An Act to Promote Voter Registration for Students in Maine's High
Maine Legislature, Session 132, LD 0734
Committee: Education and Cultural Affairs
Sponsors: MCCABE
Amends: 20-A MRSA §4017

Legislative Document
No. 734
H.P. 476
House of Representatives, February 25, 2025
An Act to Promote Voter Registration for Students in Maine's High 
Schools
Reference to the Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs suggested and ordered 
printed.
ROBERT B. HUNT
Clerk
Presented by Representative MCCABE of Lewiston.
Cosponsored by Representatives: ABDI of Lewiston, CLOUTIER of Lewiston, DODGE of 
Belfast, JULIA of Waterville, MACIAS of Topsham, SATO of Gorham, SHAGOURY of 
Hallowell, WARREN of Scarborough.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1.  20-A MRSA §4017 is enacted to read:
§4017.  Voter registration; secondary schools
Beginning in the 2026-2027 school year and annually thereafter, a secondary school 
shall organize and facilitate voter education and registration activities, including, but not 
limited to, a voter registration drive in accordance with this section.
1. Voter registration drive coordinator.  A secondary school shall designate a school 
employee as a voter registration drive coordinator or invite a 3rd party, including, but not 
limited to, an outside organization or a town clerk, to serve as a voter registration drive 
coordinator that is responsible for organizing school voter education and voter registration 
activities in accordance with this subsection.
A. The secondary school shall notify the Secretary of State of the name and title of the 
person designated as a voter registration drive coordinator and update this information 
annually, if necessary.
B. The voter registration drive coordinator shall coordinate the distribution and 
collection of voter registration applications issued by the Secretary of State and shall 
deliver completed voter registration applications to the appropriate town clerk in the 
municipality in which the registered voter resides or mail or deliver completed voter 
registration applications to the Secretary of State.
C. The voter registration drive coordinator shall deliver or mail the completed voter 
registration applications within 5 days of the conclusion of the school voter registration 
drive and before the close of business on the 21st day before election day in accordance 
with Title 21-A, section 121-A.
2. Timing; student eligibility.  Secondary school voter education and registration 
activities may take place during social studies class periods, homeroom periods or 
assemblies. A student must be 16 years of age or older to participate in a school voter 
registration drive.
3. Voter registration applications; availability.  Voter registration applications for 
eligible students must be made available in both online and paper registration formats.  
Prior to and following a voter registration drive, a secondary school shall keep voter 
registration applications and information about voter eligibility in a location easily 
accessible to students.
4. Voter eligibility information.  A voter registration drive organized in accordance 
with this section must have information about voter eligibility available to students at the 
time of the voter registration drive.
SUMMARY
This bill requires secondary schools to annually organize and facilitate voter education 
and registration activities beginning in the 2026-2027 school year.  A secondary school 
must designate a school employee or a 3rd party as a voter registration drive coordinator 
who will be responsible for organizing the activities.  The voter registration drive 
coordinator must coordinate the distribution and collection of voter registration 
applications from the Secretary of State and deliver or mail completed voter registration 
applications to the appropriate town clerk or to the Secretary of State within 5 days of the 
conclusion of the drive and no later than the close of business on the 21st day before 
election day.  The secondary school must notify the Secretary of State of the name and title 
of the voter registration drive coordinator.  The bill also requires that voter education and 
registration activities be offered during social studies classes, homerooms or assemblies 
and that a student must be at least 16 years of age to participate in a voter registration drive.  
Voter registration applications must be offered in both online and paper registration 
formats, and a voter registration drive must have information about voter eligibility 
available to students at the time of the drive.  Prior to and following a voter registration 
drive, a secondary school must keep voter registration applications and information about 
voter eligibility in a location easily accessible to students.