Election administration in Maine

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Voter registration
Early voting
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Election administration encompasses a state's voting policies, procedures, and enforcement. These include voter identification requirements, early and absentee/mail-in voting provisions, voter list maintenance methods, and more. Each state's voting policies dictate who can vote and under what conditions.

Below, you will find details on the following election administration topics in Maine:

Poll times[edit]

See also: State poll opening and closing times

​​ In Maine, municipalities with a population of 500 or more open their polls between 6:00 a.m. and 8:00 a.m., while municipalities with a population of less than 500 open their polls between 6:00 a.m. and 10:00 a.m. All polls close at 8:00 p.m. An individual who is in line at the time polls close must be allowed to vote.^[2]

Voter registration[edit]

Check your voter registration status here.

To register to vote in Maine, one must be "a United States citizen, at least 16 years of age to pre-register to vote, and have established a fixed principal home in Maine. To vote in a Referendum or General Election, you must be registered in the community where you reside, and be at least 18 years of age. A 17 year old may vote in a Primary Election, if that person will be 18 by the General Election."^[3]

Voters can return completed registration cards in person or by mail to their town office or city hall, any Motor Vehicle branch office, most state & federal social service agencies, or a voter registration drive. There is no deadline for voter registration if completed in person. If registering by mail, the deadline is 21 days prior to the election.^[3]

When registering for the first time in Maine, voters must provide documents verifying their identity and residence. The following documents are acceptable identification for the purpose of registering to vote:

• Government ID with a photo (i.e. driver’s license, State ID, valid U.S. Passport, military ID, ID card issued by a federally recognized Indian tribe)
• Government ID without photo (i.e. certified birth certificate or signed Social Security card)
• Other official document showing the name and address of voter (i.e. eligibility for public benefits, utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck)
• Student photo ID from a state-approved public or private school or institute of higher education in Maine
• Maine driver’s license number or last four digits of Social Security Number^[3]

Automatic registration[edit]

On June 19, 2019, Gov. Janet Mills signed an automatic voter registration bill into law that was scheduled for implementation in 2022. The law registers voters through the Department of Motor Vehicles.^[4]

Online registration[edit]

See also: Online voter registration

Maine has implemented an online voter registration system. Residents can register to vote by visiting this website.

Governor Janet T. Mills (D) signed L.D. 1126 into law on July 9, 2021, allowing online voter registration in Maine. This legislation went into effect on November 1, 2023.^[5]

Same-day registration[edit]

Maine allows same-day voter registration.^[3][6]

Residency requirements[edit]

To register to vote in Maine, you must be a resident of the state. State law does not specify a length of time for which you must have been a resident to be eligible.

Verification of citizenship[edit]

See also: Laws permitting noncitizens to vote in the United States

Maine does not require proof of citizenship for voter registration. An individual must attest that they are a U.S. citizen when registering to vote.^[7]

Verifying your registration[edit]

The Maine voter information lookup service allows residents to check their voter registration status online.

Early and absentee/mail-in voting policy[edit]

Early voting[edit]

See also: Early voting

Maine permits early voting. Learn more by visiting this website.

Early voting permits citizens to cast ballots in person at a polling place prior to an election. In states that permit no-excuse early voting, a voter does not have to provide an excuse for being unable to vote on Election Day. States that allow voters to cast no-excuse absentee/mail-in ballots in person are counted as no-excuse early voting states.

As of February 2024, 47 states and the District of Columbia permitted no-excuse early voting.

Absentee/mail-in voting[edit]

See also: Absentee/mail-in voting

All voters are eligible to vote absentee in Maine. There are no special eligibility requirements for voting absentee.^[8]

To vote absentee, an application must be received by election officials no earlier than three months prior to the election and no later than the third business day before the election. A returned absentee ballot must then be received by election officials by 8:00 p.m. on Election Day.^[8]

Returning absentee/mail-in ballots[edit]

See also: Mail ballot collection and return laws by state

Absentee/mail-in ballots must be received by the municipal clerk by 8:00 p.m. on election day. An absentee/mail-in ballot can be returned by someone other than the voter, as long as the person is not a candidate or a member of a candidate’s immediate family.^[9]

Signature requirements and cure provisions[edit]

Maine does have a cure provision, or a law providing for a process where election officials follow up with voters whose absentee/mail-in ballots contain a signature discrepancy or lack the requisite signatures. Voters must sign their absentee/mail-in ballot. The signature on the absentee/mail-in ballot envelope is compared with the signature of the voter on the absentee/mail-in ballot application.^[9]

Maine law allows voters to cure any ballot deficiencies up until the absentee/mail-in ballot receipt deadline, which is the close of polls on election day. For certain deficiencies, such as a mismatched signature, Maine law instructs election officials to accept but challenge a deficient ballot that is not cured by the deadline.^[10]

Was your absentee/mail-in ballot counted?[edit]

Maine voters can use the Absentee Ballot Request Status tool to check the status of their absentee/mail-in ballot and absentee/mail-in ballot application.

Voter identification requirements[edit]

See also: Voter ID in Maine

See also: Voter identification laws by state

Maine does not require voters to present identification while voting. If a voter registers to vote on Election Day, he or she must provide identification and proof of residence.^[11]

As of April 2024, 35 states required voters to present identification in order to vote at the polls on Election Day. Of these states, 24 required voters to present identification containing a photograph, and 11 accepted other forms of identification. The remaining 16 states did not require voters to present identification in order to vote at the polls on Election Day.

Valid forms of identification differ by state. In certain states that require voters to provide identification, there may be exceptions that allow some voters to cast a ballot without providing an ID. To see more about these exceptions, see details by state. Commonly accepted forms of ID include driver's licenses, state-issued identification cards, and military identification cards.

Provisional ballot rules[edit]

Voters in Maine are given provisional ballots, or ballots requiring additional steps or information before they can be counted, if a voter’s eligibility to vote is challenged.^[12]

"All challenged ballots are initially counted in the same manner as regular ballots. No further determination is made on the challenge unless a recount occurs and it is determined that the challenged ballot could affect the outcome of the election. Therefore, all challenged ballots cast in districts where no recounts occur will have been counted. If one of the candidates in an election or one side of a referendum question, requests a recount and there are enough challenged ballots to affect the outcome of the election, then the challenged ballots in that district will be segregated, and the basis for each challenge may be determined by the appropriate authority designated by statute or by state or federal constitution.," according to the secretary of state’s website.^[12]

Was your provisional ballot counted?[edit]

According to the secretary of state’s website, ""All challenged ballots are initially counted in the same manner as regular ballots. ..."^[12] Voters may contact the local municipal clerk or registrar with questions about the status of their provisional ballot.

Local election officials[edit]

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Do you need information about elections in your area? Are you looking for your local election official? Click here to visit the U.S. Vote Foundation and use their election official lookup tool.

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Primary election type[edit]

See also: Primary elections in Maine

A primary election is an election in which registered voters select a candidate that they believe should be a political party's candidate for elected office to run in the general election. They are also used to choose convention delegates and party leaders. Primaries are state-level and local-level elections that take place prior to a general election. Maine utilizes a semi-closed primary process, in which both registered party members and unaffiliated voters may participate. Unaffiliated voters may vote in one partisan primary of their choosing in each election.^[13][14]

For information about which offices are nominated via primary election, see this article.

Time off work for voting[edit]

Ballotpedia did not find a law specifying whether voters must be given time off from work to vote in this state. Nolo.com notes that states without such state laws may have administrative regulations or local ordinances pertaining to time off for voting and suggests calling your local board of elections or state labor department for more information.^[15]

If you know of a relevant policy in this state, please email us.

As of September 2024, 28 states required employers to grant employees time off to vote. Within these 28 states, policies varied as to whether that time off must be paid and how much notice must be given.

Voting rules for people convicted of a felony[edit]

See also: Voting rights for people convicted of a felony

In Maine, people convicted of a felony who are incarcerated retain their right to vote. These individuals may cast a vote while incarcerated for the municipality they resided in prior to their incarceration.^[16]

Voting rights for people convicted of a felony vary from state to state. In the majority of states, people convicted of a felony cannot vote while they are incarcerated but may regain the right to vote upon release from prison or at some point thereafter.^[13]

Voter list maintenance[edit]

All states have rules under which they maintain voter rolls—or, check and remove certain names from their lists of registered voters. Most states are subject to the parameters set by The National Voter Registration Act (NVRA).^[17] The NVRA requires states to make efforts to remove deceased individuals and individuals who have become ineligible due to a change of address. It prohibits removing registrants from voter lists within 90 days of a federal election due to change of address unless a registrant has requested to be removed, or from removing people from voter lists solely because they have not voted. The NVRA says that states may remove names from their registration lists under certain other circumstances and that their methods for removing names must be uniform and nondiscriminatory.^[18]

When names can be removed from the voter list[edit]

Maine law authorizes election officials to remove the names of voters from the registered voting list if an individual:^[19]

• dies,
• remains in inactive status through two consecutive general elections,
• confirms in writing that they have moved out of their voting jurisdiction, or
• is determined by election officials to have moved out of their voting jurisdiction or registered to vote in a different jurisdiction.

Inactive voter list rules[edit]

Maine law states that if a voter fails to respond to a change of address confirmation notice, they are to be listed as an inactive voter. State law authorizes election officials to conduct voter registration maintenance programs. Election officials are to contact voters determined to have moved with a forwardable address confirmation notice. If a voter remains on the inactive voter list through two consecutive general elections, their registration is to be cancelled.^[20]

The Electronic Registration Information Center (ERIC)[edit]

See also: Electronic Registration Information Center (ERIC)

According to its website, ERIC is a nonprofit corporation that is governed by a board of member-states. These member states submit voter registration and motor vehicle registration information to ERIC. ERIC uses this information, as well as Social Security death records and other sources, to provide member states with reports showing voters who have moved within their state, moved out of their state, died, have duplicate registrations in their state, or are potentially eligible to vote but are not yet registered. ERIC's website describes its funding as follows: "Members fund ERIC. New members pay a one-time membership fee of $25,000, which is reserved for technology upgrades and other unanticipated expenses. Members also pay annual dues. Annual dues cover operating costs and are based, in part, on the citizen voting age population in each state."^[21]

By 2022, 33 states and the District of Columbia had joined ERIC. As of May 2024, 24 states and the District of Columbia were members in the ERIC program.^[22]

As of August 2023, Maine was participating in the ERIC program.

Post-election auditing[edit]

In 2024, Maine piloted a risk-limiting audit program after the general election. HP 1482, passed by the Maine State Legislature in 2022, authorized the use of risk-limiting audits statewide in 2025.^[23]

Post-election audits check that election results tallied by a state's voting system match results from paper records, such as paper ballots filled out by voters or the paper records produced by electronic voting machines. Post-election audits are classified into two categories: audits of election results—which include traditional post-election audits as well as risk-limiting audits—and procedural audits.^[24][25]

Typically, traditional post-election audits are done by recounting a portion of ballots, either electronically or by hand, and comparing the results to those produced by the state's voting system. In contrast, risk-limiting audits use statistical methods to compare a random sample of votes cast to election results instead of reviewing every ballot. The scope of procedural audits varies by state, but they typically include a systematic review of voting equipment, performance of the voting system, vote totals, duties of election officials and workers, ballot chain of custody, and more.

As of October 2024, 49 states and the District of Columbia had some form of post-election audit by law. Of these, 35 states and the District of Columbia required traditional post-election audits, while six states required risk-limiting post-election audits by law. Eight states used some other form of post-election audit, including procedural post-election audits.^[26][27]

Election policy ballot measures[edit]

See also: Elections and campaigns on the ballot and List of Maine ballot measures

Ballotpedia has tracked the following ballot measures relating to election and campaign policy in Maine.

1. Maine Campaign Promises Initiative (2009)
2. Maine Voter Confidence Act (2008)
3. Maine General Election Ballot Form, Direct Initiative Question (1972)
4. Maine Direct Primary Repeal, Referendum Question (1927)
5. Maine Direct Primary, Question No. 4 (1911)
6. Maine Direct Initiative and People's Veto, Proposed Constitutional Amendment No. 2 (1980)
7. Maine Uniform Ballot Boxes, Question No. 1 (1912)
8. Maine Biddeford Elections, Question No. 5 (1940)
9. Maine Representatives Residency Requirements, Proposed Constitutional Amendment No. 2 (1981)
10. Maine Military Service Voting Clarification, Proposed Constitutional Amendment No. 4 (1955)
11. Maine Repeal Treasurer Term Limit, Proposed Constitutional Amendment No. 1 (1951)
12. Maine November General Election, Proposed Constitutional Amendment No. 2 (1957)
13. Maine House of Representatives Elections, Powers and Apportionment, Proposed Constitutional Amendment No. 1 (1963)
14. Maine Public Financing of Gubernatorial Campaigns, Question 1 (1989)
15. Maine Public Campaign Financing, Question 3 (1996)
16. Maine Constitutional Revision Election Amendment (1908)
17. Maine Constitutional Amendment Voting, Question No. 2 (1913)
18. Maine Division of Towns into Polling Places, Proposed Amendment No. 3 (1917)
19. Maine Division of Towns into Polling Places, Proposed Constitutional Amendment No. 1 (1920)
20. Maine Voting Machines, Amendment No. 1 (1933)
21. Maine Voting Machines, Amendment No. 3 (1935)
22. Maine Elections for Senate Vacancies, Proposed Constitutional Amendment No. 3 (1964)
23. Maine Determining Election of Governor, Proposed Constitutional Amendment No. 7 (1964)
24. Maine Municipality Election Returns to Secretary of State, Proposed Constitutional Amendment No. 10 (1964)
25. Maine Senate Elections, Powers and Apportionment, Proposed Constitutional Amendment (1966)
26. Maine Gubernatorial Term Continuation, Proposed Constitutional Amendment No. 2 (1971)
27. Maine Legislative Candidate Residency Requirement, Question 13 (1987)
28. Maine "Clean Elections" Initiative, Question 1 (2015)
29. Maine Question 5, Ranked-Choice Voting Initiative (2016)
30. Maine Question 1, Ranked-Choice Voting Delayed Enactment and Automatic Repeal Referendum (June 2018)
31. Maine Question 2, Prohibit Foreign Spending in Elections Initiative (2023)
32. Maine Voter Photo Identification Initiative (2025)

Recent legislation related to election administration in Maine[edit]

The table below lists bills related to election administration that have been introduced during (or carried over to) the current legislative session in Maine. The following information is included for each bill:

• State
• Bill number
• Official name or caption
• Most recent action date
• Legislative status
• Topics dealt with by the bill

Bills are organized alphabetically, first by state and then by bill number. The table displays up to 100 results by default. To view additional results, use the arrows in the upper-right corner of the table. For more information about a particular bill, click the bill number. This will open a separate page with additional information.

Ballotpedia's Election Administration Legislation Tracker[edit]

State election laws are changing. Keeping track of the latest developments in all 50 states can seem like an impossible job.

Here's the solution: Ballotpedia's Election Administration Legislation Tracker.

Ballotpedia's Election Administration Tracker sets the industry standard for ease of use, flexibility, and raw power. But that's just the beginning of what it can do:

• Ballotpedia's election experts provide daily updates on bills and other relevant political developments
• We translate complex bill text into easy-to-understand summaries written in everyday language
• And because it's from Ballotpedia, our Tracker is guaranteed to be neutral, unbiased, and nonpartisan

The Ballot Bulletin[edit]

The Ballot Bulletin is a weekly email that delivers the latest updates on election policy. The Ballot Bulletin tracks developments in election policy around the country, including legislative activity, big-picture trends, and recent news. Each email contains in-depth data from our Election Administration Legislation Tracker. You'll also be able to track relevant legislation, with links to and summaries of the bills themselves.

Click here to view recent issues and subscribe.

Ballot access[edit]

See also: Ballot access requirements for political candidates in Maine

A cardboard ballot box at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History

In order to get on the ballot in Maine, a candidate for state or federal office must meet a variety of state-specific filing requirements and deadlines. These regulations, known as ballot access laws, determine whether a candidate or party will appear on an election ballot. These laws are set at the state level. A candidate must prepare to meet ballot access requirements well in advance of primaries, caucuses, and the general election.

There are three basic methods by which an individual may become a candidate for office in a state.

1. An individual can seek the nomination of a state-recognized political party.
2. An individual can run as an independent. Independent candidates often must petition in order to have their names printed on the general election ballot.
3. An individual can run as a write-in candidate.

This article outlines the steps that prospective candidates for state-level and congressional office must take in order to run for office in Maine. For information about filing requirements for presidential candidates, click here. Information about filing requirements for local-level offices is not available in this article (contact state election agencies for information about local candidate filing processes).

Redistricting[edit]

See also: Redistricting in Maine

"Gerrymandering"

Redistricting is the process by which new congressional and state legislative district boundaries are drawn. Each of Maine's two United States Representatives and 189 state legislators are elected from political divisions called districts. United States Senators are not elected by districts, but by the states at large. District lines are redrawn every 10 years following completion of the United States census. The federal government stipulates that districts must have nearly equal populations and must not discriminate on the basis of race or ethnicity.^{[28][29][30][31]}

Maine was apportioned two seats in the U.S. House of Representatives after the 2020 census, the same number it received after the 2010 census. Click here for more information about redistricting in Maine after the 2020 census.

State process[edit]

See also: State-by-state redistricting procedures

In Maine, both congressional and state legislative district boundaries are drawn by the state legislature. An advisory commission is also involved in the process. A two-thirds majority is required to approve new district maps, which are subject to veto by the governor.^[32]

The composition of the 15-member advisory redistricting commission is as follows:^[32]

1. The majority and minority leaders of the Maine State Senate each select two commissioners.
2. The majority and minority leaders of the Maine House of Representatives each appoint three commissioners.
3. The chairs of the state's two major political parties (i.e., the Republican and Democratic parties) each appoint one member.
4. The aforementioned 12 commissioners appoint two more members from the public, "with each party's representatives coordinating to choose one commissioner."
5. The two public commissioners appoint one additional member.

This commission may make recommendations to the state legislature regarding redistricting, but the legislature is not bound to abide by the commission's recommendations. If the state legislature is unable to pass a redistricting plan, the responsibility falls to the Maine Supreme Court.^[32]

State statutes require that congressional districts be compact and contiguous, In addition, state laws require that congressional districts "cross political subdivision lines as few times as possible."^[32]

The Maine Constitution mandates that state legislative districts be "compact and contiguous, and that they cross political subdivision lines as few times as possible."^[32]

Election administration agencies[edit]

Election agencies[edit]

Seal of the U.S. Election Assistance Commission

See also: State election agencies

Individuals seeking additional information about voting provisions in Maine can contact the following local, state, and federal agencies.

Maine Municipal Clerks and Registrars

Click here for a list

Secretary of State, Bureau of Corporations, Elections and Commissions

101 State House Station

Augusta, Maine 04333-0101

Phone: 207-624-7736

Fax: 207-287-5428

Email: cec.elections@maine.gov

Website: http://www.maine.gov/sos/cec/elec/index.html

Maine Commission on Governmental Ethics and Election Practices

Physical Address: 45 Memorial Circle, 2nd Floor

Augusta, Maine 04330

Mailing Address: 135 State House Station

Augusta, Maine 04333

Phone: 207-287-4179

Fax: 207-287-6775

Email: ethics@maine.gov

Website: https://www.maine.gov/ethics/

U.S. Election Assistance Commission

633 3rd Street NW, Suite 200

Washington, DC 20001

Phone: 301-563-3919

Toll free: 1-866-747-1471

Email: clearinghouse@eac.gov

Website: https://www.eac.gov

Ballotpedia's election coverage[edit]

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See also[edit]

• 2024 election dates and deadlines
• Voting in Maine
• Ballot access requirements for political candidates in Maine
• Redistricting in Maine

Elections in Maine[edit]

• Maine elections, 2024
• Maine elections, 2023
• Maine elections, 2022
• Maine elections, 2021
• Maine elections, 2020
• Maine elections, 2019
• Maine elections, 2018
• Maine elections, 2017
• Maine elections, 2016
• Maine elections, 2015
• Maine elections, 2014

External links[edit]

• Maine Secretary of State - Elections

Footnotes[edit]

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