| HP0447 LD 619 |
Session - 129th Maine Legislature |
LR 239 Item 1 |
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| Bill Tracking, Additional Documents | Chamber Status | ||
RESOLUTION, Proposing an Amendment to the Constitution of Maine Regarding Early Voting
Constitutional amendment. Resolved: Two thirds of each branch of the Legislature concurring, that the following amendment to the Constitution of Maine be proposed:
Constitution, Art. II, §4 is amended to read:
Section 4. Time of state election; early voting; absentee voting. The election of Senators and Representatives shall be on the Tuesday following the first Monday of November biennially forever and the election of Governor shall be on the Tuesday following the first Monday of November every 4 years. The Legislature by proper enactment may authorize a process by which municipalities may conduct early voting by allowing voters to vote in the same manner as on election day during a prescribed period immediately preceding an election. The Legislature under by proper enactment shall authorize and provide for voting by absentee ballot by citizens of the State absent therefrom in the Armed Forces of the United States or of this State and for voting by absentee ballot by other citizens absent or physically incapacitated for any reasons deemed sufficient.
"Do you favor amending the Constitution of Maine to allow the Legislature to authorize a process by which a municipality may conduct early voting in the same manner as on election day during a period immediately preceding an election?"
The legal voters of each city, town and plantation shall vote by ballot on this question and designate their choice by a cross or check mark placed within the corresponding square below the word "Yes" or "No." The ballots must be received, sorted, counted and declared in open ward, town and plantation meetings and returns made to the Secretary of State in the same manner as votes for members of the Legislature. The Governor shall review the returns. If it appears that a majority of the legal votes are cast in favor of the amendment, the Governor shall proclaim that fact without delay and the amendment becomes part of the Constitution of Maine on the date of the proclamation.
Secretary of State shall prepare ballots. Resolved: That the Secretary of State shall prepare and furnish to each city, town and plantation all ballots, returns and copies of this resolution necessary to carry out the purposes of this referendum.
SUMMARY
This resolution proposes to amend the Constitution of Maine to allow the Legislature to authorize a process by which municipalities may conduct early voting by allowing voters to vote in the same manner as on election day during a period immediately preceding an election and to allow absentee voting for any sufficient reason.