E. The voter or the aide must mark the ballot according to section 691 or 692 so that it is impossible for anyone else present to see how the voter voted, then seal the ballot in its return envelope. The voter, or the aide at the voter's request, shall complete and sign the affidavit in the presence of the witness, who shall sign the witness certification. The aide must complete and sign the certification for aides on the outside of the envelope.

F. The voter or the aide must then complete the address on the envelope and mail or deliver it personally or by the 3rd person who was designated in the application to the clerk of the municipality of which the voter is a resident. The voter must send a completed voter registration or absentee ballot application, if necessary, in a separate envelope.

Sec. 6. 21-A MRSA §756, as amended by PL 2003, c. 447, §§32 and 33, is further amended to read:

§756. Procedure on receipt

When the clerk receives a return envelope apparently containing an absentee ballot, he the clerk shall observe the following procedures.

1. Time of receipt noted. He The clerk shall note the date and time of delivery on each return envelope. On request, he the clerk shall give the person who delivers the ballot a receipt, stating the exact time of delivery.

2. Clerk to examine affidavit. He shall compare the signature of the voter on the application, where required, with that on the corresponding return envelope. He The clerk shall examine 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, he the clerk shall write "OK" and his the clerk's initials on the return envelope. Otherwise, he shall note any discrepancy on the return envelope.

The clerk may not open any return envelope.

A. If the signatures do not appear to have been made by the same person, but this discrepancy is apparently the result