APPROVED CHAPTER
JUNE 26, 2023 314
BY GOVERNOR PUBLIC LAW
STATE OF MAINE
_____
IN THE YEAR OF OUR LORD
TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-THREE
_____
H.P. 850 - L.D. 1336
An Act to Increase Transparency in Municipal Ballot Referenda
Expenditures
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1. 21-A MRSA §1053-A, as amended by PL 2021, c. 217, §5, is further
amended to read:
§1053-A. Municipal elections
If an organization qualifies as a committee under section 1052, subsection 2 and that
organization receives contributions or makes expenditures to influence a municipal
campaign in towns or cities with a population of 15,000 or more, that organization must
register and file reports with the municipal clerk as required by Title 30‑A, section 2502.
If an organization qualifies as a ballot question committee under section 1052, subsection
2-A and that organization makes expenditures exceeding $5,000 to influence a municipal
referendum campaign in a town or city with a population of less than 15,000, that
organization must register and file reports with the commission using the electronic filing
system pursuant to section 1059, subsection 5. The reports must be filed in accordance with
the reporting schedule in section 1059 and must contain the information listed in section
1060. A committee registered with the commission and that receives contributions or
makes expenditures relating to a municipal election shall file a copy of the report containing
such contributions or expenditures with the clerk in the subject municipality. The
commission retains the sole authority to prescribe the content of all reporting forms. The
commission does not have responsibility to oversee the filing of registrations or campaign
finance reports relating to municipal campaigns in towns or cities with a population of
15,000 or more. If a municipal clerk becomes aware of a potential violation of this
subchapter that the clerk considers to be substantial, the clerk may refer the matter to the
commission for enforcement. The commission may conduct an investigation if the
information referred by the municipal clerk shows sufficient grounds for believing that a
violation may have occurred. After conducting the investigation, if the commission
determines that a violation of this subchapter has occurred, the commission may assess
penalties provided in this subchapter.
Page 1 - 131LR0978(03)
 Sec. 2. 30-A MRSA §2502, sub-§2, as amended by PL 2011, c. 389, §60 and
affected by §62, is further amended to read:
2. Municipal referenda campaigns. Municipal referenda campaigns in towns or
cities with a population of 15,000 or more are campaign finance reporting is governed by
Title 21‑A, chapter 13, subchapter 4. The registrations and reports of political action
committees and ballot question committees must be filed with the municipal clerk. A town
or city with a population of less than 15,000 may choose to be governed by Title 21‑A,
chapter 13, subchapter 4 by vote of its legislative body at least 90 days before a referendum
election. A town or city that votes to adopt those provisions may revoke that decision, but
it must do so at least 90 days before an election subject to that subchapter.
Page 2 - 131LR0978(03)


Statutes affected:
Bill Text LD 1336, HP 850: 21-A.1053, 30-A.2502
Bill Text ACTPUB , Chapter 314: 21-A.1053, 30-A.2502