CHAPTER 584
H.P. 1277 - L.D. 1755
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1. 21-A MRSA §22, sub-§§5 and 6 are enacted to read:
5. Signature and identification number of registered voter. Notwithstanding subsection 1 and Title 1, section 408, the voter's signature and identification number on the voter registration application and associated records in electronic format are designated as nonpublic records and the registrar shall exclude those items from public inspection. Voter signatures on voter registration applications and associated records in a printed hard-copy format are public records in accordance with subsection 1 and Title 1, section 408.
6. Disclosure of voter's signature and identification number electronically. A voter's signature and identification number in electronic format that are excluded from public inspection pursuant to subsection 5 and associated records may be made available for inspection only to the voter of record, to municipal and state election officials, to a law enforcement agency that makes a written request to use the information for a bona fide law enforcement purpose or to a person identified by a court order if directed by that order.
Sec. 2. 21-A MRSA §23, sub-§1, as amended by PL 2001, c. 310, §3, is further amended to read:
1. Registration and enrollment applications. The registrar shall keep registration and enrollment applications and requests and all documentation of changes in registration and enrollment as part of each active or inactive voter's permanent registration record, except that those records must be kept only 5 2 years for a voter whose name has been removed from the voting lists of the municipality under sections 161 and 162-A.
Sec. 3. 21-A MRSA §122, first ¶, as amended by PL 2003, c. 407, §7, is further amended to read:
A person may register as a voter by appearing before the registrar, proving that the person is qualified under meets the qualifications of section 111, subsections 1 to 3, and filing an application provided by the registrar containing the information required by section 172 152 or 154, if applicable. Township residents may register as provided in section 156.
Sec. 4. 21-A MRSA §503, sub-§2, ¶C, as amended by PL 2001, c. 310, §28, is further amended to read:
C. Notwithstanding subsection 1, the municipal officers may also consider persons who are 17 years of age to serve as student election clerks for a specific election. A student election clerk may not assist a voter unless the voter specifically requests assistance from the student election clerk. A student election clerk may perform all the functions of an election clerk as prescribed by this Title.
Sec. 5. 21-A MRSA §601, sub-§2, ¶D, as amended by PL 2001, c. 310, §29, is further amended to read:
D. At the end of the list of candidates for each office, there must be left as many blank spaces as there are vacancies to be filled. These spaces may be used by a voter to write in or paste a sticker with the name and municipality of residence of any person for whom the voter desires to vote, as provided in section 691, subsection 2 for a primary election or section 692, subsection 2 for a general election. For the presidential preference primary election ballot only, at the end of the list of candidates for nomination there must be printed the word "uncommitted" in such a way that a voter may choose this preference rather than a listed candidate. After the "uncommitted" option, there may not be any blank spaces left where a voter could write in the name of any person for whom a voter desires to vote.
Sec. 6. 21-A MRSA §601, sub-§2, ¶H, as amended by PL 1997, c. 436, §67, is further amended to read:
H. The name of each nominee must appear on the ballot as follows: last name first, in block capital letters, followed by the first name and middle name or initial; or last name first in block capital letters, followed by the first name or the first initial and the middle name.
Sec. 7. 21-A MRSA §621-A, sub-§1, as enacted by PL 1997, c. 436, §83, is amended to read:
1. Notice posted. The clerk shall post or have posted a notice of election, attested by the clerk, in a conspicuous public place in each voting district in the municipality at least 7 days immediately before election day and at each voting place on election day.
Sec. 8. 21-A MRSA §651, sub-§2-B, as amended by PL 1997, c. 436, §93, is further amended to read:
2-B. Opening of ballot packages. No more than 1/2 one hour before the opening of the polls, the warden shall break the seals on the packages containing the ballots and distribute the ballots to the election clerks in charge of them. The breaking of the seals on the packages containing the ballots is a public proceeding and any member of the public may be present.
Sec. 9. 21-A MRSA §671, sub-§2, as enacted by PL 1985, c. 161, §6, is amended to read:
2. Enters guardrail enclosure. The election clerk in charge of the incoming voting list shall place a check mark or a horizontal line, in red ink, on the list beside the voter's name and allow him the voter to enter the area enclosed by the guardrail.
Sec. 10. 21-A MRSA §698, sub-§5, ¶A, as amended by PL 1993, c. 473, §26 and affected by §46, is further amended to read:
A. The portions of subsection 1, paragraph A, and subsections 2-A and 2-B that deal with absentee ballots do not apply to municipalities with 2 or more voting districts where absentee ballots are counted separately.
Effective July 30, 2004, unless otherwise indicated.
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