Signed by Governor Janet Mills

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that amends the statutory language regarding elections determined by ranked choice voting.

Highlights:

• Classifies "elections determined by ranked-choice voting" as any of the following elections in which 3 or more candidates have qualified to be listed on the ballot for a particular office or at least 2 such candidates plus one or more declared write‐in candidates have qualified for that particular office (Sec. 1):

• Primary elections for the offices of United States Senator, United States Representative to Congress, Governor, State Senator and State Representative;

• General and special elections for the offices of United States Senator and United States Representative to Congress;

• General elections for presidential electors; and

• Primary elections for the office of President of the United States.

• Requires petitions to be delivered to the registrar, or clerk at the request or upon the absence of the registrar, for certification by 5 p.m. on November 20th of the year prior to a presidential election year (Sec. 9).

• Authorizes a municipality to obtain and deploy an absentee ballot drop box or drop slot for use by voters of that municipality to return their voted ballots without requiring contact with an election official. A municipality may obtain and deploy additional absentee ballot drop boxes at other locations within the municipality, subject to the approval of the Secretary of State (Sec. 13).

• Specifies if the voter wishes to have an opportunity to cure any defect in the absentee ballot that is submitted by the voter, the following information must be provided (Sec. 14):

• The voter's telephone number, if applicable; and

• The voter's e-mail address, if applicable.

• Requires an application by electronic means to be accepted by the clerk if it contains the information required for a request in writing under subsection 3, except that the signature of the voter is not required (Sec. 16).

• Requires the clerk to verify that it is the voter who is requesting the ballot by confirming the voter's residence address and year of birth with the information in the voter's record before issuing a ballot (Sec. 21).

• Requires the clerk to examine the absentee ballot envelope upon receipt from the voter and proceed as follows (Sec. 23-2.A)

• If no defects are detected, the clerk will write "OK" and the clerk's initials on the return envelope;

• If the clerk detects a potential defect, the clerk will hold the envelope aside for up to 2 business days while attempting to notify the voter, note the potential defect in the section of the envelope reserved for the clerk's notes, and follow the procedures for curing defects on absentee ballot envelopes.

• Specifies if the voter signature on the envelope does not appear to have been written by the voter whose signature appears on the absentee ballot application, the clerk will (Sec. 24-2):

• Notify the voter of the issue by email, asking the voter to call the clerk, or call the voter and ask the voter to self-identify by name, date of birth, and voting residence as if the voter were making a telephone request for an absentee ballot;

• Verify that the voter requested a ballot, cast the ballot, and placed the ballot in the envelope or had the voter's assistant do so; and

• Verify that the voter signed the envelope.

• Prohibits the warden from opening the envelope and writing "Rejected" on it, the reason why the ballot is rejected, and the warden's initials if the warden finds that (Sec. 27):

• The clerk’s notes on the envelope confirm that the absentee ballot defect was not cured and the ballot cannot be accepted and challenged according to the procedures for curing defects;

• The voter has voted in person; or

• The ballot was received by the clerk after the deadline.

Full Bill Text

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that amends the statutory language regarding elections determined by ranked choice voting.

Highlights:

• Classifies "elections determined by ranked-choice voting" as any of the following elections in which 3 or more candidates have qualified to be listed on the ballot for a particular office or at least 2 such candidates plus one or more declared write‐in candidates have qualified for that particular office (Sec. 1):

• Primary elections for the offices of United States Senator, United States Representative to Congress, Governor, State Senator and State Representative;

• General and special elections for the offices of United States Senator and United States Representative to Congress;

• General elections for presidential electors; and

• Primary elections for the office of President of the United States.

• Requires petitions to be delivered to the registrar, or clerk at the request or upon the absence of the registrar, for certification by 5 p.m. on November 20th of the year prior to a presidential election year (Sec. 9).

• Authorizes a municipality to obtain and deploy an absentee ballot drop box or drop slot for use by voters of that municipality to return their voted ballots without requiring contact with an election official. A municipality may obtain and deploy additional absentee ballot drop boxes at other locations within the municipality, subject to the approval of the Secretary of State (Sec. 13).

• Specifies if the voter wishes to have an opportunity to cure any defect in the absentee ballot that is submitted by the voter, the following information must be provided (Sec. 14):

• The voter's telephone number, if applicable; and

• The voter's e-mail address, if applicable.

• Requires an application by electronic means to be accepted by the clerk if it contains the information required for a request in writing under subsection 3, except that the signature of the voter is not required (Sec. 16).

• Requires the clerk to verify that it is the voter who is requesting the ballot by confirming the voter's residence address and year of birth with the information in the voter's record before issuing a ballot (Sec. 21).

• Requires the clerk to examine the absentee ballot envelope upon receipt from the voter and proceed as follows (Sec. 23-2.A)

• If no defects are detected, the clerk will write "OK" and the clerk's initials on the return envelope;

• If the clerk detects a potential defect, the clerk will hold the envelope aside for up to 2 business days while attempting to notify the voter, note the potential defect in the section of the envelope reserved for the clerk's notes, and follow the procedures for curing defects on absentee ballot envelopes.

• Specifies if the voter signature on the envelope does not appear to have been written by the voter whose signature appears on the absentee ballot application, the clerk will (Sec. 24-2):

• Notify the voter of the issue by email, asking the voter to call the clerk, or call the voter and ask the voter to self-identify by name, date of birth, and voting residence as if the voter were making a telephone request for an absentee ballot;

• Verify that the voter requested a ballot, cast the ballot, and placed the ballot in the envelope or had the voter's assistant do so; and

• Verify that the voter signed the envelope.

• Prohibits the warden from opening the envelope and writing "Rejected" on it, the reason why the ballot is rejected, and the warden's initials if the warden finds that (Sec. 27):

• The clerk’s notes on the envelope confirm that the absentee ballot defect was not cured and the ballot cannot be accepted and challenged according to the procedures for curing defects;

• The voter has voted in person; or

• The ballot was received by the clerk after the deadline.

Full Bill Text