Sec. 19. 21-A MRSA §753-B, sub-§8, as enacted by PL 1999, c. 645, §6, is amended to read:

8. Absentee voting in presence of clerk. A person who wishes to vote by absentee ballot may, without completing an application, vote by absentee ballot in the presence of the clerk. The method of voting is otherwise as prescribed in this article. After the person has voted, the clerk shall sign the affidavit on the return envelope as a witness, indicate on the envelope that the voter voted in the presence of a clerk and ensure that the affidavit on the return envelope is properly completed by the voter. For the 45 days preceding an election, during the hours when the clerk's office is open and may be conducting absentee voting, the display or distribution of any advertising material intended to influence a voter's decision regarding a candidate or ballot issue question on the ballot for that election is prohibited within the clerk's office and on public property within 250 100 feet of the entrance to the building in which the clerk's office is located.

This subsection does not apply to the display or distribution of any campaign advertising material on private property that is within 250 100 feet of the entrance to the building in which the clerk's office is located.

This subsection does not apply to campaign advertising material on automobiles traveling to and from the municipal office or parked on municipal property while the occupants are visiting the municipal office to conduct municipal business. It does not prohibit a person who is at the municipal office for the purpose of conducting municipal business or for absentee voting from wearing a campaign button when the longest dimension of the button does not exceed 3 inches.

Emergency clause. In view of the emergency cited in the preamble, this Act takes effect when approved.

SUMMARY

This bill restores the voter address confidentiality provisions and requirements for counting valid write-in votes that were eliminated during the First Regular Session of the 122nd Legislature. This bill grants authority for the municipal clerk to conduct the duties of the registrar of voters and removes a redundant provision about the certification of the list of absentee voters. The bill also prohibits a candidate from