AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) — A judge has upheld a decision by Maine’s secretary of state that is keeping a Bangor man off the November gubernatorial ballot.
Alex Hammer had filed a complaint claiming the secretary of state’s office was wrong to reject electronic copies of petition signatures he had collected in his bid to qualify as an independent candidate. Hammer said Maine statute does not specifically prohibit electronic copies from being submitted to local town clerks to verify signatures.
According to the Bangor Daily News, Superior Court Justice Michaela Murphy ruled Tuesday that the Legislature has always expressly stated exceptions where electronic copies of official forms are permissible. Murphy said there is no exception in the law allowing for electronic copies of petition forms.
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Information from: Bangor Daily News, http://www.bangornews.com
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