An Act To Provide Fair Access To Maine Clean Election Act Funds
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1. 21-A MRSA §1122, sub-§8, ¶B, as amended by PL 2009, c. 286, §5, is further amended to read:
B. For State Senate or State House of Representatives participating candidates, the qualifying period begins January 1st of the election year and ends at 5:00 p.m. on April 20th of that election year or the next business day following April 20th if the office of the commission is closed on April 20th , except that for State Senate or State House of Representatives participating candidates who are unenrolled the qualifying period begins January 1st of the election year and ends at 5:00 p.m. on June 30th of that election year or the next business day following June 30th if the office of the commission is closed on June 30th.
Sec. 2. 21-A MRSA §1125, sub-§10, as amended by PL 2011, c. 389, §56 and affected by §62, is further amended to read:
10. Candidate not enrolled in a party. An unenrolled candidate for the Legislature who submits the required number of qualifying contributions and other required documents under subsection 4 by 5:00 p.m. on April 20th preceding the primary election and who is certified is eligible for revenues from the fund in the same amounts and at the same time as an uncontested primary election candidate and a general election candidate as specified in subsections 7 and 8-A. An unenrolled candidate for the Legislature who submits the required number of qualifying contributions and other required documents under subsection 4 by 5:00 p.m. on June 30th preceding the general election and who is certified is eligible for revenues from the fund in the same amounts and at the same time as a general election candidate as specified in subsections 7 and 8-A. Revenues for the general election must be distributed to the candidate no later than 3 days after certification. An unenrolled candidate for Governor who submits the required number of qualifying contributions and other required documents under subsections 2-B and 4 by 5:00 p.m. on April 1st preceding the primary election and who is certified is eligible for revenues from the fund in the same amounts and at the same time as an uncontested primary election gubernatorial candidate and a general election gubernatorial candidate as specified in subsections 7 and 8-A. Revenues for the general election must be distributed to the candidate for Governor no later than 3 days after the primary election results are certified.
summary
Under current law, candidates for the Legislature who are unenrolled in a political party have until the April 20th preceding a primary election to submit the required qualifying contributions and required documents in order to receive campaign financing under the Maine Clean Election Act. This bill pushes that date back to June 30th.