An Act Regarding the Authority of the Secretary of State and the Attorney General To Conduct Investigations of Vote Recounts

Sec. 1. 21-A MRSA §737-A, sub-§13  is enacted to read:

SUMMARY

This bill provides the Secretary of State and the Attorney General authority to conduct investigations during a recount on matters related to the recount. These investigations may include interviews and depositions of witnesses and other investigatory methods determined appropriate by the Secretary of State and the Attorney General. It allows the Secretary of State or the Attorney General to initiate a 2nd recount of ballots of any relevant voting district during the recount process if there are inconsistencies compared to the original ballot count or other credible reasons to believe the original count or first recount is not accurate. A decision to seat provisionally or otherwise a candidate whose election is the subject of the recount does not terminate the investigatory authority of the Secretary of State and the Attorney General.