Save Maine Absentee Voting
Coming to your ballot in November:
“Do you want to change Maine election laws to eliminate two days of absentee voting, prohibit requests for absentee ballots by phone or family members, end ongoing absentee voter status for seniors and people with disabilities, ban prepaid postage on absentee ballot return envelopes, limit the number of drop boxes, require voters to show certain photo ID before voting, and make other changes to our elections?”
What is at Stake?
➔ Eliminates ongoing absentee voting for elderly and disabled Mainers.
➔ Shortens the time period for early absentee voting by two days.
➔ Requires voters to show an approved form of ID to obtain their ballot.
➔ Limits the number of secure ballot drop-off boxes a town may offer.
➔ Mandates a two-person, “bipartisan” team to check ballot boxes, instead of the clerk or a trusted member of their staff. This restriction will place undue pressure on town clerks and will lead to many towns simply eliminating their secure drop boxes.
➔ Prohibits towns from including return postage on absentee ballots, even if taxpayers vote to fund it.
➔ Prevents voters from requesting a ballot over the phone, making it harder for those without reliable transportation or internet to request an absentee ballot.
How to Get Involved
What Can I Do?
Fair, secure, and accessible elections are the cornerstone of our democracy.
It will be up to Maine voters to protect their own and their neighbor’s access to the ballot box. In the months leading up to the election, pro-democracy organizations will be hosting a variety of events to protect your access to the ballot box.
But there are also a variety of ways for you to pitch in on your own.
When you talk to people or write about this, think about what access to absentee voting means to you, your family, your friends, and your neighbors:
- If this referendum becomes law, you’d no longer be able to pick up or drop off a ballot for your elderly parent who lives in another town.
- Your disabled neighbor wouldn’t be able to just pick up the phone and request a ballot from their town office – even though they’ve done just that for years.
- Local town and city clerks wouldn’t be able to check their own drop-off boxes, meaning many would simply opt to not have a drop-off box.
- People who need to work all day on Election Day – health care workers, direct care workers, delivery drivers – would effectively lose access to absentee voting.
Share Your Story With Us
By filling in this form. Let us know why absentee voting is important to you – and help us save absentee voting in Maine.
Write a Letter to the Editor
Your local papers are constantly accepting letters to the editor. These letters are brief (about 200-300 words), and are a great way for you to share your opinion and experience with your neighbors.
- Submit a letter to to the Press Herald (word limit: 250)
- Submit a letter to to the Sun Journal (word limit: 250)
- Submit a letter to the Kennebec Journal/Morning Sentinel (word limit: 300)
- Submit a letter to to the Bangor Daily News (word limit: 250)
Talk to Your Friends and Family
We know a lot of information – and misinformation – will be circulating about this referendum. Talk to your friends and family about how they’re feeling about it.
Remember: We all want our elections to be as secure as possible. Reasonable people can disagree about Voter ID rules, but this referendum is bad for everyday Maine people, especially seniors and rural voters, who rely on absentee voting.
Save Absentee Voting Toolkit
Share Your Story
Use our form to share why absentee voting is important to you.
Letter to the Editor
- Submit a letter to to the Press Herald (word limit: 250)
- Submit a letter to to the Sun Journal (word limit: 250)
- Submit a letter to the Kennebec Journal/Morning Sentinel (word limit: 300)
- Submit a letter to to the Bangor Daily News (word limit: 250)
Take Action
- Online Sign Up – sign up to Save Absentee Voting
- Shoot a video on your phone and send it to us using MEA’s WeTransfer.
- I am willing to host a house party
- I am willing to talk to my coworkers
- I am willing to talk to my friends and family
- I am willing to write a letter to the editor to educate others
- I will be a spokesperson to talk with the press or community groups about this initiative
- Share this flyer with others
Save Maine Absentee Voting
The Save Maine Absentee Voting Coalition is a diverse, nonpartisan group of organizations from across Maine who believe that fair, open, and accessible elections are the cornerstone of our democracy.
Learn more: https://saveabsentee.me/