BIDDEFORD — Next Wednesday, the Maine Commission on Governmental Ethics and Election Practices is scheduled to take up a request filed by Republican Stephen Martin for a waiver of a late filing penalty in connection with a special election held March 29 to fill a vacancy in Senate District 32.

Martin lost the election to Democrat Susan Deschambault, but is a candidate for the seat in the November election.

Martin made two $1,000 expenditures between March 16-28 that were required to be reported within 24 hours. He called the ethics commission staff on March 24 to report that he had just been told he had missed the deadline, then immediately reported the expenditures.

Penalties with the late filing total $548.

Commission staff are recommending that the penalty be reduced to $150, citing Martin’s mitigating circumstances that included his first run for office, illness, work responsibilities, time constraints involved with the special election, and his regular contact with the commission staff on compliance, among other factors.