Gov. Janet Mills urges Maine voters to reject Question 1
Gov. Janet Mills on Friday urged Maine voters to oppose Question 1 on the statewide ballot this November, saying if the referendum passes it will only make it harder to vote. Question 1 would require a photo ID to cast a ballot, while adding restrictions to absentee voting, including eliminating two days of early voting. It was placed on the ballot by conservative activists, despite a lack of evidence that voter fraud is a problem. “Maine is proud to lead the nation in voter participation because of our long history of safe and secure elections,” Mills said in her radio address Friday. “Whether you vote in person or by absentee ballot, you can trust that your vote will be counted fairly. But that fundamental right to vote is under attack from Question 1.” Opposition from the state’s top Democrat is not surprising. The measure is also opposed by the Democratic Governors Association, as well as the official campaign arms of the House and Senate Democrats. In addition to requiring a photo ID when voting and eliminating two days of early voting, the proposal would prohibit requests by phone and from family members for absentee ballots, prevent people from receiving absentee ballots annually without requesting them and limit the number of ballot drop boxes, among other changes. Last month, Mills’ came out in opposition to referendum Question 2, which seeks to establish an extreme risk protection order, or red flag, law in Maine. This story will be updated.