Registration of Appeals Board

State law provides for a Registration Appeals Board, M.R.S. Title 21-A §103, in the event a person is aggrieved by the decision of the registrar of voters, that person may appeal to the board.

The board consists of 3 members and 2 alternates. The municipal committee of each of the major political parties shall nominate one member, who must be enrolled in the party that nominates the member. The municipal officers shall appoint the persons nominated by the municipal committees. The third member is nominated by the town clerk and appointed by the municipal officers.

When a municipal committee nominates a member, it shall also nominate an alternate board member who serves if the member nominated by the municipal committee is or becomes unable to serve.

The clerk may give the municipal committees a list of qualifications necessary for a person to fulfill the duties of the registration appeals board and shall take those qualifications into consideration when nominating members to the board. Appeals are an important process available to a person who feels their voter registration should not have been canceled or their application for registration should not have been denied.

The committees are asked to consider nominees who are fair, responsible and will take the appeal seriously. Board members must be available for the hearing which is scheduled by the chairman. Board members must be able to read the state law regarding voter registration, do their best to understand the law and listen to both sides of the issue and make a fair determination based on the law.

The term of office is 3 years and until the member's successor is appointed and sworn.

The term of office is 4 years for the member nominated by the clerk who also serves as chairman of the board.  

E-mail Registration Appeals Board
Staff Contact: Debra Lane, Town Clerk