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, ķA, 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.

SUMMARY

This bill designates a voter's signature and identification number, which are used as unique identifiers in the centralized voter registration system, as nonpublic records that will be available for inspection only by certain persons.

The bill decreases from 5 years to 2 years the time that voter registration records must be kept for a voter whose name has been removed from the voting list.

The bill clarifies that voters who register in person before the municipal registrar of voters must complete an application that contains the information required in the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 21-A, section 152 or 154.

The bill removes the restriction that a student election clerk may assist a voter only if the voter specifically requests assistance from the student election clerk.

The bill removes obsolete language specifying the format of the write-in spaces for a presidential preference primary ballot and deletes the requirement that nominees' names must appear on a ballot in block capital letters.

The bill adds a requirement that the notice of election must be posted at the polls on election day, in compliance with the federal Help America Vote Act of 2002.

The bill allows the election officials to open the packages of official ballots one hour before the polls open, instead of the 1/2 hour that is currently specified.