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Lawmakers hear bill to change recount thresholds and require recount cost accountability
Summary
LD 1289 would tighten thresholds for taxpayer‑funded election recounts and require candidates who request discretionary recounts to pay the actual costs if they remain unsuccessful; the Secretary of State's office and civic groups testified in support and asked for a small technical amendment clarifying when costs apply.
Sen. Teresa Purse (D‑Cumberland) introduced LD 1289, a bill to amend Maine's recount laws by reducing the margin thresholds that permit a losing candidate to request a taxpayer‑funded recount and clarifying who pays recount costs when an unsuccessful recount is requested.
Deputy Secretary of State Emily Cook testified in favor, saying Maine's November election produced a record number of legislative recount requests (11 legislative recounts plus a federal congressional recount) and that the Elections Division staff worked extensively to complete those reviews. Cook told the committee that current rules do not require candidates to post a deposit except in a narrow set of races and that state staff found the practice placed unbudgeted payroll and facility costs on the Elections Division. The office requested an amendment to LD 1289 to clarify that only candidates required to submit a deposit would be required to pay the state's actual recount cost if the recount does not overturn the result.
Al Cleveland of the League of Women Voters supported the bill with the amendment and urged the committee to consider a statutory cap on recount costs for legislative races, arguing that fairness requires predictable maximum costs across districts with different municipal mixes or ballot card sorting needs.
Committee members asked the Secretary of State's office for additional historical data: the frequency of recounts over the past decade; the largest margin changes before and after recounts; and itemized cost breakdowns for recent recounts, especially the Second Congressional District matter. Deputy Secretary Cook said the office would provide past cost records and the requested data for the work session.
No formal committee vote was taken at the hearing; members requested the additional materials for the work session.
