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Maine Statutes § 152 Registration and enrollment procedureVersion dated Oct. 30, 2024

Statute Text

1. Application. In addition to the procedures provided by section 122 and subchapter 9, a person may register to vote or enroll in a political party, or both, by completing [an] a written application that is designed by the Secretary of State or by submitting an online voter registration application . The application must include, but is not limited to:
A. The legal name of the voter, in one of the following combinations:
(1) First name and last name;
(2) First initial, middle name and last name; or
(3) First name, middle name or middle initial and last name;
B. Residence address, including street, street number, apartment number, town and zip code;
C. Mailing address;
D. Date of birth;
F. Most recent prior residence where registered to vote, including the municipality, county and state, and the name under which previously registered, if changed;
H. Notification that failure to complete the entire application may prevent registration;
J. Date of application;
K. Signature of applicant collected in a way that ensures the quality and integrity of the signature . If the applicant submits an online voter registration application, the applicant satisfies the signature requirement of this paragraph by submitting a current, valid Maine driver's license number or nondriver identification card number or, if the applicant does not have a current, valid Maine driver's license or nondriver identification card, by submitting an electronic image of the applicant's signature ;
L. Choice of political party if the applicant desires to enroll in a political party or an indication that the applicant chose not to enroll in a party;
M. A place for the [person's] applicant's current, valid Maine driver's license number or nondriver identification card number, if applicable; or, if the applicant has no Maine driver's license number or nondriver identification card , the last 4 digits of the [person's] applicant's social security number, if applicable; or, if the application is submitted in writing and the applicant has neither number, a place to put "none" or "not applicable"; [and]
N. A place for the applicant to respond to the questions concerning the voter's qualifications as required by the federal Help America Vote Act of 2002, Public Law 107-252 [.] ; and
O. A place for the applicant to attest to the truth of the information provided in the application.
2. Entry into central voter registration system. Upon receipt of the application by the registrar of voters, the applicant's name and other information from the voter registration application must be entered into the central voter registration system as expeditiously as possible. The registrar shall provide the voter with a notice of disposition as required by section 122 .
[ 2005, c. 453, § 28 (AMD) .]
3. Failure to qualify. The registrar of voters may investigate any application under this section and reject the voter's application for failure to meet a voting qualification under this Title, after written notice to the voter to the last known address provided by the voter.
[ 2005, c. 453, § 29 (AMD) .]
4. Persons born United States citizens in foreign countries. Any person born a United States citizen in a foreign country may register under this section in the same manner as a person who was born a United States citizen within the territory of the United States.
[ 1985, c. 161, § 6 (NEW) .]
5. Design of written application. The Secretary of State shall design the written application that meets the requirements of subsection 1 . [The Secretary of State may design an application that can be completed electronically and that substantially meets the requirements of this section.]
6. Design of online voter registration application; rulemaking. No later than February 1, 2024, the Secretary of State shall design the online voter registration application that meets the requirements of subsection 1 and that can be submitted online through the Secretary of State's publicly accessible website. The online registration application must be designed to prevent an applicant from registering to vote unless the applicant discloses a current, valid Maine driver's license number or nondriver identification number or the last 4 digits of the applicant's social security number.
No later than February 1, 2024, the Secretary of State shall adopt rules governing the online voter registration process, which must, at a minimum, include the following:
A. A process for informing an applicant who discloses a current, valid Maine driver's license number or nondriver identification card number that disclosure of that number constitutes consent to the use of the applicant's signature on the driver's license or nondriver identification card for all purposes for which a signature on a written application for voter registration is used under this Title;
B. A process for an applicant who discloses the last 4 digits of the applicant's social security number to include with the online voter registration application an electronic image of the applicant's signature and for the applicant to consent to the use of that electronic image of the applicant's signature for all purposes for which a signature on a written application for voter registration is used under this Title;
C. A process for transmitting any driver's license number or nondriver identification card number from an online voter registration application along with the applicant's name and date of birth to the central voter registration system and for determining whether the information entered in the central voter registration system matches the information in the driver's license or nondriver identification card records maintained by the Department of the Secretary of State, Bureau of Motor Vehicles and, if a match is found, for transmitting an electronic image of the applicant's signature on that driver's license or nondriver identification card from the bureau to the central voter registration system;
D. A process for matching the last 4 digits of a social security number provided in an online voter registration application and the applicant's name and date of birth with the information available from the United States Social Security Administration;
E. A process for transmitting the contents of each online voter registration application and the electronic image of the signature of that applicant to the appropriate registrar of voters;
F. Minimum procedures and security measures for ensuring the accuracy and security of online voter registration applications;
G. A process and form for a registered voter whose name is changed by marriage or other process of law or who has moved within a municipality to notify the appropriate registrar of voters pursuant to section 129 of the registered voter's new name or address through the online voter registration application; and
H. A process and form for a registered voter to enroll in a party pursuant to section 142 , to change the voter's party enrollment pursuant to section 144 or to withdraw from a party pursuant to section 145 through the online voter registration application.
Rules adopted pursuant to this subsection are routine technical rules as defined in Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 2-A.

History

Amended by 2023SP1 , c. 304 , § A-38 , eff. 6/26/2023 .

Amended by 2023SP1 , c. 304 , § A-2 , eff. 10/1/2023 .

Amended by 2021SP1 , c. 439 , § 13 , eff. 10/1/2023 .

Amended by 2021SP1 , c. 439 , § 12 , eff. 11/1/2023 .

Amended by 2021SP1 , c. 439 , § 11 , eff. 11/1/2023 .

Amended by 2019 , c. 409 , § 3 , eff. 1/1/2022 .

Amended by 2016 , c. 447 , § 4 and § 5 , eff. 4/10/2016 .

1985, c. 161, § 6 (NEW) . 1985, c. 383, § 3 (AMD) . 1987, c. 145, (AMD) . 1989, c. 313, § 5 (AMD) . 1989, c. 694, § 2 (AMD) . 1991, c. 466, § 6 (AMD) . 1993, c. 695, §§10-12 (AMD) . 1997, c. 436, §§34,35 (AMD) . 2001, c. 310, §§10,11 (AMD) . 2003, c. 407, §§8,9 (AMD) . 2005, c. 453, §§28,29 (AMD) . 2007, c. 455, § 7 (AMD) .