| Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: |
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| | Sec. 1. 21-A MRSA §1001, sub-§4 is enacted to read: |
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| | 4.__Push poll.__"Push poll" is defined as follows. |
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| A.__"Push poll" means telephone surveys that interview | voters and are designed to influence a voter's decision with | questions that: |
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| (1)__Intentionally purport to be part of an objective | opinion poll concerning an issue or issues but that are | worded to suggest answers that support a certain | position concerning the issue or issues; |
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| (2)__Do not request demographic information but are | targeted to a particular demographic group or groups; |
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| (3)__Result in encouraging a voter to support or not | support a candidate or candidates, a political party or | issues; or |
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| (4)__Result in subsequent telephone calls that | encourage a voter to support or not support a candidate | or candidates, a political party or issues. |
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| B.__"Push poll" does not include generally accepted | scientific polling research, including, but not limited to, | surveys that: |
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| (1)__Measure the public's opinion about or reaction to | an issue, fact or theme; |
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| (2)__Are at least 5 minutes in length if completed; and |
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| (3)__Request demographic information for data | collection. |
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| | Sec. 2. 21-A MRSA §1014-B is enacted to read: |
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| §1014-B.__Push polling; disclosure; violation |
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| | Any person conducting a push poll on the telephone for any | candidate for office shall disclose the name and address of the | organization or company conducting the poll, the name and address | of the person or organization who financed the expenditure for | the poll and, if the poll is authorized by the candidate, the | name of the candidate and the office for which the candidate is | running.__A person who violates this section commits a Class E | crime. |
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