FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, March 7, 2023

Secretary Bellows statement about protecting the freedom to vote

AUGUSTA — Secretary of State Shenna Bellows released the below statement today regarding the importance of protecting the freedom to vote for all Maine voters.

“Mainers should be incredibly proud of our safe, secure and accurate elections in which we are a national leader in voter participation. As Secretary of State I will vigorously defend Mainers’ freedom to vote, and fight against any efforts to make it harder for Maine voters to make their voice heard at the ballot box. On the 58th anniversary of the march from Selma to Montgomery, we should be coming together around ways to further strengthen Maine’s elections rather than debating proposals for voter suppression.”

Republican legislators in the Maine House and Senate have advanced bills that would place unnecessary burdens to Mainers’ ability to cast their vote by requiring voters to produce a specific type of identification to receive a ballot, remove the popular absentee ballot return option of secure ballot drop boxes, and violate the National Voter Registration Act by erecting barriers to remaining on voter rolls for more than four years, among other proposals.

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