FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, September 16, 2024

National Voter Registration Day tomorrow, Sept. 17

AUGUSTA — Tuesday, Nov. 17 is National Voter Registration Day, a nonpartisan civic holiday dedicated to celebrating democracy and registering voters.

“Registering to vote is an important and exciting step towards casting a ballot and having your voice heard in Maine’s elections,” said Secretary of State Shenna Bellows. “This year we were excited to implement Maine’s first online voter registration system at Maine.gov/vote, which has made registering to vote for the first time – or updating a registration after a big life change – even more convenient for busy Mainers.”

Secretary Bellows will visit voter registration events around the state on Tuesday to speak with Mainers about the importance of registering to vote. She is available to do in interviews upon request.

Maine has recently seen an increasing number of online voter registrations, including 2440 online voter registrations on Sept. 12. These 2440 registrations include new registrations, duplicates and updates to existing registrations like a name, address or party enrollment status change.

To register to vote in Maine, voters must be Maine residents, U.S. citizens, and at least 16 years old, though only Mainers who will be 18 years old on or before November 5, 2024 may vote in the General Election. When registering for the first time, voters must provide proof of residency and identity. Current or former incarceration status does not disqualify any Mainer from registering to vote or casting their ballot. Incarcerated persons at a correctional facility or county jail may register to vote in the Maine municipality where they established residency prior to incarceration.

Maine does not currently offer a voter registration lookup tool, but voters can contact their town or city clerk if they are unsure if they are already registered to vote, or if their information is up-to-date. Contact information for municipal clerks and registrars is available at https://www.maine.gov/sos/cec/elec/munic.html.

Maine has same day voter registration, meaning that Mainers may register to vote and cast their ballot on the same day, even Election Day. Online voter registration at maine.gov/vote is available through Tuesday, Oct. 15 (21 days before Election Day). Registrations done by mail need to be received by the municipal clerk of the voter by that date as well. Automatic voter registration during Bureau of Motor Vehicle transactions is available through Tuesday, Oct. 29 (7 days before Election Day). After those deadlines, registrations must be done in person at the voter’s municipality.

###