HP0048
LD 53		 Session - 126th Maine Legislature
 
 LR 589
Item 1
Bill Tracking, Additional Documents Chamber Status

An Act To Increase Voting Access

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:

Sec. 1. 21-A MRSA §753-B, sub-§8,  as amended by PL 2011, c. 399, §24, is further amended to read:

8. Absentee voting in presence of clerk.   A person who wishes to vote by absentee ballot may, without completing an application, vote by absentee ballot in the presence of the clerk , except as provided in until the close of business on the day before election day, notwithstanding subsection 2 , paragraph D. The method of voting is otherwise as prescribed in this article. After the person has voted, the clerk shall sign the affidavit on the return envelope as a witness, indicate on the envelope that the voter voted in the presence of a clerk and ensure that the affidavit on the return envelope is properly completed by the voter. For the 45 days preceding an election, during the hours when the clerk's office is open and may be conducting absentee voting, the display or distribution of any advertising material intended to influence a voter's decision regarding a candidate or question on the ballot for that election is prohibited within the clerk's office and on public property within 250 feet of the entrance to the building in which the clerk's office is located.

This subsection does not apply to the display or distribution of any campaign advertising material on private property that is within 250 feet of the entrance to the building in which the clerk's office is located. For purposes of this section, "private property" includes privately owned property subject to a public right-of-way that is an easement right-of-way.

This subsection does not apply to campaign advertising material on automobiles traveling to and from the municipal office or parked on municipal property while the occupants are visiting the municipal office to conduct municipal business. It does not prohibit a person who is at the municipal office for the purpose of conducting municipal business or for absentee voting from wearing a campaign button when the longest dimension of the button does not exceed 3 inches.

SUMMARY

This bill provides that a person may vote by absentee ballot in the presence of a municipal clerk until the close of business on the day before election day. Current law requires such voting to be completed no later than 3 business days before election day.

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