FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2015
Contact: Kristen Muszynski, 626-8404

Citizens encouraged to "Vote in Honor of a Veteran"

AUGUSTA ? As voters celebrate democracy by casting their ballots at the polls this November, Secretary of State Matthew Dunlap is encouraging them to remember the men and women of the armed services who have protected that right since the birth of our nation.

This election season, the Department of the Secretary of State will once again offer the ?Vote in Honor of a Veteran? program, which was first initiated by the late Dan A. Gwadosky, 46th Secretary of State, in 2000. The program offers a way for voters to remember the brave soldiers, sailors and airmen whose sacrifices helped ensure that all Americans can exercise the right to vote.

Voters can participate in two ways:

• Order a button. A signature part of the Vote in Honor of a Veteran program includes a free button that citizens can order from the Office of the Secretary of State, which can be personalized with the name of the veteran they wish to honor. Maine voters can order a button on the Secretary of State website or by calling 626-8400.
• Share a tribute. When first initiated in 2000, the Vote in Honor of a Veteran program received such an overwhelming response that Secretary Gwadosky authorized the compilation of the stories of our veterans in the book ?Maine Remembers Those Who Served.? The book is now available online and continues to grow with additional tributes each year. Participants can add a tribute to the veteran they are honoring by filling out the online form.

To promote the Vote in Honor of a Veteran effort, the department will be sharing tributes from the book on the Department of the Secretary of State Facebook page through Election Day on Nov. 3.