An Act To Establish a Uniform Deadline for Persons Qualifying as Candidates
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1. 21-A MRSA §354, sub-§7, ¶B, as amended by PL 1999, c. 264, §1, is further amended to read:
B. Petitions must be delivered to the registrar, or clerk at the request or upon the absence of the registrar, for certification by 5 p.m. on May 25th March 8th in the election year in which the petitions are to be used, except that petitions for a slate of candidates for the office of presidential elector must be delivered for certification by 5 p.m. on August 8th in the election year in which the petitions are to be used.
Sec. 2. 21-A MRSA §354, sub-§8-A, as amended by PL 1999, c. 264, §2, is further amended to read:
8-A. Filed with the Secretary of State. A nomination petition must be filed in the office of the Secretary of State by 5 p.m. on June 1st March 15th in the election year in which it is to be used, except that petitions for a slate of candidates for the office of presidential elector must be filed in the office of the Secretary of State by 5 p.m. on August 15th in the election year in which the petitions are to be used.
summary
This bill makes the deadline for submission of signatures for a person to qualify as a candidate for election for candidates placed on the general election ballot by petition the same as for candidates placed on the ballot by primary election.