An Act To Authorize the Automatic Continuation of Absentee Voter Status until the Termination of That Status
Sec. 1. 21-A MRSA §753-A, sub-§7 is enacted to read:
(1) The written request of the voter;
(2) The death or disqualification of the voter;
(3) The cancellation of the voter's registration record in the central voter registration system;
(4) The return of an absentee ballot as undeliverable; or
(5) The designation of the voter's status as inactive in the central voter registration system.
This subsection does not apply to uniformed service voters or overseas voters who are covered by the federal Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act, 52 United States Code, Section 20302 (2019).
Sec. 2. 21-A MRSA §753-A, sub-§8 is enacted to read:
Sec. 3. 21-A MRSA §753-B, sub-§1-A is enacted to read:
Sec. 4. 21-A MRSA §756, sub-§2, as amended by PL 2009, c. 538, §9, is further amended to read:
Sec. 5. Effective date. This Act takes effect January 1, 2022.
summary
This bill provides a process for a voter to request ongoing absentee voter status, which allows the voter to automatically receive an absentee ballot for each statewide election, municipal election and any other election until the status is terminated. It provides that if the clerk notes a discrepancy in signature on the return envelope of an absentee ballot, the return envelope is missing a signature or the affidavit on the return envelope is not properly completed, the clerk shall make a good faith effort to notify the voter within 24 hours by mail, telephone or e-mail of the procedure by which the voter may cure the discrepancy, correct the missing signature or properly complete the affidavit on the return envelope. It provides an effective date of January 1, 2022.