2023 Maine Revised Statutes › TITLE 20-A: EDUCATION › Part 2: SCHOOL ORGANIZATION › Chapter 103: SCHOOL ADMINISTRATIVE DISTRICTS › Subchapter 5: DISTRICT REFERENDUM › 20-A §1353. Referendum procedures

§1353. Referendum procedures
The following procedures apply to a district referendum.   [RR 2009, c. 2, §43 (COR).]
1.  Ballots.
The board of directors shall prepare and furnish the required number of ballots for carrying out the referendum as posted, including absentee ballots. It shall prepare and furnish all other materials necessary to fulfill the requirements for voting procedures.
[PL 1981, c. 693, §§5,8 (NEW).]
2.  Voting.
Voting must be held and conducted as follows.
A. The voting at referenda held in towns must be held and conducted in accordance with Title 30‑A, sections 2524 and 2528 to 2532, even though the town has not accepted the provisions of Title 30‑A, sections 2524 and 2525. The facsimile signature of the clerk under Title 30‑A, section 2528, subsection 6, paragraph F must be that of the chair of the board of directors. If a district referendum is called to be held simultaneously with any statewide election, the voting in towns must be held and conducted in accordance with Title 21‑A, except that the duties of the Secretary of State must be performed by the board and if the statewide election is a primary election, any registered voter may vote in the referendum. The absentee voting procedure of Title 21‑A must be used, except the duties of the Secretary of State must be performed by the board.   [PL 1995, c. 168, §1 (AMD).]
B. The voting at referenda in cities must be held and conducted in accordance with Title 21‑A, including the absentee voting procedure, except that the duties of the Secretary of State must be performed by the board of directors and if the statewide election is a primary election, any registered voter may vote in the referendum.   [PL 1995, c. 168, §1 (AMD).]
[PL 1995, c. 168, §1 (AMD).]
3.  Return and counting.
The return and counting of votes shall be as follows.
A. The municipal clerk shall, within 24 hours of the determination of the results of the vote in the municipality, certify and send to the board of directors the total number of votes cast in the affirmative and in the negative on each article.   [PL 1981, c. 693, §§5,8 (NEW).]
B. As soon as all of the results from all of the municipalities have been returned to the board of directors, the board shall meet and compute the total number of votes cast in all of the municipalities within the district in the affirmative and in the negative on each article.   [PL 1981, c. 693, §§5,8 (NEW).]
C. If the board of directors determines that there were more votes cast in the affirmative than in the negative, on a given article, they shall declare that the article has passed.   [PL 1981, c. 693, §§5,8 (NEW).]
D. If the board of directors determines that the total number of votes cast on an article in the affirmative is equal to or less than those cast in the negative, they shall declare that the article has not passed.   [PL 1981, c. 693, §§5,8 (NEW).]
E. They shall enter their declaration and computations in their records and send certified copies of it to the clerk of each municipality within the district.   [PL 1981, c. 693, §§5,8 (NEW).]
F. If the district votes on the question of merging with another district, the secretary shall immediately file a return with the state board of the results of the vote on the question of merger.   [PL 1981, c. 693, §§5,8 (NEW).]
[PL 1981, c. 693, §§5,8 (NEW).]
SECTION HISTORY
PL 1981, c. 693, §§5,8 (NEW). PL 1983, c. 422, §10 (AMD). PL 1985, c. 797, §16 (AMD). PL 1987, c. 737, §§C43,C106 (AMD). PL 1989, c. 6 (AMD). PL 1989, c. 9, §2 (AMD). PL 1989, c. 104, §§C8,C10 (AMD). PL 1989, c. 502, §A52 (AMD). PL 1995, c. 168, §1 (AMD). RR 2009, c. 2, §43 (COR).