‘An Act To Permit Municipalities To Prohibit In-person Absentee Voting during the 4 Days Prior to an Election’

‘Sec. 1. 21-A MRSA §760-C  is enacted to read:

§ 760-C.  Municipal limitations on in-person absentee voting

Notwithstanding section 753-B, subsection 8, a municipal clerk may prohibit voting by absentee ballot in the presence of the municipal clerk on the Friday, Saturday and Monday prior to a federal election that is held on a Tuesday as long as the municipal clerk gives notice of the municipality's intent to do so using the notice of election under section 621-A. At least 30 days before election day, the municipal clerk shall provide a copy of the notice of election to the Secretary of State and to the chairs of each political party in the municipality, indicating the municipality's intent to prohibit in-person absentee voting on the Friday, Saturday and Monday prior to the election. The notice to the political parties is considered sufficient as long as it is mailed to the last known addresses of the chairs of each political party in the municipality. The notice to the Secretary of State may be delivered by mail or by facsimile transmission, but if the notice is not received by the Secretary of State by the 30th day before election day, the municipality must allow voting by absentee ballot in the presence of the municipal clerk up to and on the Monday prior to the election. All other methods of absentee voting authorized by statute must continue to be available to voters.’