123rd MAINE LEGISLATURE
		LD 1799		LR 1294(01)
	An Act To Establish Open Ballot Voting in Maine
	Fiscal Note for Original Bill
	Sponsor: Rep. Pingree of North Haven
	Committee: Legal and Veterans Affairs
	Fiscal Note Required: Yes
Fiscal Note
State Mandate - Unfunded
State Mandates
	Required Activity				Unit Affected	Costs
	Requiring the names of candidates nominated by more than one party to be listed on the ballot once for each party will require municipalities to change the coding for optical scan tabulating machines.  There are approximately 120 municipalities for which this will be a mandate under the Constitution of Maine.				Municipality	Significant
Fiscal Detail and Notes
	This bill will require the Department of the Secretary of State to administer a new process for formation of minor parties, including the development of minor party petitions, allowing candidates to appear on the ballot multiple times, and developing a new method of tabulating votes.  The costs associated with these changed can be absorbed within existing budgeted resources.