Title 21-A, Title 21-A

An absentee ballot may be challenged the same as a regular ballot under section 673.

The following counting procedure must be observed at each voting place. [PL 1995, c. 459, §75 (AMD).] 1. Warden to review notes of clerk. Unless a request to inspect applications and envelopes is made pursuant to subsection 8, the warden shall review the notes of the clerk on eac…

The clerk shall use the following procedure when processing the absentee ballots at a central location. [PL 1995, c. 459, §82 (NEW).] 1. Envelopes retained. The clerk shall retain possession of return absentee envelopes with the applications attached, where required, and the list…

Any municipality or jurisdiction that conducts its own elections may opt to process absentee ballots beginning on the 7th day immediately prior to election day. The clerk shall use the following procedure when processing the absentee ballots during this time. [PL 2021, c. 11, §1 …

An absentee ballot may not be rejected for any immaterial irregularity in completing the application or affidavit on the return envelope. The following information must be on the envelope for the ballot to be accepted: [PL 1985, c. 161, §6 (NEW).] 1. Name and address. The voter's…

As soon as the ballots have been counted, the applications, where required, absentee ballots, return envelopes, lists required by sections 753‑B and 756 and other election materials must be repacked, in accordance with section 698, and returned to the clerk. The clerk shall keep …

Absentee ballot applications and absentee ballot return envelopes are public records until the close of voting on election day, or until the ballots have been processed on election day, if the municipality processes absentee ballots before 8:00 p.m. After that time, except as pro…

The Secretary of State shall establish and maintain an online service that allows a voter who requests an absentee ballot to track the status of the absentee ballot process.

This article applies to uniformed service voters or overseas voters who are covered by the federal Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act, 42 United States Code, Section 1973ff (2001). The Secretary of State is responsible for carrying out the State's duties under th…

Notwithstanding the registration deadline in section 121‑A, uniformed service voters or overseas voters may register or enroll at any time prior to noon on the day before election day by completing a federal or state voter registration application form and filing it with the regi…

On receipt of an application under section 777‑A, the registrar or the Secretary of State in consultation with the registrar shall register the applicant, unless it appears that the applicant is not qualified. If the applicant is not qualified, the registrar or the Secretary of S…

A uniformed service voter or an overseas voter may request an absentee ballot as provided in section 753‑A or by submitting a federal application or form requesting an absentee ballot as provided in section 783. With respect to any election for federal office, a clerk or the Secr…

Prior to the time when regular absentee ballots are available, if an applicant requests a blank write-in absentee ballot or indicates that it takes more than 6 weeks to receive and return mail to the applicant's location, the Secretary of State shall send a blank write-in absente…

Notwithstanding the absentee ballot application deadline in section 753‑B, subsection 2, paragraph D, upon receipt of an application or written request for an absentee ballot prior to noon on the day before election day from a uniformed service voter or overseas voter that is acc…

On receipt of a return envelope apparently containing an absentee ballot, the clerk or the Secretary of State shall follow the procedures for regular absentee voting under this subchapter.

The Secretary of State may act administratively to facilitate voting by uniformed service voters and overseas voters and may use federal or other facilities available for this purpose. These administrative actions may include, but are not limited to: [PL 2009, c. 563, §9 (AMD).] …

1. Class E crime. The commission of any act described as follows in this subsection is a Class E crime: A. [PL 1991, c. 466, §36 (RP).] B. A municipal clerk who, when a person has voted by absentee ballot in the clerk's presence under section 753‑B, subsection 8, signs the clerk'…

In a presidential election year, the presidential electors shall be chosen at the general election. [PL 1985, c. 161, §6 (NEW).] 1. Vote for presidential candidate construed. A vote for the candidate for President is a vote for the presidential electors nominated by the candidate…

One presidential elector shall be chosen from each congressional district and 2 at large.

1. Duties. Except when the National Popular Vote for President Act governs the appointment of presidential electors, as soon as possible after the presidential electors are chosen and not later than the date that is 6 days before the time fixed for the meeting of the electors und…

The presidential electors shall convene in the House Chamber in Augusta at 2 p.m. on the first Tuesday after the 2nd Wednesday of December following their election. If any electors are not present, the electors present shall fill the vacancy by majority vote.

The duties of the presidential electors in convention are as follows. [PL 1985, c. 161, §6 (NEW).] 1. Separate ballots. When convened as required by section 804, the presidential electors shall each cast separate ballots for President and Vice President, at least one of whom must…

The presidential electors shall be paid $10 a day for each day actually and necessarily employed in the performance of their duties and necessary expenses, including travel expenses, at the same rate as that paid to members of the Legislature. The presidential electors may hire n…

As used in this subchapter, unless the context otherwise indicates, the following terms have the following meanings. [PL 1991, c. 347, §5 (NEW).] 1. Automatic tabulating equipment. "Automatic tabulating equipment" means any apparatus that automatically examines and counts votes r…

1. Rules. The Secretary of State and the Attorney General together may adopt rules governing approval of voting machines under section 813 and electronic tabulating systems under section 844. The Secretary of State may adopt rules requiring independent testing of voting machines …

1. Electronic connections prohibited. Connections of any voting devices, as defined by section 808, via the Internet to centralized vote collection equipment may not be employed by election officials of the State. Networking of voting machines, Internet-enabled or otherwise, is p…

A municipality may obtain and use voting machines according to the following provisions. [PL 1985, c. 161, §6 (NEW).] 1. Purchased or rented. The municipality may either purchase or rent voting machines. 2. Use authorized. The voting machines shall be used at each type of electio…

A voting machine used in the conduct of state elections must meet the following requirements. [PL 2003, c. 651, §5 (AMD).] 1. Secrecy. It must be constructed so that each voter may vote in secrecy. 2. Voting limited. It must permit a voter to vote once and only once for each cand…

1. Accessible voting system at each voting place. The Secretary of State, in compliance with the voting accessibility requirements of the federal Help America Vote Act of 2002, shall provide one direct recording electronic voting machine, or other accessible voting system equippe…

The Secretary of State may make reasonable rules governing the use of voting machines in accordance with the Maine Administrative Procedure Act.

The municipal clerk has custody of a voting machine used by the municipality. [PL 1985, c. 161, §6 (NEW).] 1. Storage and maintenance. The municipal clerk is responsible for the proper storage and maintenance of each machine. A. The municipal clerk shall have each machine locked,…

The municipality shall pay reasonable expenses for the storage and maintenance of the machines as authorized by the clerk.

The clerk must hold a meeting before an election whenever it is necessary to instruct election officials in the operation of voting machines. [PL 1985, c. 161, §6 (NEW).] 1. Permission to use machines refused. The clerk may not permit a voting machine to be used at any voting pla…

The Secretary of State shall furnish the ballot labels for all except municipal elections. [PL 1985, c. 161, §6 (NEW).] 1. Content of label. The ballot label must contain the names of the candidates or nominees of each political party arranged as nearly as practicable in accordan…

The clerk shall test the voting machines using a sample of the ballot cards furnished by the Secretary of State in the same manner as set forth in section 854 regarding the testing of electronic tabulating equipment.

The municipal officers shall arrange each voting place in compliance with section 627, except that voting booths need not be furnished.

The municipal clerk shall perform the following duties concerning the delivery of voting machines. [PL 1985, c. 161, §6 (NEW).] 1. Delivery. The municipal clerk shall have the voting machines delivered to each voting place at least 12 hours before the polls are opened on election…

When it is time for the polls to open, the warden shall open the envelope containing the keys to the voting machines in the presence of an election clerk from a political party other than that of the warden. The warden shall ensure that the correct ballot labels were delivered by…

A voter must follow the same procedure before voting as if paper ballots were being used. The voter is entitled to the same assistance in voting by machine as by paper ballot.

A voter who is challenged in a voting precinct where voting machines are used may not use the voting machine for casting that voter's vote, but must use an official paper ballot.

The voting machines shall be activated by the warden or an election clerk designated by him. [PL 1985, c. 161, §6 (NEW).] 1. Primary election. In a primary election, the warden or, in the warden's absence, a designated election clerk must activate each voting machine so that a vo…

The following regulations outline the procedure for tabulating votes at an election in which voting machines are used. [PL 1985, c. 161, §6 (NEW).] 1. Counters exposed. As soon as the polls are closed, the warden shall unlock each machine to prevent further voting. The warden sha…

The following procedure shall be observed after an election at which voting machines are used. [PL 1985, c. 161, §6 (NEW).] 1. Keys sealed in envelope. In the presence of an election clerk from a political party other than that of the warden, the warden shall enclose the keys to …

The municipal clerk shall keep the keys to each voting machine in a vault or safe that is kept securely locked when the keys are not being removed from or replaced in it. The municipal clerk may not allow any unauthorized person to have possession of the keys to any voting machin…

1. Altering voting machine. A person may not alter, adjust, operate, move, unlock or unseal a voting machine or any part of a voting machine with the intent of changing the outcome of any election. 2. Attempting to alter voting machine. A person may not attempt to alter, adjust, …

The provisions of this Title which are not inconsistent with this Article apply to all elections where voting machines are used.