§371. Candidates for nomination; vacancy

If a candidate for nomination dies, withdraws at least 70 days before the primary or becomes disqualified after having filed the candidate's primary petition, so that a party has fewer candidates than there are offices to be filled, the vacancy may be filled by a political committee pursuant to section 363. The Secretary of State shall declare the vacancy pursuant to section 362-A. Less than 70 days before the primary election, a candidate may withdraw from the primary by providing a written notice to the Secretary of State that the candidate is withdrawing and will not serve if elected. The candidate's name will not be removed from the ballot, but upon receipt of the notice of late withdrawal, the Secretary of State shall instruct the local election officials in the candidate's electoral district to distribute notices with absentee ballots requested after that date and to post a notice at each voting place in the district informing voters that the candidate has withdrawn and that a vote for that candidate will not be counted. Notice of the late withdrawal must also be posted on the Secretary of State's publicly accessible website.   [PL 2015, c. 447, §11 (AMD).]

1.  Primary petition if time.

[PL 1999, c. 426, §14 (RP).]

2.  Chosen by committee if not time.

[PL 1999, c. 426, §14 (RP).]

SECTION HISTORY

PL 1985, c. 161, §6 (NEW). PL 1999, c. 426, §§13,14 (AMD). PL 2001, c. 310, §22 (AMD). PL 2007, c. 455, §15 (AMD). PL 2011, c. 342, §11 (AMD). PL 2015, c. 447, §11 (AMD).