AUGUSTA – Secretary of State Dan Gwadosky announced last week that nearly 70 percent of Maine businesses and nonprofit corporations processed their 2004 annual report filings electronically.

“In today’s fast-paced economic environment, it’s critical for business owners and operators to save resources whenever possible,” Gwadosky said in a statement.

Nearly 62,000 business entities and nonprofit corporations are on file with the Department of the Secretary of State and all are required to submit an annual report.

Of the 49,141 reports filed as of June 1, 33,842 were filed using the Annual Reports Online service, an increase of 17 percent over last year.