Sec. 1. 21-A MRSA §503, sub-§2, as repealed and replaced by PL 1995, c. 459, §33, is amended to read:

2. Representation of parties. The municipal officers shall consider the following for appointment as election clerks.

A. The municipal officers shall consider persons nominated by the municipal committees of the major parties to serve as election clerks. Each party shall submit 3 nominations for each ward, district or precinct in the municipality. The municipal officers shall appoint at least one election clerk from each of the major parties to serve at each voting place during the time the polls are open. The municipal officers shall also appoint a sufficient number of election clerks to serve as counters after the polls close. The election clerks must be selected so that the number of election clerks from one major party does not exceed the number of election clerks from another major party by more than one.

B. The municipal officers shall appoint at least one election clerk nominated by the municipal committee of a qualified minor party represented on the last general election ballot for each voting place at the committee's request.

C. Notwithstanding subsection 1, the municipal officers may also consider persons who are 17 years of age to serve as student election clerks for a specific election. A student election clerk may not assist a voter unless the voter specifically requests assistance from the student election clerk.

All nominations for election clerks must be submitted to the municipal officers no later than April 1st of each general election year. If a municipal committee of a major party fails to submit a list of nominees to serve as election clerks, the municipal officers may appoint registered voters enrolled in that party to serve as election clerks.

Sec. 2. 21-A MRSA §506 is enacted to read:

§506.__Employers' duties

Employers are governed by the following provisions:

1.__Time off from work.__Upon request, an employer shall provide an employee time off to serve as an election clerk, ward clerk or warden.__An employer may not require an employee to use vacation time, personal leave or sick time for hours spent serving as an election clerk, ward clerk or warden.