LD 38

132nd MAINE LEGISLATURE
  FIRST REGULAR SESSION-2025
Legislative Document  No. 38
S.P. 61  In Senate, January 8, 2025
  An Act Requiring Photographic Identification for Voting
   Received by the Secretary of the Senate on January 6, 2025. Referred to the Committee on
Veterans and Legal Affairs pursuant to Joint Rule 308.2 and ordered printed.
  DAREK M. GRANT
  Secretary of the Senate
Presented by Senator TIMBERLAKE of Androscoggin.
Cosponsored by Senators: FARRIN of Somerset, LIBBY of Cumberland, STEWART of
Aroostook, Representative: LYMAN of Livermore Falls.
  Printed on recycled paper
1 Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
2     Sec. 1. 21-A MRSA §671, sub-§1, as amended by PL 2019, c. 371, §20, is further
3 amended to read:
4     1. Name announced; photograph identification. A voter who wishes to vote must
5 present proof of identity in the form of a photograph identification document and state the
6 voter's name and residence address to an election clerk, who shall announce the name in a
7 loud, clear voice. If the voter's stated residence address is different from the residence
8 address listed on the incoming voting list, the voter must be directed to complete an updated
9 voter registration application before voting.
10     Sec. 2. 21-A MRSA §671, sub-§9 is enacted to read:
11      9. Special voter photograph identification card. Notwithstanding subsection 1, a
12 voter who wishes to vote and who does not possess a photograph identification document
13 may request from the Secretary of State a special voter photograph identification card,
14 which must be issued free of charge and is valid for voter identification under this section.
15 The Secretary of State shall establish procedures through rulemaking for the issuance of
16 special voter photograph identification cards under this subsection. Rules adopted pursuant
17 to this subsection are routine technical rules under Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 2-A.
18     Sec. 3. 21-A MRSA §671, as amended by PL 2021, c. 750, §9 and affected by
19 §14, is further amended by enacting at the end a new paragraph to read:
20     For purposes of this section, "photograph identification document" means a current and
21 valid driver's license or nondriver identification card issued in this State, a United States
22 passport, a military identification or a permit to carry a concealed handgun issued under
23 Title 25, chapter 252 if that permit includes a photograph. "Photograph identification
24 document" does not include an identification issued by a college or university.
25     Sec. 4. Effective date. This Act takes effect January 1, 2026.
26SUMMARY
27      This bill requires the presentation of proof of identity in the form of a photograph
28 identification document when voting in person. Acceptable forms of photograph
29 identification are a current and valid driver's license or nondriver identification card issued
30 in this State, a United States passport, a military identification or a permit to carry a
31 concealed handgun issued in this State if that permit includes a photograph. An
32 identification issued by a college or university may not be accepted for voter identification.
33 The bill also allows a person who does not possess a photograph identification document
34 to request a free special voter photograph identification card from the Secretary of State.
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