The November referendum has been framed around requiring voter ID, but it also includes a host of changes to absentee voting.
voter ID
What Maine voters need to know about upcoming referendum questions
The secretary of state’s office announced Thursday that Question 1 on the November ballot will be the proposed changes to voting laws and Question 2 asks voters to approve or reject a proposed red flag law.
Who’s funding Maine’s red flag and voter ID referendum campaigns?
A majority of contributions have come from out of state for the 2 ballot questions touching on the national hot button issues of gun safety and voter ID.
Big money already being raised on both sides of Maine’s voter ID referendum
Supporters of a second referendum, to create a red flag law in Maine, also have outspent opponents ahead of the November election.
Maine voter ID supporters challenge state’s ballot language
In addition to requiring a photo ID while casting a ballot, the initiative would make it harder to vote absentee and add requirements for municipal elections workers.
Maine voter ID proposal runs into strong opposition at public hearing
At a public hearing Friday, critics highlighted a range of proposed changes likely to go before voters in November, including restrictions on absentee voting.
Referendum to require voter ID and tighten absentee voting rules qualifies for November ballot
The proposal also would eliminate ongoing absentee voting and place limits on the use of and number of absentee ballot drop boxes, among other things.
Supporters of a Maine voter ID law hand in signatures to force referendum
Organizers of the petition drive pointed to the more than 170,000 signatures they’ve collected as evidence of support for a voter ID law, but Secretary of State Shenna Bellows raised concerns with various aspects of their proposal.
Voter ID law may be on Maine ballot next year
The citizen-initiated referendum question would ask whether people should be required to show photo identification in order to vote in Maine.
House passes Republican bill requiring proof of citizenship to vote, boosting election-year talking point
Safeguards already exist to verify voter eligibility and enforce the law against noncitizen voting, but the Republican fixation is part of a Trump campaign strategy of casting doubt on the election results should he lose.