Somali women challenged at Auburn polling place

AUBURN — Two Somali immigrants were allowed to cast their ballots Tuesday after being challenged by a Republican poll watcher who later backed down.

The American Civil Liberties Union of Maine said the poll watcher challenged the women at an Auburn polling place because they were registering to vote with the help of an interpreter.

The poll watcher, Gervis Leger of Auburn, backed off when he was told he’d have to sign an affidavit swearing he had direct knowledge that the women weren’t eligible to vote.

Leger said this was his first time as a poll watcher and just had a funny feeling about the women.

Shenna Bellows of the ACLU said the women were allowed to vote after producing identification and signing affidavits swearing they are citizens.

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