LD 1149 — the proposed “Voter ID for Maine” bill — pretends to be an innocent measure “protecting us from voter fraud.” In reality, it’s a Trojan horse. There is no voter fraud to speak of. Repeated studies have shown this. The bill’s real intention is clear, namely to make voting harder.

Consider these facts:

• The bill bans the use of student IDs, tribal IDs and several other currently accepted forms of ID.
• It bans ongoing absentee voting (in which voters can sign up to receive an absentee ballot automatically each election cycle).
• It limits the use and number of absentee ballot drop-boxes to one per town.
• It bans requesting an absentee ballot over the phone.
• It bans third parties from delivering absentee ballots.

All of these are services that young people, Indigenous people, women, elderly people, disabled people, veterans, newly naturalized citizens and rural Mainers often rely on to vote. I rely on absentee voting myself, when I travel.

It’s no wonder LD 1149 is opposed by the American Civil Liberties Union of Maine, the League of Women Voters of Maine — which calls the bill “pure voter suppression” (saying it would be one of the most restrictive voter ID laws in America) — AARP of Maine, the Maine Attorney General’s Office and the Secretary of State.

That is why I urge the Legislature to vote this bill down and the readers of this newspaper to vote it down if it’s on the November ballot.

George Simonson
Harpswell