Me. Rev. Stat. » Title 21-A
Maine Revised Statutes

Me. Rev. Stat. tit. 21-A, § 335 (2026)

Petition requirements

✓ current as of May 2026
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A primary petition shall be on a form provided by the Secretary of State and is governed by the following provisions.   [PL 1985, c. 161, §6 (NEW).]
1.  Content.  A primary petition must contain the name of only one candidate and that candidate's municipality of residence, party, office sought and electoral division. A primary petition may contain as many separate papers as necessary and may contain the candidate's consent required by section 336.  
A. When 2 United States Senators are to be nominated, the primary petition must contain the term of office sought by the candidate.   [PL 2019, c. 371, §10 (AMD).]
[PL 2023, c. 389, §1 (AMD).]
2.  By whom signed.  A primary petition may be signed only by the voters of the electoral division that is to make the nomination and who are either enrolled in the party named in the petition or, if the party so elects, unenrolled. Other signatures are void. A party may elect to allow unenrolled voters to sign nominating petitions following an affirmative vote by the party's state committee to allow unenrolled voters to sign nominating petitions or, for a party without a state committee, through a determination by an authorized representative of the party. A party must file a form with the Secretary of State no later than December 31st in the year before the primary election is to be held, except that, if the party files a certification under section 441 that there is a contest among candidates for nomination as the presidential candidate, a form must be filed no later than simultaneously with that certification. A party must make a single election for all primary elections held in that year.  
[PL 2025, c. 397, §18 (AMD).]
3.  How signed.  The voter must personally sign that voter's name in such a manner as to satisfy the registrar of that voter's municipality that the voter is a registered voter and enrolled in the party named on the petition. Either the voter or the circulator of the petition must print the voter's name.  
[RR 2019, c. 2, Pt. B, §42 (COR).]
4.  Residence.  The voter or the circulator of the petition must write or print the voter's residence address and municipality of registration. Ditto marks are permitted for residence address and municipality of registration only.  
[PL 2005, c. 453, §47 (AMD).]
5.  Number of signatures required.  Petitions must be signed by the following numbers of voters:  
A. For a candidate for Governor, at least 2,000 and not more than 2,500 voters;   [PL 2021, c. 273, §5 (AMD).]
B. For a candidate for United States Senator, at least 2,000 and not more than 2,500 voters;   [PL 2021, c. 273, §5 (AMD).]
B-1. [PL 1995, c. 154, §1 (RP).]
B-2. [PL 2015, c. 474, §1 (NEW); MRSA T. 21-A §335, sub-§5, ¶B-2 (RP).]
B-3. For a candidate for the office of President of the United States, at least 2,000 and not more than 2,500 voters;   [PL 2021, c. 273, §5 (AMD).]
C. For a candidate for Representative to Congress, at least 1,000 and not more than 1,250 voters;   [PL 2021, c. 273, §5 (AMD).]
D. For a candidate for county office other than county commissioner, at least 150 and not more than 200 voters;   [PL 1991, c. 362, §1 (AMD).]
E. For a candidate for county commissioner, at least 50 and not more than 75 voters;   [PL 1991, c. 362, §1 (AMD).]
F. For a candidate for State Senator, at least 100 and not more than 150 voters; and   [PL 1985, c. 161, §6 (NEW).]
G. For a candidate for State Representative, at least 25 and not more than 40 voters.   [PL 1985, c. 161, §6 (NEW).]
[PL 2021, c. 273, §5 (AMD).]
6.  When signed.  Except as provided in subchapter 8, a petition may not be signed before January 1st of the election year in which it is to be used.  
[PL 2019, c. 445, §2 (AMD).]
7.  Certification of petition.  A primary petition shall be verified and certified as follows.  
A. The circulator of a primary petition shall verify by oath or affirmation before a notary public or other person authorized by law to administer oaths or affirmations that the circulator personally witnessed all of the signatures to the petition and that to the best of the circulator's knowledge and belief each signature is the signature of the person whose name it purports to be; each signature authorized under section 153‑A was made by the authorized signer in the presence and at the direction of the voter; and each person is enrolled in the party named in the petition and is a resident of the electoral division named in the petition.   [PL 2009, c. 253, §17 (AMD).]
B. The registrar, or clerk at the request or upon the absence of the registrar, of each municipality concerned shall certify which names on a petition appear in the central voter registration system as registered and enrolled voters in that municipality and may not certify any names that do not satisfy subsection 3. A municipality shall make a municipal official available to certify candidate petitions on the day of the deadline set forth in subsection 8.   [PL 2025, c. 397, §19 (AMD).]
[PL 2025, c. 397, §19 (AMD).]
8.  When filed.  Except as provided in subchapter 8, a primary petition must be filed in the office of the Secretary of State before 5 p.m. on March 15th of the election year in which it is to be used.  
[PL 2019, c. 445, §3 (AMD).]
9.  Petition validity.  For a candidate to qualify for the ballot, a nomination petition must meet all of the requirements of this section. If the circulator swears an oath or affirmation in accordance with subsection 7, paragraph A that the circulator reasonably believes to be true and accurate at the time the oath or affirmation is sworn and there is no proof of fraud or a knowingly false statement by the circulator, then the voters' signatures that do not meet the requirements of subsection 7, paragraph A may not be counted, but the petition is otherwise valid.  
[PL 2009, c. 253, §18 (RPR).]
SECTION HISTORY
PL 1985, c. 161, §6 (NEW). PL 1987, c. 797, §1 (AMD). PL 1991, c. 362, §1 (AMD). PL 1993, c. 334, §1 (AMD). PL 1995, c. 154, §1 (AMD). PL 1995, c. 459, §§22,23 (AMD). PL 1997, c. 436, §48 (AMD). PL 2005, c. 196, §4 (AMD). PL 2005, c. 453, §§47,48 (AMD). PL 2009, c. 253, §§17, 18 (AMD). PL 2015, c. 474, §§1-3 (AMD). PL 2019, c. 371, §10 (AMD). PL 2019, c. 445, §§1-3 (AMD). RR 2019, c. 2, Pt. B, §§41, 42 (COR). PL 2021, c. 273, §5 (AMD). PL 2023, c. 389, §1 (AMD). PL 2025, c. 397, §§18, 19 (AMD).
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Notes of Decisions
Cited in 12 cases (5 in the last 5 years), 1992–2024 · leading case: State v. Anthoine, 789 A.2d 1277 (Me. 2002).
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State v. Anthoine, 789 A.2d 1277 (Me. 2002). · cites it 2× “The statute governing primary petitions requires the procurement of "at least 25 and not more than 40” signatures, 21-A M.R.S.A. § 335(5)(G) (1993), presumably in recognition that some of the signatures may prove to be void, id.”
Libertarian Party v. Diamond, 799 F. Supp. 1 (D. Me. 1992). · cites it 3× “Me.Rev.Stat.Ann. tit. 21-A, § 331(1) (West Supp.”
Libertarian Party of Maine v. Dunlap, 659 F. Supp. 2d 215 (D. Me. 2009). “Compare 21-A M.R.S.A. § 335(5) with §§ 353, 354. Qualified-party candidates have only 8 weeks, from January 1 to March 15, to collect and certify the necessary signatures; non-party presidential candidates have five more months.”
Christie v. Bellows (Me. Super. Ct 2023). · cites it 8× “R.S. § 335(1) ("A primary petition may contain as many separate papers as necessary .”
Boyer v. Dep't of the Sec'y of State (Me. Super. Ct 2018). · cites it 7× “The last subsection of 21-A M.R.S. § 335 frames the issue that is central to this appeal: For a candidate to qualify for the ballot, a nomination petition must meet all of the requirements of this section.”
League of Women Voters v. Diamond, 965 F. Supp. 96 (D. Me. 1997). “See 21-A M.R.S.A. § 335(5)(F)-(G) (1993). Such voters also may place independent candidates for state representative on the general ballot by collecting 50 signatures.”
League of Women Voters v. Diamond, 965 F. Supp. 96 (D. Me. 1997). “See 21-A M.R.S.A. § 335(5)(F)-(G) (1993). Such voters also may place independent candidates for state representative on the general ballot by collecting 50 signatures.”
Bond v. Dunlap (D. Me. 2020). · cites it 2× “Compare 21-A M.R.S.A. §§ 335–336, with 21-A M.R.S.”
Baines v. Bellows (D. Me. 2021). · cites it 2× “21-A M.R.S. § 335(2), (5). 12 At present, the qualified parties are, in alphabetical order, the Democratic Party of Maine, the Maine Green Independent Party, and the Republican Party of Maine.”
Baines v. Bellows (D. Me. 2021). · cites it 2× “In the Order, I determined that the provision of Maine law forbidding candidates in ballot-qualified minor parties from demonstrating popular support based on nomination signatures collected from within-district, unenrolled voters, see 21-A M.R.S. § 335(2), deprives such…”
Baines v. Bellows (D. Me. 2022). “In the December Order, I explained as follows: [T]he provision of Maine law forbidding candidates in ballot-qualified minor parties from demonstrating popular support based on nomination signatures collected from within-district, unenrolled voters, see 21-A M.R.S. § 335(2),…”
Cent. Maine Power Co. v. Maine Comm'n on Governmental Ethics & Election Practices (D. Me. 2024). “, 21-A M.R.S. §§ 335, 354. In support of the claim that the State’s enforcing agencies do not read the Act to regulate federal elections, the State offers a declaration from the current executive director of the Commission to that effect.”
— Me. Rev. Stat. tit. 21-A, § 335(1) — 1 case
Christie v. Bellows (Me. Super. Ct 2023). “R.S. § 335(1) ("A primary petition may contain as many separate papers as necessary .”
— Me. Rev. Stat. tit. 21-A, § 335(2) — 5 cases
Libertarian Party v. Diamond, 799 F. Supp. 1 (D. Me. 1992). “Me.Rev.Stat.Ann. tit. 21-A, § 331(1) (West Supp.”
Christie v. Bellows (Me. Super. Ct 2023). “R.S. § 335(1) ("A primary petition may contain as many separate papers as necessary .”
Baines v. Bellows (D. Me. 2021). “21-A M.R.S. § 335(2), (5). 12 At present, the qualified parties are, in alphabetical order, the Democratic Party of Maine, the Maine Green Independent Party, and the Republican Party of Maine.”
Baines v. Bellows (D. Me. 2021). “In the Order, I determined that the provision of Maine law forbidding candidates in ballot-qualified minor parties from demonstrating popular support based on nomination signatures collected from within-district, unenrolled voters, see 21-A M.R.S. § 335(2), deprives such…”
Baines v. Bellows (D. Me. 2022). “In the December Order, I explained as follows: [T]he provision of Maine law forbidding candidates in ballot-qualified minor parties from demonstrating popular support based on nomination signatures collected from within-district, unenrolled voters, see 21-A M.R.S. § 335(2),…”
— Me. Rev. Stat. tit. 21-A, § 335(3) — 2 cases
Christie v. Bellows (Me. Super. Ct 2023). “R.S. § 335(1) ("A primary petition may contain as many separate papers as necessary .”
Boyer v. Dep't of the Sec'y of State (Me. Super. Ct 2018). “The last subsection of 21-A M.R.S. § 335 frames the issue that is central to this appeal: For a candidate to qualify for the ballot, a nomination petition must meet all of the requirements of this section.”
— Me. Rev. Stat. tit. 21-A, § 335(5) — 2 cases
Libertarian Party of Maine v. Dunlap, 659 F. Supp. 2d 215 (D. Me. 2009). “Compare 21-A M.R.S.A. § 335(5) with §§ 353, 354. Qualified-party candidates have only 8 weeks, from January 1 to March 15, to collect and certify the necessary signatures; non-party presidential candidates have five more months.”
Libertarian Party v. Diamond, 799 F. Supp. 1 (D. Me. 1992). “Me.Rev.Stat.Ann. tit. 21-A, § 331(1) (West Supp.”
— Me. Rev. Stat. tit. 21-A, § 335(5)(F) — 2 cases
League of Women Voters v. Diamond, 965 F. Supp. 96 (D. Me. 1997). “See 21-A M.R.S.A. § 335(5)(F)-(G) (1993). Such voters also may place independent candidates for state representative on the general ballot by collecting 50 signatures.”
League of Women Voters v. Diamond, 965 F. Supp. 96 (D. Me. 1997). “See 21-A M.R.S.A. § 335(5)(F)-(G) (1993). Such voters also may place independent candidates for state representative on the general ballot by collecting 50 signatures.”
— Me. Rev. Stat. tit. 21-A, § 335(5)(G) — 1 case
State v. Anthoine, 789 A.2d 1277 (Me. 2002). “The statute governing primary petitions requires the procurement of "at least 25 and not more than 40” signatures, 21-A M.R.S.A. § 335(5)(G) (1993), presumably in recognition that some of the signatures may prove to be void, id.”
— Me. Rev. Stat. tit. 21-A, § 335(6) — 1 case
Baines v. Bellows (D. Me. 2021). “21-A M.R.S. § 335(2), (5). 12 At present, the qualified parties are, in alphabetical order, the Democratic Party of Maine, the Maine Green Independent Party, and the Republican Party of Maine.”
— Me. Rev. Stat. tit. 21-A, § 335(7)(A) — 2 cases
State v. Anthoine, 789 A.2d 1277 (Me. 2002). “The statute governing primary petitions requires the procurement of "at least 25 and not more than 40” signatures, 21-A M.R.S.A. § 335(5)(G) (1993), presumably in recognition that some of the signatures may prove to be void, id.”
Boyer v. Dep't of the Sec'y of State (Me. Super. Ct 2018). “The last subsection of 21-A M.R.S. § 335 frames the issue that is central to this appeal: For a candidate to qualify for the ballot, a nomination petition must meet all of the requirements of this section.”
— Me. Rev. Stat. tit. 21-A, § 335(7)(B) — 2 cases
Christie v. Bellows (Me. Super. Ct 2023). “R.S. § 335(1) ("A primary petition may contain as many separate papers as necessary .”
Boyer v. Dep't of the Sec'y of State (Me. Super. Ct 2018). “The last subsection of 21-A M.R.S. § 335 frames the issue that is central to this appeal: For a candidate to qualify for the ballot, a nomination petition must meet all of the requirements of this section.”
— Me. Rev. Stat. tit. 21-A, § 335(8) — 1 case
Baines v. Bellows (D. Me. 2021). “In the Order, I determined that the provision of Maine law forbidding candidates in ballot-qualified minor parties from demonstrating popular support based on nomination signatures collected from within-district, unenrolled voters, see 21-A M.R.S. § 335(2), deprives such…”
— Me. Rev. Stat. tit. 21-A, § 335(9) — 1 case
Boyer v. Dep't of the Sec'y of State (Me. Super. Ct 2018). “The last subsection of 21-A M.R.S. § 335 frames the issue that is central to this appeal: For a candidate to qualify for the ballot, a nomination petition must meet all of the requirements of this section.”
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