District attorneys shall be elected as provided in this section. They shall enter office on the first day of January following their election. [1987, c. 737, Pt. A, §2(NEW); 1987, c. 737, Pt. C, §106(NEW); 1989, c. 6(AMD); 1989, c. 9, §2(AMD); 1989, c. 104, Pt. C, §§8, 10(AMD).]
1.Election. The district attorneys shall be elected on the Tuesday following the first Monday of November in every 4th year, by the voters of the respective prosecutorial districts. The votes shall be received, sorted, counted and declared in the same manner as votes for Representatives. The names of the persons voted for, the number of votes for each and the whole number of ballots received shall be recorded by the clerk of each municipality within the prosecutorial district. The clerk shall send true copies of these names and totals, sealed and attested as returns of votes for Senators, to the Secretary of State. [1987, c. 737, Pt. A, §2(NEW); 1987, c. 737, Pt. C, §106(NEW); 1989, c. 6(AMD); 1989, c. 9, §2(AMD); 1989, c. 104, Pt. C, §§8, 10(AMD).]
2.Qualifications. Only an attorney who is a member in good standing of the bar of the State and who resides in the prosecutorial district may be elected or appointed district attorney. Removal from the prosecutorial district or disbarment or suspension from the practice of law vacates the office. For purposes of this subsection, a person is a "member in good standing of the bar of the State" if that person is admitted to the practice of law in this State, is presently registered with the Board of Overseers of the Bar as an active practitioner and is not currently disbarred or suspended from practice in this State pursuant to Title 4, chapter 17, subchapter 2 or the Maine Bar Rules. [2019, c. 85, §1(AMD).]
3.Term of office. The term of office for a district attorney is 4 years, except when one is elected to fill out an unexpired term, in which case it is for the remainder of the unexpired term. [1987, c. 737, Pt. A, §2(NEW); 1987, c. 737, Pt. C, §106(NEW); 1989, c. 6(AMD); 1989, c. 9, §2(AMD); 1989, c. 104, Pt. C, §§8, 10(AMD).]
Amended by 2019, c. 85,§ 1, eff. 9/19/2019.1987, c. 737, §§A2,C106 (NEW) . 1989, c. 6, (AMD) . 1989, c. 9, § 2 (AMD) . 1989, c. 104, §§C8,10 (AMD) .