Maine § 21-A §756-A Procedures for curing absentee ballot return envelope defects

Maine Statutes

§ 21-A §756-A — Procedures for curing absentee ballot return envelope defects

Maine § 21-A §756-A

Title 21-AELECTIONS

Ch. 9CONDUCT OF ELECTIONS

This text of Maine § 21-A §756-A (Procedures for curing absentee ballot return envelope defects) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Maine primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook

Me. Rev. Stat. tit. 21-A, § 21-A §756-A (2026).

Text

1.Notice to voters. If the clerk determines that there is a defect on the absentee ballot return envelope described in section 756, subsection 2, paragraph B and the absentee voter provided a telephone number or e-mail address with the voter’s absentee ballot application, the clerk shall notify the voter of the defect and explain that the ballot may be rejected or challenged unless the defect is cured as provided in this section. The clerk must notify the voter within one business day of receiving the absentee ballot, unless the absentee ballot is received on election day or less than 24 hours before election day, in which case the clerk shall make a good faith effort to notify the voter as quickly as possible. Notification must be made by telephone if the absentee voter provided a teleph

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

1.
Notice to voters.
If the clerk determines that there is a defect on the absentee ballot return envelope described in section 756, subsection 2, paragraph B and the absentee voter provided a telephone number or e-mail address with the voter’s absentee ballot application, the clerk shall notify the voter of the defect and explain that the ballot may be rejected or challenged unless the defect is cured as provided in this section. The clerk must notify the voter within one business day of receiving the absentee ballot, unless the absentee ballot is received on election day or less than 24 hours before election day, in which case the clerk shall make a good faith effort to notify the voter as quickly as possible. Notification must be made by telephone if the absentee voter provided a telephone number on the voter’s absentee ballot application. If the clerk attempts to notify the voter by telephone but does not speak directly with the voter, the clerk shall leave a voice mail message if available and shall notify the voter by e-mail, using the e-mail address provided on the absentee ballot application, if any. If the voter did not provide a telephone number on the absentee ballot application, the clerk shall notify the voter by e-mail, using the e-mail address provided on the absentee ballot application, if any.
2.
Mismatched voter signatures.
If the voter's signature on the return envelope does not appear to have been made by the same person who signed the absentee voter application and this discrepancy does not appear to be 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, the following procedures apply.
3.
Missing voter signature.
If the voter’s signature does not appear on the return envelope, the following procedures apply.
4.
Aide or witness certification incomplete.
If an aide-executed affidavit or aide or witness certification on a return envelope that is required under section 754‑A, subsection 1, paragraph C, subsection 2, paragraph C or subsection 3, paragraph E is unsigned, incomplete or improperly completed, the following procedures apply.
5.
Duplicate ballot.
Notwithstanding section 753‑B, subsection 4, a voter who receives notification of a defect on the voter’s absentee ballot return envelope under subsection 1 may, instead of curing the defect pursuant to subsections 2 to 4, request that the clerk issue a 2nd absentee ballot to the voter. If a request for a 2nd absentee ballot is made under this subsection, the following procedures apply.
6.
Challenged ballots; hearing not required.
The clerk is not required to conduct the hearing described in section 673, subsection 7 when a clerk accepts but challenges an absentee ballot under this section.