Maine Legislature, Session 132, LD 0309
Committee Amendment CA_A_H283 (House)
Amends: 21-A MRSA §321, 21-A MRSA §723-A

COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "A" to H.P. 209, L.D. 309, "An ·Act to Allow a 
Political Party to Determine How That Party's Nominee Is Selected in a Primary Election" 
Amend the bill by striking out all of section 3 and inserting the following: 
'Sec.~. 21-A MRSA §321, sub-§2, 1G is enacted to read: 
G. Determine if the party's primaty election to be held for the general election 
following the next general election after the party's convention will be determined by 
a plurality of votes cast in that election or by applying a ranked-choice voting count 
pursuant to section 723-A. The party's dete1mination must be incorporated into party 
rules.' 
Amend the bill by striking out all of section 4. 
Amend the bill by striking out all of section 5 and inserting the following: 
'Sec. 5. 21-A MRSA §723-A, sub-§5-D is enacted to read: 
5-D. Opt-out for party primaries, A political party may opt out from the provisions 
of this section for the party's prhna1y election and cause the primary election to be 
determined by a plurality of votes cast in that primary election if the party's convention 
under section 321 votes to opt out of applying a ranked-choice voting count for the party's. 
primary election to be held for the general election following the next general election after 
the party's convention and that determination is incorporated into the party's rules.' 
Amend the bill by relettering 01· renumbering any nonconsecutive Patt letter or section 
number to read consecutively. 
SUMMARY 
This amendment provides that a political party during the patiy's state convention held 
between March 1st and August 1st biennially during each general election year must 
determine whether the pa1iy's prhnary election to be held for the general election following 
the next general election after the convention will be dete1mined by ranked-choice voting 
COMMITTEE A·MENDMENT 
,., 
.·.·.•. 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "A" to H.P. 209, L.D. 309 
or by a plurality of votes. The amendment retains the provision of the bill providing that 
such a determination is required to be incorporated into the party's rules. 
FISCAL NOTE REQUIRED 
(See attached) 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT· 
Revised: 05/19/25 LRL 
LD309 
LR 616(02) 
.A.n Act to.Allow a Political Party to Determine How Th~t Party's Nominee Is Selected in a Primary 
Election 
Fiscal Note for Bill as Amended by Committee Amendmenf A• ( \-t ~ Z,i, S \ 
Committee: Veterans and Legal Affairs 
>) 
Fiscal Note Required: Yes 
Fiscal Note 
Current biennium cost increase - General Fund 
Fiscal Detail and Notes 
The Department of the Secretary of State (SoS) has indicated that General Fund appropriations of $124,183 in fiscal 
year 2025-26 and $227,999 in fiscal year 2026-27 would be neede·d for an Elections Coordinator position, one-time 
public education campaign and postage costs and other related costs to process notifications from political parties, 
This bill provides no new funding. As this bill provides no new funding, the impact of these new unfunded costs on 
other programs in the SoS cannot be detennined at this time. 
LR0616(02) - Fiscal Note - Page 1 of 1