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132nd MAINE LEGISLATURE
FIRST REGULAR SESSION-2025
Legislative Document No. 158H.P. 91House of Representatives, January 14, 2025
An Act to Direct the Secretary of State to Establish a Date Each
Year for Voting by Absentee Ballot
Reference to the Committee on Veterans and Legal Affairs suggested and ordered printed.
ROBERT B. HUNT
Clerk
Presented by Representative PARRY of Arundel.
Cosponsored by Senator TIMBERLAKE of Androscoggin and
Representatives: BOYER of Poland, FREDERICKS of Sanford, HYMES of Waldo, SMITH of
Palermo, WHITE of Guilford. Page 1 - 132LR0322(01)
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2 is enacted to read:
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4 No later than January 31st of each year, the Secretary of State shall establish the dates
5 by which all municipalities shall begin issuing and accepting absentee ballots for each
6 regular election for state offices and federal offices occurring in the election year. The
7 dates established by the Secretary of State may not be less than 30 days before the election
8 for which the absentee ballot is issued. This section does not apply to a uniformed service
9 voter or an overseas voter who requests an absentee ballot under subchapter 4, article 2.
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11 amended to read:
12 A. "Absentee voting period" means the time period beginning on the first date
13 established by the Secretary of State under section 611 that absentee ballots are issued
14 by the municipality and ending at 8 p.m. on election day.
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16 This bill requires the Secretary of State to establish by January 31st annually the dates
17 by which all municipalities must begin issuing and accepting absentee ballots for each
18 regular election for state offices and federal offices occurring in the election year. The bill
19 also amends the definition of "absentee voting period" to reflect the Secretary of State's
20 responsibility to establish dates for the furnishing and acceptance of absentee ballots.
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