PLEASE NOTE: Legislative Information cannot perform research, provide legal advice, or interpret Maine law. For legal assistance, please contact a qualified attorney.
An Act To Allow Contributors to Candidates Financed by the Maine Clean Election Fund To Submit Qualifying Contributions Online
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1. 21-A MRSA §1122, sub-§7, ¶A,  as enacted by IB 1995, c. 1, §17, is amended to read:
 
A. Of $5 in the form of a check or a money order or by credit card payable to the fund in support of a candidate;
Sec. 2. 21-A MRSA §1125, sub-§3,  as amended by PL 2001, c. 465, §4, is further amended to read:
 
3. Qualifying contributions.   Participating candidates must obtain qualifying contributions during the qualifying period as follows:
 
A. For a gubernatorial candidate, at least 2,500 verified registered voters of this State must support the candidacy by providing a qualifying contribution to that candidate;
 
B. For a candidate for the State Senate, at least 150 verified registered voters from the candidate's electoral division must support the candidacy by providing a qualifying contribution to that candidate; or
 
C. For a candidate for the State House of Representatives, at least 50 verified registered voters from the candidate's electoral division must support the candidacy by providing a qualifying contribution to that candidate.
 
A payment, gift or anything of value may not be given in exchange for a qualifying contribution. A candidate may pay the fee for a money order in the amount of $5, which is a qualifying contribution, as long as the donor making the qualifying contribution pays the $5 amount reflected on the money order. Any money order fees paid by a participating candidate must be paid for with seed money and reported in accordance with commission rules. A qualifying contribution may be paid over the Internet with a credit card.
 
SUMMARY
This bill allows a qualifying contribution under the Maine Clean Election Act to be paid by a credit card over the Internet.