The Secretary of State shall ensure that additional ballots are available on election day for any polling place that requests more ballots.

Sec. 5. 21-A MRSA §626, sub-§1, as amended by PL 1997, c. 436, §88, is further amended to read:

1. Opening time flexible. The polls must be opened no earlier than 6 a.m. and no later than 9 a.m. on election day; except that in municipalities with a population of less than 4,000 500, the polls must be opened no later than 10:00 a.m. on election day. The municipal officers of each municipality shall determine the time of opening the polls within these limits.

Sec. 6. 21-A MRSA §753-B, sub-§9 is enacted to read:

9. Ongoing absentee voter status.__A registered voter may request in writing to the clerk for status as an ongoing absentee voter. For a registered voter who requests status as an ongoing absentee voter under this subsection, the clerk must send an absentee ballot for each subsequent election or primary for which the voter is entitled to vote.__A voter who requests status as an ongoing absentee voter under this subsection is not required to submit a separate request for an absentee ballot pursuant to subsection 1 for each election.__Status as an ongoing absentee voter is terminated upon any of the following events:

A.__The written request of the voter;

B.__The death or disqualification of the voter;

C.__The cancellation of the voter's registration record; or

D.__The return of a mailed absentee ballot as undeliverable.

Sec. 7. Secretary of State to study ballot availability problems. The Secretary of State shall study problems with the supply of ballots and absentee ballots to various voting places in the last 4 statewide and general elections and report to the Joint Standing Committee on Legal and Veterans Affairs along with any recommended legislation no later than December 7, 2005. After receipt and review of the report, the Joint Standing Committee on Legal and Veterans Affairs may report out a bill to the Second Regular Session of the 122nd Legislature.