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An Act To Amend the Laws Governing the Political Party Representation of Election Clerks
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1. 21-A MRSA §503, sub-§2, as amended by PL 2013, c. 131, §14, is further amended to read:
 
2. Representation of parties.   The municipal officers shall consider the following for appointment as election clerks.
 
A. The municipal officers shall consider persons nominated by the municipal, county or state committees of the major parties to serve as election clerks. The municipal officers shall appoint at least one election clerk from each of the major parties to serve at each voting place during the time the polls are open. The municipal officers shall also appoint a sufficient number of election clerks to serve as counters after the polls close. The election clerks must be selected so that, of the total number of election clerks selected, 33% are selected from one major party does not exceed the number of election clerksand 33% are selected from another major party by more than oneand the remaining 34% are selected without regard to party enrollment.
 
B. The municipal officers shall appoint at least one election clerk nominated by the municipal committee of a qualified minor party represented on the last general election ballot for each voting place at the committee's request.
 
C. Notwithstanding subsection 1, the municipal officers may also consider persons who are 17 years of age to serve as student election clerks for a specific election. A student election clerk may perform all the functions of an election clerk as prescribed by this Title.
 
All nominations for election clerks must be submitted to the municipal officers no later than April 1st of each general election year. If a municipal committee of a major party fails to submit a list of nominees to serve as election clerks, the municipal officers may appoint registered voters enrolled in that party to serve as election clerks.
 
If the municipal officers are unable to appoint a sufficient number of election clerks as set forth in paragraphs A, B and C, they may appoint any other registered voter, as long as the balance betweenrepresentation of major political parties is maintained as described in this subsection.
 
SUMMARY
This bill requires election clerks in a municipality to be selected so that 33% of clerks are from one major party and 33% from another, with 34% of clerks being selected without regard to party enrollment.