When Democrats last fled the state 2 decades ago – in an ultimately failed attempt to stop new Republican-drawn voting maps – state troopers were deployed to try bringing them back.
Politics
Local, statewide and national political news from the Kennebec Journal and Morning Sentinel.
New state laws require more police transparency, and limit use of facial recognition technology
One of the laws makes Maine the first state to apply strict limits to facial recognition technology.
Biden fires holdover head of Social Security Administration
The White House says President Biden fired Commissioner Andrew Saul after Saul refused to resign.
Lawmaker cites ‘appalling’ death of 3-year-old in call for probe of Maine’s child welfare system
The Legislature’s Government Oversight Committee will meet Wednesday with state officials in child protective services.
While some states restrict voting, Maine lawmakers pass bills to expand access
The Democratic-controlled Legislature passed the measures in a year when voting rights and access became political footballs in many states.
Activists call on Sen. Collins to support voting rights act
About 40 people gathered on the Portland City Hall plaza Wednesday night to voice support the For The People Act, which Collins voted against earlier this year.
New Maine law prohibits offshore wind farms in state waters
But the compromise still encourages the development of offshore wind technology in federal waters off Maine.
Maine health care advocates cheer legislative victories
But their satisfaction at securing new MaineCare dental benefits, an insulin safety net and higher pay for direct care workers is tempered by failures to ban flavored tobacco and rein in drug prices.
LePage officially announces bid for governor in 2022
The conservative and controversial Republican served eight years in the Blaine House before being term-limited in 2019, and his entrance into the race all but guarantees a feisty campaign against Gov. Janet Mills.
In Maine, Jill Biden celebrates a day of independence from COVID-19
The first lady visits Portland Head Light to mark the July Fourth holiday, celebrated this year with less fear of the novel coronavirus.