Opinion ID: 1948649
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Signatures in the Presence of the Circulator

Text: [¶10] The term presence is ambiguous, and, therefore, the first issue we consider is whether the Secretary correctly determined that the three invalidated signatures were signed outside the presence of Hoffman, the circulator. If presence means only proximity, and the petitions were signed in Hoffman's proximity, as he contends, then he complied with 21-A M.R.S. § 354(7)(A), his oath was accurate, and our analysis would end. [¶11] The operative law, 21-A M.R.S. § 354(7)(A) provides: 7. Certification of petitions. A nomination petition shall be verified and certified as follows. A. The circulator of a nomination petition shall verify by oath or affirmation before a notary public or other person authorized by law to administer oaths or affirmations that all of the signatures to the petition were made in the circulator's presence and that to the best of the circulator's knowledge and belief each signature is the signature of the person whose name it purports to be; each signature authorized under section 153-A was made by the authorized signer in the presence and at the direction of the voter; and each person is a resident of the electoral division named in the petition. (Emphasis added.) This requirement finds its foundation in the Maine Constitution, which, in almost identical language, requires that the circulator of a petition swear an oath verifying that each of the signatures was made in his presence. ME. CONST. art. IV, pt. 3, § 20. [5] [¶12] Construing the language of the statute, the Secretary concluded that presence, requires both physical proximity and awareness. In so ruling, the Secretary recognized the absence of a statutory definition, and appropriately referred to the context of the provision at issue, which requires the circulator to take an oath that each signature is the signature of the person whose name it purports to be and that each signatory is a resident of the electoral division named in the petition. 21-A M.R.S. § 354(7)(A). As the Secretary concluded, it is not enough for a circulator to be in the general area where signatures are gathered. If he is too far away to see the voters sign their names, then he also cannot verify that each signature is the signature of the person whose name it purports to be. [¶13] This analysis is eminently sensible, and not directly challenged by any party. We conclude that the Secretary's construction of section 354(7)(A) has the benefit of being both reasonable, thus, requiring our deference, and correct. Accordingly, the Secretary did not err in concluding that (1) in the presence of the circulator means under the direct observation of that circulator, and (2) three petitions contained signatures that must be invalidated because they were not collected in the presence of the circulator.