Rally to Save Maine Absentee Voting — Sat. May 10

Voting rights advocates will be holding a rally to oppose a new ballot referendum that would severely restrict absentee voting on Saturday, May 10 from 2 to 3:30 pm at the Maine State House. On March 12, the office of the Secretary of State released draft language for a referendum as it will appear on the November ballot. The question, as drafted, reads:

"Do you want to change Maine election laws to require voters to show ID before voting, end ongoing absentee voting for seniors and people with disabilities, ban prepaid postage on absentee ballot return envelopes, prohibit requests for absentee ballots by phone or family members, eliminate two days of absentee voting, and make other changes to our elections?

In 2024, a citizen’s initiative campaign collected signatures for regressive and restrictive changes to Maine’s voting laws. The Secretary of State’s office has since certified enough of those signatures, and the referendum question is now poised to be on the ballot on Election Day in November 2025. You can read the full draft proposal here.

This ballot measure is about so much more than just Voter ID. If it passes, many Mainers will see their access to the ballot box unfairlyrestricted.

It takes away local control by:

• Limiting the number of secure ballot drop-off boxes a town may offer
• Second-guessing town clerks, requiring a two-person, bipartisan team to check ballot boxes, instead of the clerk or a trusted member of their staff. This restriction will place undue pressure on town clerks, and will lead to many towns simply getting rid of their secure drop boxes.
• Prohibiting towns from including return postage on absentee ballots, even if taxpayers vote to fund it.
• Preventing you from calling your town clerk to request a ballot, making it harder for those without reliable transportation or internet to request an absentee ballot.
• It eliminates ongoing absentee ballots, even though this has been a boon for Maine seniors and Mainers with disabilities.
• Itshortens the time period for early absentee voting by two days - two of the most popular days for early absentee voting.