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An Act To Authorize the Automatic Continuation of Absentee Voter Status until the Termination of That Status
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1.  21-A MRSA §753-A, sub-§7  is enacted to read:
 
7.  Application for ongoing absentee voter status.     A voter may apply for status as an ongoing absentee voter. Each qualified applicant must automatically receive an absentee ballot for each ensuing statewide election, municipal election and any other election for which the voter is entitled to vote and need not submit a separate request for each election.
 
A.  An application must be made by a voter using procedures designed by the Secretary of State. These procedures must include a process for notifying the voter that if the voter moves out of the municipality, that voter's status as an ongoing absentee voter in that municipality terminates. A voter may obtain assistance in completing an application for ongoing absentee voter status pursuant to subsection 5.
 
B.  The clerk or Secretary of State shall terminate a voter's ongoing absentee voter status only upon:
 
(1) The written request of the voter;
 
(2) The death or disqualification of the voter;
 
(3) The cancellation of the voter's registration record in the central voter registration system;
 
(4) The return of an absentee ballot as undeliverable; or
 
(5) The designation of the voter's status as inactive in the central voter registration system.
 
This subsection does not apply to uniformed service voters or overseas voters who are covered by the federal Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act, 52 United States Code, Section 20302 (2019).
Sec. 2.  21-A MRSA §753-A, sub-§8  is enacted to read:
 
8.  Telephone and e-mail contact information.     In addition to any other information required, a voter applying for an absentee ballot or an ongoing absentee ballot must be asked to provide that voter's telephone number and e-mail address, if available.
Sec. 3.  21-A MRSA §753-B, sub-§1-A  is enacted to read:
 
1-A.  Ballot issued to ongoing absentee voter.     Upon receipt of absentee ballots, the clerk shall immediately issue an absentee ballot and return envelope by mail to any voter who has qualified for ongoing absentee voter status under section 753-A, subsection 7.
Sec. 4. 21-A MRSA §756, sub-§2, as amended by PL 2009, c. 538, §9, is further amended to read:
 
2. Clerk to examine signatures and affidavit.   The clerk shall compare the signature of the voter on the application, where required, with that on the corresponding return envelope. The clerk shall examine the affidavit on the return envelope. If the clerk notes a discrepancy in signature on the return envelope, the return envelope is missing a signature or the affidavit on the return envelope is not properly completed, the clerk shall make a good faith effort to notify the voter within 24 hours by mail, telephone or e-mail of the procedure by which the voter may cure the discrepancy, correct the missing signature or properly complete the affidavit on the return envelope. If the signatures appear to have been made by the same person and if the affidavit is properly completed, the clerk shall write "OK" and the clerk's initials on the return envelope. Otherwise, the clerk shall note any discrepancy on the return envelope.
 
A. If the signatures do not appear to have been made by the same person, but this discrepancy is apparently the result of the voter's having properly obtained assistance under either section 753-A, subsection 5, or section 754-A, subsection 3, or both, then the clerk shall note the discrepancy on the return envelope, but shall also write "OK" and the clerk's initials on the return envelope.
Sec. 5. Effective date. This Act takes effect January 1, 2022.
 
SUMMARY
This bill provides a process for a voter to request ongoing absentee voter status, which allows the voter to automatically receive an absentee ballot for each statewide election, municipal election and any other election until the status is terminated. It provides that if the clerk notes a discrepancy in signature on the return envelope of an absentee ballot, the return envelope is missing a signature or the affidavit on the return envelope is not properly completed, the clerk shall make a good faith effort to notify the voter within 24 hours by mail, telephone or e-mail of the procedure by which the voter may cure the discrepancy, correct the missing signature or properly complete the affidavit on the return envelope. It provides an effective date of January 1, 2022.