An Act to Amend Election Polling Place Candidate Restrictions
Maine Legislature, Session 132, LD 1702
Committee: Veterans and Legal Affairs
Sponsors: COOPER, HICKMAN
Amends: 21-A MRSA §682

Legislative Document
No. 1702
H.P. 1137
House of Representatives, April 17, 2025
An Act to Amend Election Polling Place Candidate Restrictions
Reference to the Committee on Veterans and Legal Affairs suggested and ordered printed.
ROBERT B. HUNT
Clerk
Presented by Representative COOPER of Windham.
Cosponsored by Senator HICKMAN of Kennebec and
Representatives: BAGSHAW of Windham, CRAY of Palmyra, HALL of Wilton, HEPLER of 
Woolwich, JACKSON of Oxford, PARRY of Arundel, PERKINS of Dover-Foxcroft, Senator: 
TIMBERLAKE of Androscoggin.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1.  21-A MRSA §682, sub-§1-A is enacted to read:
1-A.  Definition.  For the purposes of this section, unless the context otherwise 
indicates, "candidate" has the same meaning as in section 1, subsection 5 and includes a 
write-in candidate, as defined in section 1, subsection 51.  "Candidate" includes a candidate 
of any party designation and a candidate that is not enrolled in a political party.
Sec. 2.  21-A MRSA §682, sub-§2, as amended by PL 2023, c. 109, §1, is further 
amended to read:
2.  Influence prohibited.  On public property within 250 feet of the entrance to the 
voting place as well as within the voting place itself, a person may not:
A.  Influence another person's decision regarding a candidate for an office that is on 
the ballot for the election that day, whether or not the candidate's name is on the ballot, 
or a question that is on the ballot for the election that day; or
B.  Attempt to influence another person's decision regarding a candidate for an office 
that is on the ballot for the election that day, whether or not the candidate's name is on 
the ballot, or a question that is on the ballot for the election that day.
These limitations do not prohibit a candidate, or no more than one representative of a 
candidate, from greeting a voter if the candidate or representative of the candidate does not 
state the name of the office that the candidate is seeking in that election year or wear any 
button, name tag, apparel or label or have or use any item or sign displaying the candidate's 
name or the name of the office the candidate is seeking, engage in the conduct described in 
subsection 7 or otherwise express support for or opposition to a party, a candidate or a 
ballot question.
Sec. 3.  21-A MRSA §682, sub-§7 is enacted to read:
7.  Other political activities prohibited by candidates; collection of signatures; 
funding.  On public property within 250 feet of the entrance to the voting place as well as 
within the voting place itself, a candidate or a representative of a candidate may not:
A.  Collect or solicit voter signatures on a petition in support of the candidate's 
candidacy for an office the candidate is seeking in that election year; or
B.  Collect or solicit campaign contributions under the Maine Clean Election Act in 
support of the candidate's candidacy for an office the candidate is seeking in that 
election year.
SUMMARY
This bill adds new restrictions regarding signatures and campaign contributions and 
clarifies existing restrictions in current law applying to the political activities of a candidate 
for public office at a voting place on election day.
The bill prohibits a candidate or the candidate's representative, on public property 
within 250 feet of the entrance to the voting place as well as within the voting place itself, 
from collecting or soliciting voter signatures on a petition in support of the candidate's 
candidacy or campaign contributions under the Maine Clean Election Act for an office the 
candidate is seeking in that election year.
The bill also clarifies that at or within 250 feet of a voting place a person may not 
influence or attempt to influence a voter's decision regarding a candidate for an office that 
is on the ballot for the election, whether or not the candidate's name is on the ballot, and 
clarifies that the provision also applies to write-in candidates running for an office that is 
on the ballot.