AUGUSTA — Secretary of State Shenna Bellows, Governor Janet Mills and members of the Maine Suffrage Centennial will hold a ribbon cutting on Friday for the new historic marker at the State House commemorating Maine’s ratification of the 19th Amendment on November 5, 1919.

AUGUSTA — Secretary of State Shenna Bellows testified in favor of a bill to advance an electronic lien and title system at the Bureau of Motor Vehicles during a public hearing in the Legislature’s Transportation Committee on Thursday.

The bill, L.D. 1843, "An Act To Allow the Secretary of State To Use an Electronic Lien Titling Program for the Purposes of the Maine Motor Vehicle Certificate of Title and Antitheft Act" was introduced by Rep. Mike Perkins, R-Oakland.

AUGUSTA — Secretary of State Shenna Bellows will visit polling places around Maine on June 14, 2022, the last day of voting for the Primary Election and the Senate District 7 Special Election.

Maine, from local election clerks to the state’s Division of Elections, conducts accessible, safe and secure elections. Mainers should be proud of our high voter participation rates, the accuracy our of voting counts (which are routinely verified through recounts of close races), and that every U.S. citizen who is a Maine resident at least 18 years of age has the right to vote in our state.

AUGUSTA — A recount of ballots cast has been scheduled for Somerset County Commissioner District 5 race, Secretary of State Shenna Bellows announced today.

AUGUSTA — Due to a serious threat against Maine Bureau of Motor Vehicle (BMV) branch offices potentially from a aggrieved customer, the 13 BMV branches around Maine will only be open to scheduled appointments for the remainder of Tuesday.

AUGUSTA — The Maine Student Mock Election will be held this week, with students at 155 schools around the state participating.

"Holding mock elections is a great way for students to get hands-on learning about the electoral process, our government, and the importance of being involved and making their voices heard," said Secretary of State Shenna Bellows. "Civics education is a vital component of students’ lifelong learning. Mock elections are civics education in action."

AUGUSTA — No-excuse absentee voting has begun for Maine’s March 5, 2024 Presidential Primary Election.

The Democratic and Republican Parties are holding presidential primaries. The Green Independent, Libertarian, and No Labels Parties did not choose to hold presidential primaries. There is also a Special Election in House District 122, which encompasses part of South Portland.

AUGUSTA — Secretary of State Shenna Bellows has confirmed the No Labels Party as a Qualified Party in Maine.

The party submitted the State of Maine Certification of Enrollment Requirement to Form a New Party by Party Enrollment form on Dec. 13, 2023. This triggered a review of the number of party enrollees to ensure that No Labels had at least the required 5,000 voters enrolled in the Party to qualify the party to participate in the Primary Election to be held June 11, 2024.

As of January 2, 2024, there were 9,423 Maine voters enrolled in the No Labels Party.

AUGUSTA — As Election Day nears on November 7, Secretary of State Shenna Bellows is reminding all Maine voters of a non-partisan resource that can help them make informed decisions at the polls: the 2023 Maine Citizen’s Guide to the Referendum Election.

AUGUSTA — Secretary of State Shenna Bellows is now accepting public comment on the wording of two citizen initiative questions that will appear on the November 7, 2023 Referendum Election ballot, unless enacted by the Legislature as written.

The department’s Bureau of Corporations, Elections and Commissions has certified two citizen initiatives, as follows: