Ballot access requirements for political candidates in Maine

From Ballotpedia
Jump to: navigation, search
Public Policy Logo-one line.pngin Maine


Election Policy Logo.png
Ballot access for major and minor party candidates
Ballot access for presidential candidates
List of political parties in the United States
Methods for signing candidate nominating petitions
Ballotpedia's Election Administration Legislation Tracker
Public Policy Logo-one line.png
Note: This article is not intended to serve as an exhaustive guide to running for public office. Individuals should contact their state election agencies for further information.

In order to get on the ballot in Maine, a candidate for state or federal office must meet a variety of state-specific filing requirements and deadlines. These regulations, known as ballot access laws, determine whether a candidate or party will appear on an election ballot. These laws are set at the state level. A candidate must prepare to meet ballot access requirements well in advance of primaries, caucuses, and the general election.

There are three basic methods by which an individual may become a candidate for office in a state.

  1. An individual can seek the nomination of a state-recognized political party.
  2. An individual can run as an independent. Independent candidates often must petition in order to have their names printed on the general election ballot.
  3. An individual can run as a write-in candidate.

This article outlines the steps that prospective candidates for state-level and congressional office must take in order to run for office in Maine. For information about filing requirements for presidential candidates, see "Ballot access requirements for presidential candidates in Maine." Information about filing requirements for local-level offices is not available in this article (contact state election agencies for information about local candidate filing processes).

DocumentIcon.jpg See state election laws

Year-specific filing information

2024

U.S. Senate

The table below details filing requirements for U.S. Senate candidates in Maine in the 2024 election cycle. For additional information on candidate ballot access requirements in Maine, click here.

Filing requirements for U.S. Senate candidates, 2024
State Office Party Signatures required Signature formula Filing fee Filing fee formula Filing deadline Source
Maine U.S. Senate Qualified party 2,000 Fixed number N/A N/A TBD Source
Maine U.S. Senate Unaffiliated 4,000 Fixed number N/A N/A TBD Source

U.S. House

The table below details filing requirements for U.S. House candidates in Maine in the 2024 election cycle. For additional information on candidate ballot access requirements in Maine, click here.

Filing requirements for U.S. House candidates, 2024
State Office Party Signatures required Filing fee Filing deadline Source
Maine U.S. House Ballot-qualified party 1,000 N/A TBD Source
Maine U.S. House Unaffiliated 2,000 N/A TBD Source


For filing information from previous years, click "[Show more]" below.

Show more

2022

U.S. House

The table below details filing requirements for U.S. House candidates in Maine in the 2022 election cycle. For additional information on candidate ballot access requirements in Maine, click here.

Filing requirements for U.S. House candidates, 2022
State Office Party Signatures required Filing fee Filing deadline Source
Maine U.S. House Ballot-qualified party 1,000 N/A 3/15/2022 Source
Maine U.S. House Unaffiliated 2,000 N/A 6/1/2022 Source

Governor

The table below details filing requirements for gubernatorial candidates in Maine in the 2022 election cycle. For additional information on candidate ballot access requirements in Maine, click here.

Filing requirements for gubernatorial candidates, 2022
State Office Party Signatures required Filing fee Filing deadline Source Notes
Maine Governor Ballot-qualified party 2,000 N/A 3/15/2022 Source
Maine Governor Unaffiliated 4,000 N/A 6/1/2022 Source

2020

U.S. Senate

The table below details filing requirements for U.S. Senate candidates in Maine in the 2020 election cycle. For additional information on candidate ballot access requirements in Maine, click here.

Filing requirements for U.S. Senate candidates, 2020
State Office Party Signatures required Signature formula Filing fee Filing fee formula Filing deadline Source
Maine U.S. Senate Qualified party 2,000 Fixed number N/A N/A 3/16/2020 Source
Maine U.S. Senate Unaffiliated 4000 Fixed number N/A N/A 6/1/2020 Source

U.S. House

The table below details filing requirements for U.S. House candidates in Maine in the 2020 election cycle. For additional information on candidate ballot access requirements in Maine, click here.

Filing requirements for U.S. House candidates, 2020
State Office Party Signatures required Signature formula Filing fee Filing fee formula Filing deadline Source
Maine 1st Congressional District Qualified party 1,000 Fixed number N/A N/A 3/16/2020 Source
Maine 2nd Congressional District Qualified party 1,000 Fixed number N/A N/A 3/16/2020 Source
Maine 1st Congressional District Unaffiliated 2,000 Fixed number N/A N/A 6/1/2020 Source
Maine 2nd Congressional District Unaffiliated 2,000 Fixed number N/A N/A 6/1/2020 Source

State House

The table below details filing requirements for Maine House of Representatives candidates in the 2020 election cycle.

Filing requirements for state legislative candidates, 2020
Chamber name Party Signatures required Filing fee Filing deadline Source
Maine House of Representatives Qualified party 25 N/A 3/16/2020 Source
Maine House of Representatives Unaffiliated 50 N/A 6/1/2020 Source

State Senate

The table below details filing requirements for Maine State Senate candidates in the 2020 election cycle.

Filing requirements for state legislative candidates, 2020
Chamber name Party Signatures required Filing fee Filing deadline Source
Maine State Senate Qualified party 100 N/A 3/16/2020 Source
Maine State Senate Unaffiliated 200 N/A 6/1/2020 Source

2018

See also: State and federal candidate filing deadlines for 2018 and Maine elections, 2018

See below for 2018 candidate filing deadlines.

March 15, 2018

2016

See also: Maine elections, 2016

The calendar below lists important filing deadlines for political candidates in Maine in 2016.

Dates and requirements for candidates in 2016
Deadline Event type Event description
March 15, 2016 Ballot access Filing deadline for primary candidates (signatures must be verified by local registrars prior to final filing)
May 25, 2016 Ballot access Non-party candidates must file petition signatures with local registrars for verification prior to final filing
June 1, 2016 Ballot access Filing deadline for non-party candidates
June 3, 2016 Campaign finance 11-day pre-primary report due
June 14, 2016 Election date Primary election
July 26, 2016 Campaign finance 42-day post-primary report due
September 27, 2016 Campaign finance 42-day pre-general report due
October 28, 2016 Campaign finance 11-day pre-general report due
November 8, 2016 Election date General election
December 20, 2016 Campaign finance 42-day post-general report due
Sources: Maine Secretary of State, "2016 Candidate's Guide to Ballot Access," accessed January 11, 2016
Maine Commission on Governmental Ethics and Election Practices, "All Upcoming Deadlines," accessed January 11, 2016

2015


2014


Process to become a candidate

The first page of the candidate registration form for the 2014 election cycle in Maine

For party candidates

DocumentIcon.jpg See statutes: Title 21-A, Chapter 5, Subchapter 1, Article 4 of the Maine Revised Statutes

Political party candidates must petition for placement on the primary election ballot. Signature requirements vary according to the office being sought.[2][3]

Signature requirements for party candidates
Office sought Required signatures
Governor, United States Senator At least 2,000 signatures, but no more than 3,000
United States Representative At least 1,000 signatures, but no more than 1,500
State Senator At least 100 signatures, but no more than 150
State Representative At least 25 signatures, but no more than 40

Before petitions can be submitted to the Maine Secretary of State, signatures must be verified by the registrar of voters or municipal clerk in the municipality where the signatures were collected. For more information regarding specific petition requirements, see below.[2][3]

A political party candidate must also submit a "Consent of Candidate" form. The form must contain a statement signed by the candidate indicating that he or she will accept the nomination of the primary election. The form must also include the candidate's address, party designation, and a statement indicating that the candidate meets the qualifications for the office being sought. The candidate must sign the form before a notary public. The "Consent of Candidate" form must be filed along with the candidate's petition paperwork.[4][3]

The filing deadline is set by state statutes as 5 p.m. on March 15 in the year of the election. If March 15 falls on a non-business day, the deadline is extended to the next business day.[2]

For independent candidates

DocumentIcon.jpg See statutes: Title 21-A, Chapter 5, Subchapter 2 of the Maine Revised Statutes

Independent candidates must petition for placement on the general election ballot. Signature requirements vary according to the office being sought.[5]

Signature requirements for independent candidates
Office sought Required signatures
Governor, United States Senator At least 4,000 signatures, but no more than 6,000
United States Representative At least 2,000 signatures, but no more than 3,000
State Senator At least 200 signatures, but no more than 300
State Representative At least 50 signatures, but no more than 80

Before petitions can be submitted to the Maine Secretary of State, signatures must be verified by the registrar of voters or municipal clerk in the municipality where the signatures were collected. Petitions for independent candidates must be submitted for verification by 5 p.m. on May 25 (this date is set by state statutes; in the event that May 25 falls on a non-business day, the deadline is extended to the next business day). For more information regarding specific petition requirements, see below.[5][3]

An independent candidate must also file a "Non-party Candidate's Consent" form. The form must include the candidate's address, a declaration that the candidate has not been enrolled in a qualified political party after March 1 of the election year, and a statement indicating that the candidate meets the qualifications for the office being sought. The candidate must sign the form before a notary public. The "Non-party Candidate's Consent" form must be filed along with the candidate's petition paperwork.[6][3]

The filing deadline is set by statute as 5 p.m. on June 1 of the election year. If June 1 falls on a non-business day, the deadline is extended to the next business day.[5]

For write-in candidates

DocumentIcon.jpg See statutes: Title 21-A, Chapter 9, Subchapter 3, Article 1 of the Maine Revised Statutes

In order to have his or her votes tallied, a write-in candidate for either the primary or general election must file a declaration of write-in candidacy with the Maine Secretary of State by 5 p.m. on the 45th day prior to the election.[7]

Petition requirements

See also: Methods for signing candidate nominating petitions

In some cases, political parties and/or candidates may need to obtain signatures via the petition process to gain access to the ballot. This section outlines the laws and regulations pertaining to petitions and circulators in Maine.

Format requirements

All petitions must be submitted on forms designed and provided by the Maine Secretary of State.[8][9][10]

Petitions must contain the name of the candidate, his or her address, his or her partisan affiliation (if applicable), and the office being sought.[8][9]

Signature requirements

Political party candidate petitions can be signed only by enrolled party members who are eligible to vote for the office being sought by the candidate.[8][11][12]

Independent candidate petitions may be signed only by voters who are eligible to vote for the office being sought by the candidate.[9] Voters must personally sign their own names. Either the signer or the petition circulator must print the voter's name, address, and municipality of registration.[8][9]

Circulation requirements

The petition circulator does not have to be a Maine resident. The circulator must verify before a notary public that he or she personally witnessed each signature made to the petition and that to the best of the circulator's knowledge each signature is valid.[8][9][10]

Petitions cannot be circulated before January 1 of the election year for which the petition is to be filed.

Objections

Challenges to petitions must be submitted in writing, must note the reasons for the challenge, and must be filed with the Maine Secretary of State by 5 p.m. on the fifth business day after the final date for filing the petition. Within seven days of the final date for filing challenges, the secretary of state will hold a public hearing on any properly filed objection. The burden of proof is on the challenger. The secretary of state will issue a ruling within five days after completion of the hearing. Challenges may only be filed by a registered voter living in the electoral district of the candidate whose petitions are being disputed.[13][14]

Election-related agencies

See also: State election agencies

Maine Secretary of State

111 Sewall St.
Augusta, Maine 04333-0101
Phone: 207-624-7736
Fax: 207-287-5428
Website: http://www.maine.gov/sos/cec/elec/index.html
U.S. Vote Foundation Logo.jpeg

Do you need information about elections in your area? Are you looking for your local election official? Click here to visit the U.S. Vote Foundation and use their election official lookup tool.

Term limits

State executives

State Executive Officials
See also: State executives with term limits and States with gubernatorial term limits

Gubernatorial term limits in Maine are established in Article V of the Maine Constitution. Term limits for other state executives were imposed as a result of a ballot measure approved in 1993.

State legislators

See also: State legislatures with term limits

A politician can serve in the Maine State Legislature for four terms (eight years) in each of the two chambers, the Maine State Senate and the Maine House of Representatives. This is a consecutive, rather than lifetime, limit.[17]

Term limits were imposed as a result of a 1993 ballot initiative.

Congressional partisanship

Portal:Legislative Branch
See also: List of United States Representatives from Maine and List of United States Senators from Maine

Below is the current partisan breakdown of the congressional delegation from Maine.

Congressional Partisan Breakdown from Maine
Party U.S. Senate U.S. House Total
Democratic 0 2 2
Republican 1 0 1
Independent 1 0 1
Vacancies 0 0 0
Total 2 2 4

State legislative partisanship

Portal:State legislatures

Below is the current partisan breakdown of the state legislature of Maine.

Maine State Senate

Party As of January 2024
     Democratic Party 22
     Republican Party 13
     Other 0
     Vacancies 0
Total 35

Maine House of Representatives

Party As of January 2024
     Democratic Party 80
     Republican Party 68
     Independent 1
     Independent for Maine Party 1
     Libertarian Party 0
     Vacancy 1
Total 151[18]

Related legislation

Election tracker site ad.png


The embedded table below lists state bills affecting ballot access requirements for candidates introduced in Maine. The following information is included for each bill:

  • State
  • Bill number
  • Official name or caption
  • Most recent action date
  • Legislative status
  • Topics dealt with by the bill

Bills are organized alphabetically, first by state and then by bill number. To view additional results, use the arrows in the upper-right corner of the table. For more information about a particular bill, simply click the bill number. This will open a separate page with additional information.

Ballotpedia’s comprehensive Ballotpedia's Election Administration Legislation Tracker is the basis for this data. This user-friendly tracker covers thousands of election-related bills in state legislatures, and organizes them by topic with neutral, expert analysis from Ballotpedia’s election administration researchers.

The Ballot Bulletin

Ballot-Bulletin-Header-D2.jpg


The Ballot Bulletin is a weekly email that delivers the latest updates on election policy. The Ballot Bulletin tracks developments in election policy around the country, including legislative activity, big-picture trends, and recent news. Each email contains in-depth data from our Election Administration Legislation Tracker. You'll also be able to track relevant legislation, with links to and summaries of the bills themselves.

Recent issues

Click below to view recent issues of The Ballot Bulletin.

Subscribe

Enter your email address below to subscribe to The Ballot Bulletin.



See also

Ballotpedia Election Coverage Badge.png

External links

Official state and federal links

Other information

Footnotes

  1. ↑ Maine Secretary of State, "Upcoming Elections," accessed February 9, 2015
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Maine Revised Statutes, "Title 21-A, Chapter 5, Article 4, Section 335," accessed February 10, 2014
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 Maine Secretary of State, "State of Maine 2014 Candidate's Guide to Ballot Access," accessed February 10, 2014
  4. ↑ Maine Revised Statutes, "Title 21-A, Chapter 5, Subchapter 1, Article 4, Section 336," accessed February 10, 2014
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Maine Revised Statutes, "Title 21-A, Chapter 5, Subchapter 2, Section 354," accessed February 10, 2014
  6. ↑ Maine Revised Statutes, "Title 21-A, Chapter 5, Subchapter 2, Section 355," accessed February 10, 2014
  7. ↑ Maine Revised Statutes, "Title 21-A, Chapter 9, Subchapter 3, Article 1, Section 722-A," accessed February 10, 2014
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4 Maine Revised Statutes, "Title 21-A, Chapter 5, Subchapter 1, Article 4, Section 335," accessed February 10, 2014
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 9.4 Maine Revised Statutes, "Title 21-A, Chapter 5, Subchapter 2, Section 354," accessed February 10, 2014
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 Maine Secretary of State, "State of Maine 2014 Candidate's Guide to Ballot Access," accessed February 10, 2014
  11. ↑ Ballot Access News, "Portland Daily Sun Article Explains that Maine's Primary Petition Requirements are Unfair," March 28, 2014
  12. ↑ The Portland Daily Sun, "When a Candidate Isn't Invited to the Party," March 27, 2014
  13. ↑ Maine Revised Statutes, "Title 21-A, Chapter 5, Subchapter 1, Article 4, Section 337," accessed February 10, 2014
  14. ↑ Maine Revised Statutes, "Title 21-A, Chapter 5, Subchapter 2, Section 356," accessed February 10, 2014
  15. ↑ Maine Constitution, "Article V, Part I," accessed February 10, 2014
  16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 16.2 NGA.org, "Book of the States Table 4.9," accessed February 11, 2014
  17. ↑ The Council of State Governments, "State Legislative Branch," accessed October 28, 2013
  18. ↑ Excludes three nonvoting members representing the Penobscot Nation, the Passamaquoddy Tribe and the Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians.
v • e
Ballotpedia
About
Executive: Leslie Graves, President • Gwen Beattie, Chief Operating Officer • Ken Carbullido, Vice President of Election Product and Technology Strategy • Michelle Robinson, Senior Product Manager, Education & School Boards

Communications: Alison Graves • Carley Allensworth • Abigail Campbell • Sarah Groat • Erica Shumaker • Caitlin Vanden Boom
External Relations: Andrew Heath • Moira Delaney • Hannah Nelson
Operations: Meghann Olshefski • Amanda Herbert • Mandy Morris • Caroline Presnell • Kelly Rindfleisch
Policy: Caitlin Styrsky • Audrey Bayne • Molly Byrne • Jon Dunn • Jimmy McAllister • Annelise Reinwald
Research: Josh Altic
Tech: Matt Latourelle • Ryan Burch • Kirsten Corrao • Beth Dellea • Travis Eden • Tate Kamish • Margaret Kearney • Eric Lotto • Trevor Pollo • Joseph Sanchez

Contributors: Scott Rasmussen
Editorial
Retrieved from "https://ballotpedia.org/wiki/index.php?title=Ballot_access_requirements_for_political_candidates_in_Maine&oldid=9228321"