The morning of Aug. 11, I read about Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows pushing back against the present administration’s Department of Justice, requesting a copy of Maine’s voter registration files and a list of the election officials responsible for maintaining that list. The DOJ also requested detailed information about the state’s efforts to update the voter rolls. I called Secretary Bellows’ office to lend my support for her stance.

According to the news report, Bellows had expressed “grave concerns” about the DOJ’s sweeping record requests. She pointed to the state law that prohibited her office from sharing sensitive, personal information in voter files.

Later that afternoon, my phone rang. It was Shenna Bellows on the line. She had called to thank me for reaching out to her. I asked her what more effective action we citizens who wonder about this might do besides protesting. She responded, “When you see an elected official, or otherwise, not succumbing to overreaching pressure and holding the line for our democracy, make an effort to get in touch with them and let them know your appreciation and your support.”  

Bonnie Tallagnon
Biddeford