Maine AI laws for political campaigns

Citation

21-A M.R.S. 1014(5-C), with conforming changes to 1014(3), (3-B), and (4)

Enacted

March 23, 2026

Effective

July 29, 2026

When it applies

anytime for express advocacy; for non-express-advocacy communications naming a candidate, the 2-A windows (28 days before a primary, 35 days before a special election, Labor Day to the general election)

Media covered

images, audio recordings, and video recordings depicting a candidate's appearance, speech, or conduct (any manipulation method, not only AI)

Who it covers

any person financing a public communication that requires a disclosure under 21-A M.R.S. 1014(1), (2), (2-A), or (2-B). Broadcasters, cable and satellite systems, and newspapers are liable only if they run a paid communication with actual knowledge it contains synthetic media; a third party's allegation alone is not actual knowledge.

Rule

disclosure required

Intent required

None. Applies whenever the content is likely to deceive a reasonable person or give a materially different impression than the original.

Disclaimer format

In addition to every other required disclosure. The Ethics Commission must adopt routine technical rules on manner, size, and placement; proposed rules were released for comment May 27, 2026 (hearing June 24, 2026, comments due July 8, 2026) and were still pending as of October 5, 2026. Existing Commission rules require disclosure statements to be clear and conspicuous, and on TV at least 4% of vertical picture height for at least four seconds.

Exemptions

• satire or parody
• edits that only improve audio, video, or image clarity, add captions, or highlight a section without changing the impression
• broadcasters and newspapers without actual knowledge

Civil penalty

Civil penalty up to 500% of the expenditure in violation (versus 100% for other disclosure violations). The usual option to waive the penalty if corrected within 10 days does not apply to synthetic media violations.

Who can sue

No new private right of action; other existing causes of action are preserved. The Attorney General may sue in Kennebec County Superior Court for an injunction when a violator keeps going after Commission notice, with costs and attorney fees.

Injunction available

Yes

Court challenges

None found.

Notes

LD 517 was originally titled An Act to Protect the First Amendment Rights of Individuals in the State and was rewritten by committee amendment in the 2026 session. Not an emergency law, so it took effect on the general effective date for nonemergency laws of the Second Regular Session of the 132nd Legislature, July 29, 2026 (the Legislature adjourned sine die April 29, 2026, per the Maine Legislature home page). The online statute text had not yet been updated with 5-C when checked on 2026-10-05. Covers state and local candidates under Maine campaign finance law; federal candidates are governed by FEC rules.

Read the official text

Citation

10 M.R.S. 1498

When it applies

anytime; where permitted, automated solicitation calls only weekdays 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., one call per number per 8 hours

Media covered

calls by automated telephone calling devices or using an artificial or prerecorded voice

Who it covers

anyone making solicitation calls, defined to include calls to sell, to solicit charitable contributions, or to gather data or statistics or solicit information

Rule

ban

Disclaimer format

Where permitted: identify the name, address, and phone number of the organization within the first minute; disconnect within 5 seconds of hang-up; keep transcripts of messages for 24 months.

Exemptions

• prior, written, express consent of the recipient
• responding to an inquiry initiated by the person called
• government, school, and emergency messages
• status of purchased goods or services
• customer information about reservations, hours, and availability

Civil penalty

Unfair trade practice under 5 M.R.S. 207 (Unfair Trade Practices Act remedies)

Notes

No political exemption. Whether persuasion or GOTV recorded calls are 'solicitation calls' is not settled; survey and polling calls clearly are, and fundraising robocalls may be argued to be 'solicit information' or donation solicitations.

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Citation

21-A M.R.S. 1014-B

When it applies

anytime

Media covered

paid telephone surveys (push polls) and paid political telephone solicitations or contacts, by live or automated callers

Who it covers

anyone who authorizes, commissions, conducts, or administers a push poll; anyone who conducts a paid push poll or political telephone solicitation or contact in Maine

Rule

disclosure required

Intent required

Push poll definition requires, among other elements, a question premised on an untrue statement and a primary purpose of suppressing or changing the voter's position

Disclaimer format

In each push poll call: sponsor statement; caller organization if different; phone number and address if the sponsor does not file with election officials; candidate name and office if the sponsor is affiliated with a candidate; a statement that no candidate approved the call if it is an independent expenditure. Oral disclosures must be clear and repeated on request; automated systems must offer a way to repeat them.

Exemptions

• calls where the participants know each other before the call

Civil penalty

$500 forfeiture assessed by the Ethics Commission for disclosure violations

Notes

The registered agent requirement (subsection 3) applies to paid political telephone solicitations or contacts generally, not only push polls, unless the caller is already registered to do business in Maine.

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