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An Act To Revise the Laws Governing Candidate Nominations by Petition
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1. 21-A MRSA §354, sub-§2, as enacted by PL 1985, c. 161, §6, is amended to read:
 
2. By whom signed.   A nomination petition may be signed only by unenrolled voters of the electoral division whichthat is to make the nomination, except that nomination petitions for presidential electors may be signed by any Maine voter. Other signatures are void.
Sec. 2. 21-A MRSA §354, sub-§5, as amended by PL 1991, c. 362, §§2 and 3, is further amended to read:
 
5. Number of signatures required.   Nomination petitions must be signed by the following numbers of voters:
 
A. For a slate of candidates for the office of presidential elector, at least 4,000 and not more than 6,000 voters;
 
B. For a candidate for Governor, at least 4,0002,000 and not more than 6,0003,000 voters;
 
C. For a candidate for United States Senator, at least 4,0002,000 and not more than 6,0003,000 voters;
 
D. For a candidate for United States Representative, at least 2,0001,000 and not more than 3,0001,500 voters;
 
E. For a candidate for county office other than county commissioner or county charter commission member, at least 300150 and not more than 400200 voters;
 
E-1. For a candidate for county commissioner, at least 10050 and not more than 15075 voters;
 
F. For a candidate for State Senator, at least 200100 and not more than 300150 voters;
 
G. For a candidate for State Representative, at least 5025 and not more than 8040 voters; and
 
H. For a candidate for county charter commission member, at least 50 and not more than 80 voters.
Sec. 3. 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 25thMarch 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. 4. 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 1stMarch 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 amends the laws governing the nomination of candidates by petition in the following ways.
1. It provides that only an unenrolled voter may sign a nomination petition.
2. It changes the number of signatures that are required on a nomination petition for various offices to the same number that are required on a primary petition.
3. It changes the deadline for filing a nomination petition to March 15th, which is the same deadline as for a primary petition.