# Maine LD 1977: An Act to Amend the Laws Governing Elections Maine LD 1977, An Act to Amend the Laws Governing Elections, is a 132nd Maine Legislature (2025-2026) Senate bill sponsored by Craig V. Hickman (Democratic); status signed, last action 2025-06-20 (Signed by Governor, ACTPUB Chapter 397) (as of 2026-10-17). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/ME-LD1977-132 - 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 1977 - State: Maine - Session: 132nd Maine Legislature (2025-2026) - Title: An Act to Amend the Laws Governing Elections - Status: signed - Chamber: Senate - Introduced: 2025-05-13 - Last action: 2025-06-20, Signed by Governor, ACTPUB Chapter 397 - Sponsor: Craig V. Hickman (Democratic) - Cosponsors: 0 - Subjects: ELECTIONS, ELECTIONS - VOTING PROCEDURES - Touches household money: no - Economic provisions PRIA read: 13 ## Summary No summary available. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - Absentee voting at care facilities: benefit, low. The municipal clerk must schedule one visit during the 30 days before the election to each covered facility to run absentee voting. The clerk must set up voting areas, post notice in the town office, and notify each facility and resident contacts. During a declared public health emergency, or if a… - Earlier public notice of elections: benefit, low. Municipal clerks must post an election notice in a public place at least 21 days before election day. Clerks must also post a notice at each polling place on election day. This gives voters earlier, clearer notice. - Report election problems and voter guides: benefit, low. The Secretary of State must run a system to collect and log election‑law violation reports from Maine residents. Polling places must post how to report problems. The Secretary of State may prepare and share neutral voting guides and posters to help voters. - If your party loses status: mixed, medium. If a political party loses or gives up its status, the Secretary of State changes its voters to unenrolled. A party that is disqualified has 30 days to elect to keep its voters and may requalify by certifying at least 5,000 enrolled voters. To keep voters for regular primaries, certification must b… - Absentee voting limits and facility access: mixed, low. Clerks cannot give absentee applications more than 2 months before a primary or more than 3 months before other elections. This timing limit does not apply to uniformed service and overseas voters. Residents of nursing homes, state mental health institutes, and certain residential care, assisted li… - New voter registration windows and notices: mixed, low. The closed period is the 20 days before an election. During that time, registrars accept only in‑person registrations or agency/AVR transmissions by the legal deadline. You can still register in person up to the close of polls on Election Day. Automatic voter registration through agencies must be c… - New registration deadlines and ID rules: mixed, low. The law sets clear registration cutoffs by method. By mail or a third person, the deadline is close of business 21 days before the election. Online submissions are due by 5:00 p.m. on the 21st day, and agency transmissions must arrive by midnight on the 7th day. You can still register in person up… - Polling place access and conduct rules: mixed, low. Municipalities must choose polling places big enough for at least one pollwatcher from each party outside the guardrail. A party chair can file a complaint at least 90 days before the election; the Secretary of State can inspect and order a larger site. The warden must allow at least one pollwatche… - Presidential electors and special election rules: mixed, low. A vote for President counts as a vote for that candidate’s slate of electors. The Governor must send elector certificates as soon as possible and no later than 6 days before electors meet and must deliver six duplicate‑original certificates to the electors. Electors meet in Augusta at 2:00 p.m. on… - Stronger polling place rules and observation: mixed, low. Monitors at the voting place must file a signed statement and cannot handle registration materials. Extra party workers and observers may stay outside the guardrail if there is space and they do not influence voters. No campaign ads, literature, or apparel are allowed on public property within 250… - Tighter, faster rules for candidate petitions: mixed, low. A party can let unenrolled voters sign its nominating petitions if it files a form by December 31. Every town must have an official available to certify petitions on the filing‑deadline day. Candidate consent forms must include required registrar certifications or they will be rejected. The Secreta… - Voter file access, privacy, penalties: mixed, low. People can buy a voter file for a set fee to evaluate voting rights and election laws. The file cannot include highly sensitive data like full birth dates, Social Security or tax IDs, driver’s license numbers, some protected addresses, or agency identity data. Improper use can lead to fines: up to… - Write-in deadlines and elector security: mixed, low. Declared write‑in candidates must file a form with the Secretary of State by 5:00 p.m. on the 70th day before the election and meet all qualifications. A presidential write‑in must also file, by the same deadline, a consent signed by a designated presidential elector, and those elector candidates m… ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Craig V. Hickman (Democratic), Senate ## Actions (7) - 2025-06-20: Signed by Governor, ACTPUB Chapter 397 - 2025-06-11: PASSED TO BE ENACTED, in concurrence. (Senate) - 2025-06-10: PASSED TO BE ENACTED. Sent for concurrence. ORDERED SENT FORTHWITH. (House) - 2025-06-09: 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" (S-317).In concurrence. ORDERED SENT FORTHWITH. (House) - 2025-06-09: Report READ and ACCEPTED.READ ONCE.Committee Amendment "A" (S-317) READ and ADOPTED.Under suspension of the Rules, READ A SECOND TIME and PASSED TO BE ENGROSSED AS AMENDED BY Committee Amendment "A" (S-317).Ordered sent down forthwith for concurrence. (Senate) - 2025-05-13: Committee on VETERANS AND LEGAL AFFAIRS suggested and ordered printed REFERENCE to the Committee on VETERANS AND LEGAL AFFAIRS Ordered sent down forthwith for concurrence (Senate) - 2025-05-13: The Bill was REFERRED to the Committee on VETERANS AND LEGAL AFFAIRS.In concurrence. ORDERED SENT FORTHWITH. (House) ## Bill text - Amendment C-A (S-317), adopted by House & Senate: [PDF](https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=SP0773&item=2&snum=132) - Enacted: [PDF](https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=SP0773&item=3&snum=132) - Introduced: [PDF](https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=SP0773&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 (S-317), adopted by House & Senate (PDF)](https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=SP0773&item=2&snum=132) - [Enacted (PDF)](https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=SP0773&item=3&snum=132) - [Introduced (PDF)](https://legislature.maine.gov/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=SP0773&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-LD1977-132 (as of 2026-10-17).