Government Affairs

Election Law

Preti's Government Affairs Practice Group contains several of northern New England's most experienced Election Law attorneys. For decades, our team has been a leader in solving legal issues surrounding political campaigns and the election process. We have served as counsel to numerous high-profile presidential congressional, gubernatorial and legislative campaigns in addition to having represented political parties and political action committees (PACs) across the ideological spectrum.

Daniel Walker and our team of Election Law attorneys have represented political parties such as the Maine Democratic Party and the Democratic National Committee on election and political law issues ranging from constitutional rights to state ethics violations.

We are actively involved in the following areas during the legislative cycle:

Campaign Committee and PAC Formation
Our election attorneys form campaign committees and political action committees (PACs) to ensure that early steps in our clients' campaigns are managed quickly and accurately to provide a solid basis for their political venture. Getting these processes right avoids potential controversies later.

Ballot Access
When political campaigns face uncertainty or strategic challenges caused by ballot access laws, our Election Law attorneys are ready to step in. We have represented national and state-level political parties with legal disputes pertaining to candidacy registration, signature gathering, petition rules and ballot access appeals. In 2010, Preti Flaherty successfully defended The Democratic National Committee and the Maine Democratic Party against former presidential candidate Ralph Nader by challenging his right to be on the ballot after inspecting his 2004 campaign petitions.

Campaign Finance and Compliance
Federal and state campaign fundraising reporting requirements have grown increasingly complicated over the last two decades. Preti Flaherty's Election Law attorneys understand the intricacies of complying with these regulations and work with clients to ensure that these procedures are completed accurately and on time throughout the campaign process.

Violation of Election Regulations
Campaign violations can be detrimental to a candidate or political party – both during and after the campaign process. When a campaign violates an election regulation, ethics law or disclosure law, it is critical to respond quickly. Our Election Law attorneys represent clients before state ethics commissions, elections law enforcement agencies, and if necessary, the court system, to defend our political clients' interests or keep the campaign on track.

Recount Law
Campaign victories are often contested when a losing candidate requests a recount. Preti Flaherty's Election attorneys have overseen dozens of recounts and have represented clients whose business initiatives have been challenged by opponents who demanded a referendum recount. On either side of the issue, we assertively protect our client's interests during these long, detail-oriented proceedings.

Choosing a campaign's counsel, whether for a discrete matter or for the entire campaign process, is a decisive factor in achieving success at the polls. Preti Flaherty's Election Law attorneys are skilled at guiding candidates, committees, political parties or PACs through the complex legal issues involved in an election season.

Firm Highlights

Press Coverage

Oxford Police Chief: Officer Tried to De-escalate Pursuit Before Fatal Crash

Officials from the Cumberland County Sheriff's Office have refused to provide documentation of the department's policy on police chases following the fatal high-speed crash of Nicholas Liebowitz in Gray, Maine, on Friday, April 28, 2023. Chief...

Publication

Post Sackett: What Is the Scope of the Clean Water Act?

The Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) rendered a decision in Sackett et ux. v. EPA addressing what Justice Alito referred to as a “nagging question” of what water bodies are covered under...

News

Maine Justice Foundation Opens Applications for the 2023 Access to Justice Tax Credit

The Maine Justice Foundation is pleased to announce that applications for the 2023 Access to Justice Tax Credit Program will open on June 1, 2023. The Foundation will accept applications from eligible attorneys from...

Publication

Municipal Update: Effect of Recent Supreme Court Decision on Sale of Tax Foreclosed Properties

Yesterday, the United States Supreme Court issued its opinion in  Tyler v. Hennepin County, Minnesota  (598 U.S. _____ (2023)). The Supreme Court held that Hennepin County had violated the Fifth Amendment’s takings clause by...

Event

Bodie Colwell joins ethics panel at the Northeast Bankruptcy Conference & Northeast Consumer Forum

An annual conference, this year's Northeast Bankruptcy Conference and Consumer Forum will focus on sophisticated financial scenarios practitioners often face and provide insights on current consumer bankruptcy issues. Preti Flaherty's Bodie Colwell is a...

News

14 Preti Flaherty Attorneys Selected as Chambers USA Leaders in Their Field

Fourteen Preti Flaherty attorneys and six practice groups have been selected for inclusion in the 2023 Chambers USA Guide to America's Leading Lawyers for Business , the highly regarded directory of leading attorneys and...

News

Maine Justice Foundation LGBTQ+ Fund Seeks Applications for 2023 Grants

The Maine Justice Foundation is pleased to announce a round of grants from the LGBTQ+ Fund. The Foundation will accept applications for grants from organizations working to advance awareness and understanding of LGBTQ+ issues...

Press Coverage

Authorities Refuse to Release Records for Maine School Shooter Hoax Calls

On November 15, 2022, multiple law enforcement agencies in Maine received false calls alerting police to active shooter situations at several high schools throughout the state. In the wake of this widespread hoax, the Kennebec...

Publication

Bankruptcy Court Injects Uncertainty in Municipal Tax Foreclosures

Last October, the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Maine issued a ruling of concern for municipalities. The case ( In re Riendeau , 645 B.R. 321 [Bankr. Me. 2022] ) established that...

Publication

H-2B Visa Program Summary

The H-2B classification allows foreign nationals who are citizens of certain named countries, with limited exceptions, to accept temporary non-agricultural employment in the United States, after the employer has obtained temporary labor certification by...