification of ballot status for absentee voters and access of absentee voters to 
ballot tracking information.