An Act To Prohibit the Issuance of a Duplicate Absentee Ballot under Certain Circumstances
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1. 21-A MRSA §753-B, sub-§4, as amended by PL 2003, c. 447, §31, is further amended to read:
4. Duplicate application. The clerk may issue a 2nd duplicate state absentee ballot to an applicant if the initially issued ballot has not already been marked and returned to the clerk, the applicant requests one by an acceptable method outlined in this subchapter and:
A. The applicant states good cause, including, but not limited to, loss of, spoiling of or damage to the first absentee ballot . Good cause does not include an applicant's decision to change the applicant's vote after the applicant has returned the ballot to the clerk; or
B. An absentee ballot for the applicant that was furnished to a designated 3rd person was not returned to the clerk's office within the time limit provided in subsection 3. If a ballot for an applicant is not returned to the clerk within that time limit, the clerk shall mail or hand deliver a ballot to that applicant and may not issue another ballot to the applicant except for good cause as provided in this subsection. This paragraph does not affect the deadline for delivery of absentee ballots under section 755.
The clerk may also issue a 2nd state absentee ballot to a voter from whom the clerk has received a return envelope apparently containing a state absentee ballot when the State has provided the clerk with replacement ballots to reflect the removal of a candidate's name or the addition of a new candidate's name or the correction of an error. When a 2nd state absentee ballot is issued to a voter under this section, the clerk must write the words "second ballot issued" on the return envelope.
Effective 90 days following adjournment of the 125th Legislature, First Regular Session, unless otherwise indicated.