# Maine LD 1702: An Act to Amend Election Polling Place Candidate Restrictions

Maine LD 1702, An Act to Amend Election Polling Place Candidate Restrictions, is a 132nd Maine Legislature (2025-2026) House bill sponsored by Mark Cooper (Republican); status signed, last action 2025-06-17 (Signed by Governor, ACTPUB Chapter 331) (as of 2026-10-17).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/ME-LD1702-132
- As of: 2026-10-17
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Maine LD 1702
- State: Maine
- Session: 132nd Maine Legislature (2025-2026)
- Title: An Act to Amend Election Polling Place Candidate Restrictions
- Status: signed
- Chamber: House
- Introduced: 2025-04-17
- Last action: 2025-06-17, Signed by Governor, ACTPUB Chapter 331
- Sponsor: Mark Cooper (Republican)
- Cosponsors: 9
- Subjects: ELECTIONS, ELECTIONS - POLLING PLACES
- Touches household money: no
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 2

## Summary

No summary available.

## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read

- No electioneering within 250 feet: benefit, low. The law bans anyone from trying to influence voters inside a polling place and on public property within 250 feet of the entrance. It covers efforts about any candidate on that day's ballot and any question on that day's ballot. This applies even if the candidate’s name is not printed on the ballot.
- Stricter rules for candidates near polls: benefit, low. The law defines who counts as a candidate, including write-ins and people in any party or no party. Inside the polling place and on public property within 250 feet, a candidate or one chosen representative may only briefly greet voters. They cannot say the office they seek, wear or show the candida…

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Mark Cooper (Republican), House
- Cosponsor: Allison Hepler (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Barbara Bagshaw (Republican), House
- Cosponsor: Caldwell Jackson (Republican), House
- Cosponsor: Chad Perkins (Republican), House
- Cosponsor: Craig V. Hickman (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Dean Cray (Republican), House
- Cosponsor: Jeffrey L. Timberlake (Republican), Senate
- Cosponsor: Randall Hall (Republican), House
- Cosponsor: Wayne Parry (Republican), House

## Actions (7)

- 2025-06-17: Signed by Governor, ACTPUB Chapter 331
- 2025-06-12: PASSED TO BE ENACTED - Emergency - 2/3 Elected Required, in concurrence. (Senate)
- 2025-06-11: This being an emergency measure, a two-thirds vote of all the members elected to the House was necessary.PASSED TO BE ENACTED.Sent for concurrence. ORDERED SENT FORTHWITH. (House)
- 2025-06-11: Report READ and ACCEPTED, in concurrence.READ ONCE.Committee Amendment "A" (H-612) READ and ADOPTED, in concurrence.Under suspension of the Rules, READ A SECOND TIME and PASSED TO BE ENGROSSED AS AMENDED BY Committee Amendment "A" (H-612), in concurrence.Ordered sent down forthwith. (Senate)
- 2025-06-10: CONSENT CALENDAR - FIRST DAYUnder suspension of the rules CONSENT CALENDAR - SECOND DAY.The Bill was PASSED TO BE ENGROSSED as Amended by Committee Amendment "A" (H-612).Sent for concurrence. ORDERED SENT FORTHWITH. (House)
- 2025-04-17: The Bill was REFERRED to the Committee on VETERANS AND LEGAL AFFAIRS in concurrence (Senate)
- 2025-04-17: Committee on Veterans and Legal Affairs suggested and ordered printed. The Bill was REFERRED to the Committee on VETERANS AND LEGAL AFFAIRS.Sent for concurrence. ORDERED SENT FORTHWITH. (House)

## Bill text

- Amendment C-A (H-612), adopted by House & Senate: [PDF](https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=HP1137&item=2&snum=132)
- Enacted: [PDF](https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=HP1137&item=3&snum=132)
- Introduced: [PDF](https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=HP1137&item=1&snum=132)

## Related bills

- LD 1522: An Act to Establish the Maine Eviction Prevention Program (failed)
- LD 2067: An Act to Include Community Mental Health Workers Under the 1998 Special Plan for Retirement (failed)
- LD 1665: An Act to Provide Property Tax Relief to Maine Families (failed)
- LD 1872: An Act to Reinvest in the Pension Funds of the Maine Public Employees Retirement System (failed)
- LD 1611: An Act to Decrease the Retirement Contributions Required for Teachers and State Employees (failed)
- LD 1294: An Act to Expand the Dependent Exemption Tax Credit (failed)

## Sources
- [Amendment C-A (H-612), adopted by House & Senate (PDF)](https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=HP1137&item=2&snum=132)
- [Enacted (PDF)](https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=HP1137&item=3&snum=132)
- [Introduced (PDF)](https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=HP1137&item=1&snum=132)

## Related
- [LD 1522: An Act to Establish the Maine Eviction Prevention Program](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/ME-LD1522-132)
- [LD 2067: An Act to Include Community Mental Health Workers Under the 1998 Special Plan f…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/ME-LD2067-132)
- [LD 1665: An Act to Provide Property Tax Relief to Maine Families](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/ME-LD1665-132)
- [LD 1872: An Act to Reinvest in the Pension Funds of the Maine Public Employees Retiremen…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/ME-LD1872-132)
- [LD 1611: An Act to Decrease the Retirement Contributions Required for Teachers and State…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/ME-LD1611-132)
- [LD 1294: An Act to Expand the Dependent Exemption Tax Credit](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/ME-LD1294-132)
- [Maine bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/maine/bills)
- [Maine state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/maine)
- [All state legislation](https://policyrisk.com/state-bills)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/ME-LD1702-132 (as of 2026-10-17).