Maine § 21-A §22 Records and documents are public; exception for ballots and voter address

Maine Statutes

§ 21-A §22 — Records and documents are public; exception for ballots and voter address

Maine·Title 21-A ELECTIONS·Ch. 1 GENERAL PROVISIONS

1.Public records. All lists, books, documents and records required to be prepared by or filed with a public official are public records, except as otherwise provided in this Title. Public records are open to public inspection during regular business hours under proper protective regulations made by the official charged with their custody.

2.Ballots. Official ballots, whether in paper form or in an electronic or image format, are not public records and may be inspected only in accordance with this Title. For purposes of this subsection, "official ballot" means a ballot used by a voter to cast a vote at an election. "Official ballot" includes an absentee ballot and a ballot cast on election day at a voting place.

3.Confidential information. Notwithstanding subsection 1 and Title 1, sectio

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1.
Public records.
All lists, books, documents and records required to be prepared by or filed with a public official are public records, except as otherwise provided in this Title. Public records are open to public inspection during regular business hours under proper protective regulations made by the official charged with their custody.
2.
Ballots.
Official ballots, whether in paper form or in an electronic or image format, are not public records and may be inspected only in accordance with this Title. For purposes of this subsection, "official ballot" means a ballot used by a voter to cast a vote at an election. "Official ballot" includes an absentee ballot and a ballot cast on election day at a voting place.
3.
Confidential information.
Notwithstanding subsection 1 and Title 1, section 408‑A, if a registered voter meets certain conditions, the voter's information must be kept confidential as provided in this subsection.
4.
Disclosure of address.
5.
Signature and identification number of registered voter.
Notwithstanding subsection 1 and Title 1, section 408‑A, the voter's signature and identification number on the voter registration application and associated records in electronic format are designated as nonpublic records and the registrar shall exclude those items from public inspection. Voter signatures on voter registration applications and associated records in a printed hard-copy format are public records in accordance with subsection 1 and Title 1, section 408‑A.
6.
Disclosure of voter's signature and identification number electronically.
A voter's signature and identification number in electronic format that are excluded from public inspection pursuant to subsection 5 and associated records may be made available for inspection only to the voter of record, to municipal and state election officials, to a law enforcement agency that makes a written request to use the information for a bona fide law enforcement purpose or to a person identified by a court order if directed by that order.
7.
Incoming voting list.
After the incoming voting list is unsealed following the election, the list must be made available for public inspection and copying in accordance with Title 1, section 408‑A.

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Legislative History

PL 1985, c. 161, §6 (NEW). PL 1997, c. 248, §1 (RPR). PL 2003, c. 584, §1 (AMD). PL 2005, c. 364, §§2,3 (AMD). PL 2005, c. 453, §5 (AMD). PL 2005, c. 568, §2 (AMD). PL 2009, c. 564, §1 (AMD). PL 2011, c. 342, §5 (AMD). PL 2011, c. 662, §§11-13 (AMD). PL 2019, c. 371, §1 (AMD).