An Act To Implement the Recommendation of the Legislative Youth Advisory Council To Allow Youth To Preregister To Vote upon Reaching 16 Years of Age

Sec. 1. 21-A MRSA §111-B  is enacted to read:

§ 111-B.  Preregistration

A person who has reached 16 years of age and who meets all applicable citizenship and residency requirements of this subchapter may preregister to vote by completing a form designed by the Secretary of State and submitting that form to the Secretary of State. A person who has preregistered to vote under this section is automatically registered to vote when that person reaches 18 years of age or when that person meets the voting age qualification for voting in a primary election under section 111-A, whichever occurs first.

Sec. 2. Rulemaking, form availability and public education. The Secretary of State shall adopt rules as necessary as soon as practicable to implement the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 21-A, section 111-B. Preregistration forms designed by the Secretary of State pursuant to section 111-B must be publicly available during regular business hours at all offices of the Bureau of Motor Vehicles and must be supplied by the Secretary of State to all municipal registrars. The Secretary of State shall undertake such public education efforts as are necessary to ensure that youth are aware of the voter preregistration option and understand the preregistration process. Rules adopted under this section are routine technical rules under Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 2-A.

SUMMARY

This bill allows an otherwise eligible person to preregister to vote upon reaching 16 years of age. Once preregistered, that person is automatically registered to vote when that person reaches 18 years of age or when that person meets the voting age qualification for voting in a primary election under the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 21-A, section 111-A, whichever occurs first. The bill directs the Secretary of State to adopt such routine technical rules as are necessary to implement this process. The bill requires that preregistration forms be publicly available at all offices of the Department of the Secretary of State, Bureau of Motor Vehicles and be provided to all municipal registrars. The Secretary of State is also directed to undertake efforts to ensure that youth are aware of the preregistration option.