Today, we wanted to tell you about a voter suppression initiative that you’ll probably be asked to support as you leave your polling place on Election Day. The extremist “Voter ID for ME” campaign would severely limit Mainers’ ability to vote absentee and create one of the strictest voter ID laws in the country. We strongly urge you to decline to sign this petition.
Why now? Republicans have tried for years to pass voter suppression measures in Maine, so far without success. But this campaign is more organized and better funded. If it goes according to their plan, voters will decide whether to pass the measure in 2025, meaning it could be in place for the 2026 gubernatorial and U.S. Senate races. That’s their end goal: to install extremist candidates by making it harder for seniors, minorities, people with disabilities, low-income voters, and students to vote.
Maine has a proud history of expanding voting rights, not limiting them. That’s why we allow same-day, automatic, and online voter registration. We don’t require an excuse for absentee voting. And we never deprive voters of their franchise because of incarceration or a criminal conviction. As a result of these laws, Maine consistently has one of the highest voter turnout rates in the country, and our 20 year old secure absentee voting program is a national model.
We strongly urge you to decline to sign this petition. We work hard to ensure that all eligible Maine voters–no matter their race, creed, or ability–have easy, safe, and convenient access to the ballot. We hope you’ll support us in that endeavor.