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An Act Regarding the Authority of the Secretary of State and the Attorney General To Conduct Investigations of Vote Recounts
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1.  21-A MRSA §737-A, sub-§13  is enacted to read:
 
13.  Investigatory authority.     The Secretary of State and the Attorney General may conduct investigations during a recount on matters related to the recount. These investigations may include interviews and depositions of witnesses and other investigatory methods determined appropriate by the Secretary of State and the Attorney General. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Secretary of State or the Attorney General may initiate a 2nd recount of ballots of any relevant voting district during the recount process if there are inconsistencies compared to the original ballot count or other credible reasons to believe the original count or first recount is not accurate. A decision to seat provisionally or otherwise a candidate whose election is the subject of the recount does not terminate the investigatory authority of the Secretary of State and the Attorney General provided in this subsection.
 
SUMMARY
This bill provides the Secretary of State and the Attorney General authority to conduct investigations during a recount on matters related to the recount. These investigations may include interviews and depositions of witnesses and other investigatory methods determined appropriate by the Secretary of State and the Attorney General. It allows the Secretary of State or the Attorney General to initiate a 2nd recount of ballots of any relevant voting district during the recount process if there are inconsistencies compared to the original ballot count or other credible reasons to believe the original count or first recount is not accurate. A decision to seat provisionally or otherwise a candidate whose election is the subject of the recount does not terminate the investigatory authority of the Secretary of State and the Attorney General.