The Libertarian Party has qualified as an official party with ballot access in Maine, Secretary of State Shenna Bellows announced Friday.

As of Jan. 2 – the deadline to qualify – 5,168 Maine voters had enrolled in the Libertarian Party. At least 5,000 members were needed to be declared an official party in Maine.

The Libertarian Party will now have ballot access, including for the 2024 presidential race. It joins the Democratic, Green Independent, No Labels and Republican Parties as officially qualified parties in Maine.

Two other parties had filed to begin enrolling new voters toward new party formation. Neither the Forward Party nor the People’s Party submitted the necessary paperwork before the deadline.

Maine’s 2024 primaries will be held under the new semi-open primary law. Unenrolled voters now have the option to vote in any party primary without having to enroll in that party. Unenrolled voters may only vote in one party’s primary.

Voters enrolled in a party can only vote in that party’s primary ballot. Enrolled voters must change enrollment at least 15 days prior to a primary if they wish to vote in a different party’s primary, and they may not change their party enrollment again for 3 months unless they move to a new municipality and establish a new voting residence there.

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