PLEASE NOTE: Legislative Information cannot perform research, provide legal advice, or interpret Maine law. For legal assistance, please contact a qualified attorney.
An Act To Expand Absentee Balloting To Include Certain Residents in Independent Living Facilities
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1. 21-A MRSA §753-B, sub-§5, as amended by PL 2011, c. 534, §20, is further amended to read:
 
5. Alternate method of balloting by residents of certain licensed facilities; independent living facilities.   The municipal clerk shall designate one or more times during the 30-day period prior to an election during which the municipal clerk shall be present in each licensed nursing home subject to the provisions of Title 22, chapter 405; licensed residential care facility subject to the provisions of Title 22, chapter 1664; and assisted housing program subject to the provisions of Title 22, chapter 1664, in the municipality for the purpose of conducting absentee voting by residents of these facilities. The licensed residential care facilities or assisted housing programs referred to in this subsection are those that are licensed to have 6 or more beds. The municipal clerk shall designate one or more times during the 30-day period prior to an election during which the municipal clerk shall be present in an independent living facility providing housing for senior citizens to conduct absentee voting by residents of the facility as long as the company managing the facility has requested the clerk to do so no later than 30 days before the election and as long as an election official is present. The clerk shall designate which areas in these facilities constitute the voting place, the voting booth and the guardrail enclosure. Sections 681 and 682 apply to voting in these facilities within the areas designated by the clerk.
 
SUMMARY
This bill requires municipal clerks to conduct absentee voting in independent living facilities at the request of the management company managing the facility. The balloting must be conducted in the presence of an election official.