DEAR SUN SPOTS: I am hoping you can help me since I have no idea where to turn to get the answer. It seems like every time I come across a contest/sweepstakes I am excited about lately, it is void in Maine. I’d never in my life seen void in Maine on anything, but now I am seeing it everywhere. I don’t understand why all of a sudden it’s not allowed. What changed? I am including a couple of links that I’ve come across: www.pgeverydaysolutions.com/pgeds/sweepstakes/register.jsp and www.winonegiveone.com. Thank you so much for all the help you provide! — Terri Hutchinson, Auburn

ANSWER: Sun Spots found the following explanation, which she edited for length and content, at www.howstuffworks.com. It doesn’t explain specificially the problems with contests in Maine, but it does provide an idea of the efforts a company must exert to execute a contest, and why they might choose to leave out a state.

“In a magazine advertisement for a company contest or giveaway, the description of the prize is typically followed by a huge mass of fine print. The fine print details all the contest rules, restrictions, regulations, etc. …

“Companies do this because when they open a contest to the public, they create all sorts of possible legal troubles for themselves. They have to be perfectly clear about their own responsibility in the contest so they can avoid lawsuits from disgruntled contest losers and dissatisfied contest winners. This gets a bit tricky because, in addition to covering themselves under the general national law, companies running contests also have to cover themselves under the regional laws everywhere they run the contest.

“In the United States, every state establishes their own set of rules for contests. Most states have the same basic rules, so most national contests are valid. Rhode Island is unique because the state law actually requires the company to file a legal statement before it can run a contest in that state. … The statute … details exactly what information must be included in the filed statement. In addition, the law requires the company pay a $150 filing fee. If a company runs a contest in Rhode Island, and fails to file a statement correctly, the company is actually guilty of a criminal misdemeanor!

“For companies that want to run national contests, the filing fee alone means it’s not really worthwhile to run the contest in Rhode Island, which has a fairly small population. When you add to that the hassle of researching Rhode Island law in order to file the statement correctly, very few national companies are going to bother. …

“The other 49 U.S. states don’t require special filing procedures, but they may have particular rules about what sort of contests are legal. This is where the “void where prohibited” clause comes in. The statement gives the company blanket protection against running an illegal contest, without having to research the law in each particular state, and tailor the contest accordingly.”

A posting at contests.about.com said that Maine is now limiting contests that are open to those under 18, which could explain one of the contests you submitted. The Maine Attorney General’s Office might be able to offer additional explanations, but Sun Spots has had no luck with getting them to return her calls.

DEAR SUN SPOTS: A reader recently inquired as to lavender spray for bedding. In the past, I have found some at Longfellow’s Greenhouse in Manchester as well as at T.J. Maxx. I have given it as gifts in the past. I hope this helps that reader. — Pauline, No Town

DEAR SUN SPOTS: Thank you for the information in your Feb. 16 column. I am interested in Celtic jewlery, pendants and crosses. I like getting the catalogs because I don’t shop online. If readers know of any place that has such a catalog, please write Sun Spots. — Joanna Walsh-Ward, Lewiston

CORRECTION: For people looking to contact Creative Irish Gifts, they should call 1-866-851-7918 or 1-866-851-7916. The numbers that the reader sent in were 1-800, but should have been 1-866.

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