Opinion ID: 2193020
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: The Relevant Statutory and Constitutional Provisions

Text: [¶ 7] When a candidate nominated in the primary election process withdraws, the Secretary of State declares the vacancy and notifies the political party. 21-A M.R.S. §§ 362-A, 371 (2005). The vacancy is to be filled by the appropriate political committee. 21-A M.R.S. § 371. The duties of the committee are set forth in section 363(2): The committee shall choose a qualified person to fill the vacancy. The secretary of the committee shall immediately deliver a certificate to the Secretary of State containing the name of the person chosen, his residence, his political party, title of the office sought, and the method by which he was chosen. The certificate must be signed by the chairman of the committee and attested to by the secretary. The chosen candidate is required to file a written acceptance of the nomination stating that the person meets the qualifications of the office sought and declaring the person's residence and party enrollment with the Secretary of State. 21-A M.R.S. § 363(3). [¶ 8] Although the quoted language above from sections 363(2) and (3) refer to qualified person and qualifications, there are no express statutory qualifications for replacement candidates. However, the Maine Constitution establishes qualifications for members of the State Senate and House of Representatives. Members of the State Senate are required to be twenty-five years of age at the beginning of their term and to meet the other constitutional requirements of State Representatives. ME. CONST. art. IV, pt. 2, § 6. Representatives are required to have been a citizen of the United States for five years; a resident of Maine for one year; and a resident of the district for three months before the election and during the time in office. ME. CONST. art. IV, pt. 1, § 4. Whether an elected person is, in fact, qualified is determined by the Senate for senators and the House for its members. ME. CONST. art. IV, pt. 3, § 3. [¶ 9] The statutes governing primary elections have qualification requirements for candidates: A candidate for nomination by primary election must file a primary petition and consent under sections 335 and 336. The candidate must be enrolled, on or before March 15th, in the party named in the petition and must be eligible to file a petition as a candidate for nomination by primary election under section 144, subsection 3. 21-A M.R.S. § 334 (2005). However, the qualification requirements for primary elections expressly do not apply to nominations to fill vacancies. 21-A M.R.S. § 331(2)(B) (2005) (This Article does not apply to . . . [n]ominations to fill vacancies. . . .). [¶ 10] Changes to party enrollment are governed by 21-A M.R.S. § 144 (2005). To change party enrollment a voter is required to file an application. 21-A M.R.S. § 144. Once the application is filed, the voter is restricted from voting at a caucus, convention, or primary election for fifteen days after filing the application. 21-A M.R.S. § 144(3). Upon receiving the application to change party enrollment, the registrar is required to remove the designation of the voter's party from the central voter registration system: The registrar shall indicate in the central voter registration system that the applicant is ineligible to vote at a caucus or primary election for 15 days by designating the party enrollment field with the letter X. Fifteen days after receiving the application, the registrar shall enroll the applicant in the party requested and enter the new party designation in the party enrollment field. 21-A M.R.S. § 144(2).