Maine Revised Statutes
Article 1: SECRETARY OF STATE'S RESPONSIBILITIES
21-A §604. Emergency ballot procedure

§604. Emergency ballot procedure
In an emergency as described in subsection 2, the Secretary of State may prepare new ballots, direct that ballots already printed be amended or supplemented in accordance with subsection 1 or 1‑A or authorize any clerk to procure ballots from another municipality or voting district. [PL 2019, c. 636, §12 (AMD).]
1. Ballots amended. Ballots already printed may be amended by having corrective stickers added, or by some other means, as directed by the Secretary of State.
[PL 1997, c. 436, §78 (AMD).]
1-A. Supplemental notice. The Secretary of State may prepare and distribute to the local election officials in the candidate's electoral district a notice to supplement ballots already printed. The notice may correct an error on the ballot or provide information on a replacement candidate and how voters may vote for the replacement candidate. The notice must be distributed with all absentee ballots issued after the date that the notice is provided to the clerk and, on election day, must be posted outside the guardrail enclosure in accordance with section 651, subsection 2 and in each voting booth.
[PL 2019, c. 636, §12 (NEW).]
2. Emergency described. An emergency may exist as follows:
A. If there is a shortage of ballots; [PL 1985, c. 161, §6 (NEW).]
B. If the ballots are not delivered in time for the election; [PL 1985, c. 161, §6 (NEW).]
C. If the ballots are missing, defaced or destroyed; [PL 2019, c. 636, §12 (AMD).]
D. If the Secretary of State receives notification of a replacement candidate to fill a vacancy less than 60 days before the election in accordance with section 376, subsection 2‑A; or [PL 2019, c. 636, §12 (AMD).]
E. If the ballots contain an error. [PL 2019, c. 636, §12 (NEW).]
[PL 2019, c. 636, §12 (AMD).]
3. Replacement candidate to fill vacancy. When a candidate is chosen to fill a vacancy, the Secretary of State and the clerk of each interested municipality shall perform the duties required by this section as promptly as possible.
[PL 2019, c. 636, §12 (AMD).]
SECTION HISTORY
PL 1985, c. 161, §6 (NEW). PL 1995, c. 459, §40 (AMD). PL 1997, c. 436, §78 (AMD). PL 2019, c. 636, §12 (AMD).