Sec. 1. 21-A MRSA §634 is enacted to read:

§634.__Voting places; consolidated towns

1.__Voting places in consolidated towns.__The procedure for establishing a voting place for towns that consolidate for voting purposes is as follows.

A.__A group of towns with each town having a population of 4,000 or less may consolidate to provide one voting place for all county, state and national elections, including primary elections, where all residents of the consolidated towns entitled to vote in their respective towns may cast their ballots under conditions provided in this section.

B.__Upon receipt of a petition signed by at least 10 residents qualified to vote from each of the towns proposing to consolidate under this section, the town officials from the consolidating towns shall select a town to provide a voting place.

C.__The ballot clerk of the town where the consolidated voting place is located shall prepare a separate list of eligible voters from the towns consolidating pursuant to paragraph A and shall select for the consolidated voting place from the residents of all the towns:

(1)__At least 2 ballot clerks representing the respective major political parties; and

(2)__A warden.

D.__Elections at a consolidated voting place created pursuant to paragraph A must be conducted pursuant to this chapter.

2.__Election expenses.__The expenses incurred in the conduct of an election held under this section are shared equally among the consolidated towns.

3.__Notice to Secretary of State.__The ballot clerk of each town shall notify the Secretary of State of the town's consolidation under this section and the town and voting place where the respective towns will hold the election.__The ballot clerk shall also notify the Secretary of State if the voting place in that town has been discontinued.__Notification must be made at least 120 days before the election in which the consolidation will be effective.