Latest news with #MaineDepartmentoftheSecretaryofState
Yahoo
07-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Red flag proposal from gun safety advocates qualifies for November ballot
Mar. 7—A proposal for a red flag law that would make it easier to remove weapons from people deemed a threat to themselves or others has qualified for the November ballot. The Maine Department of the Secretary of State announced Friday that gun safety advocates have gathered the required number of signatures from voters to send their proposal to a statewide referendum. If approved, a red flag law, also known as an extreme risk protection order, would provide a pathway for family or household members, in addition to law enforcement, to petition a court to temporarily remove someone's weapons. And unlike Maine's current yellow flag law, the proposal would eliminate the need for a mental health evaluation before a judge can order the temporary confiscation of weapons. The Maine Gun Safety Coalition launched the effort to get a proposal for a red flag law before voters after the Maine Legislature failed to act on a red flag bill last year in the wake of the mass shooting in Lewiston that killed 18 people. "This past fall, tens of thousands of Mainers decided to step up where elected leaders didn't and put a real extreme risk protection order law on the ballot," said Nacole Palmer, executive director of the Maine Gun Safety Coalition, in a written statement. "This is a proven, commonsense tool for families that's been effective in many other states in saving countless lives and preventing tragedies like Lewiston." The secretary of state's office said Friday that supporters of the initiative gathered more than 74,000 valid signatures in support of the referendum, exceeding the required number of 67,682. The proposal will now go to the Legislature, which has the option of enacting the bill as written or sending it to a statewide vote in November. This story will be updated. Copy the Story Link
Yahoo
03-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Transgender Mainers can still choose gender identity on Maine IDs
A sample Maine Driver's license provided by the Maine Secretary of State's Office. Transgender Mainers concerned about how federal changes will limit which gender options they can choose on state-issued identification like driver's licenses will not have to worry, for now. On Monday, the Maine Department of the Secretary of State issued new guidance explaining that Maine-issued IDs are 'governed by state laws, not the federal executive order,' meaning that individuals are still allowed to 'receive or update a credential to reflect their gender identity.' 'The executive order does not override Maine human rights law,' the guidance states. The Maine Human Rights Act protects against discrimination based on a person's race or color, sex, sexual orientation or gender identity, age, physical or mental disability, religion, ancestry or national origin. President Donald Trump has issued several executive orders targeting the rights of transgender people. Among the changes is limiting the available gender marker options on U.S. passports and Consular Reports of Birth Abroad, which are issued by an American embassy or consulate and certifies a child's U.S. citizenship at birth. Starting in May, travelers will need Real IDs, the updated identification cards that include additional security features, to travel domestically. In the guidance issued Tuesday, the Secretary of State's office said, 'Real ID compliance remains unchanged for state-issued IDs at this time.' However, in response to questions about obtaining new passports, the Secretary of State's Office notes that under the order, 'only passports with an M or F sex marker that match the customer's biological sex at birth will be issued, regardless of previous gender markers.' Though passports issued before Trump's Jan. 20 order, including those with updated gender markers or an 'X,' should remain valid until their expiration date. 'Our offices are proud to welcome every Mainer, and we will always provide our excellent customer service to everyone,' said Secretary of State Shenna Bellows. 'I and my staff remain respectful of everyone, including those who are transgender, non-binary, and gender expansive. All are welcome here.' Maine's human rights policy has been in the spotlight since Trump threatened Gov. Janet Mills over her commitment to the state law in allowing transgender students to compete in women's athletics. Since the governor made national headlines for telling the president she would take the issue to court, his administration has launched several investigations into the state's compliance with Title IX. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
19-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Referendum to require voter ID and tighten absentee voting rules qualifies for November ballot
Feb. 19—A proposal to require photo identification from voters at Maine polling places and adopt other voting restrictions has officially qualified for the November ballot. The secretary of state's office announced Wednesday that it certified enough valid signatures to send the question to a statewide referendum. The proposal calls for the state to require a photo ID at the polls or when a voter requests an absentee ballot. The proposal includes a religious exemption for those who object to being photographed. If passed, it also would eliminate ongoing absentee voting, which allows a voter to have an absentee ballot mailed to them automatically for each election cycle, and it would place limits on the use of and number of absentee ballot drop boxes, among other things. Proponents say the initiative would boost election security, while opponents say the changes would suppress participation in Maine elections. Organizers behind the proposal turned in an estimated 171,562 signatures of voters who support the initiative, and the Maine Department of the Secretary of State said it reviewed about half of the signatures that were turned in before determining the petitions exceeded the threshold. The secretary of state's office found 86,904 valid signatures among those it reviewed, for a validity rate of 92.3%, the office said in a news release. That number far exceeds the 67,682 signatures that were required in order to send the question to voters. "We're excited to have officially made the ballot and look forward to a robust campaign over the next nine months on our way to victory in November," said Alex Titcomb, lead petitioner and co-founder and executive director of The Dinner Table, an organization dedicated to conservative causes in Maine. The Legislature has the option of voting to pass citizen initiatives without sending them to a statewide referendum, but the proposal has no chance of passing in that fashion, given that Democrats who have the majority of seats have pushed for increased voter access and opposed voter ID measures in the past. Thirty-six states currently request or require voters to show identification at the polls. Of those, 21 ask for a photo ID while the other 15 also accept non-photo IDs, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. Maine requires identification when a new voter registers, but it is not required for a registered voter to obtain a ballot. The League of Women Voters of Maine, a nonpartisan organization that encourages active and informed political participation, said in a statement Wednesday that the proposal would be one of the most restrictive voter ID requirements in the country and would cause harm by changing a variety of aspects of current voting law in Maine. "If voters were aware of the full scope of this legislation, they would rush to oppose it," said Anna Kellar, the league's executive director. "These restrictions can and will harm every type of voter. It's disappointing to see Mainers try to impose these barriers on their fellow Mainers' right to vote, when this state is justly proud of its high voter participation rates." Secretary of State Shenna Bellows, a Democrat, has also said she opposes the proposal, in part because of the changes it contains that go beyond simply requiring photo identification at polls. The proposal limits municipalities to having only one secured drop box for absentee ballots, and removes a part of current law that allows towns and cities to install additional drop boxes. It also includes a prohibition on municipalities prepaying the return postage of an absentee ballot and sets up a new requirement for a "bipartisan team of election officials" to collect absentee ballots from drop boxes, as opposed to current law, which gives that responsibility to the municipal clerk or two people designated by the clerk. And it rolls back the deadline to request an absentee ballot from three business days before the election to seven. It also puts in place a process for voters who don't have their IDs at the polls to return to their registrar of voters within four days to present their ID and have their ballot counted. Bellows said that conflicts with the current requirement that municipalities have just two days from the day of an election to certify results. Titcomb acknowledged that the four days for voters to present ID if their ballot is challenged is in conflict with the current time frame for certifying results and said it was an oversight in the bill that could be corrected by the Legislature. He described the additional changes as minor and said they are either connected to the requirement for the photo identification or seek to further strengthen election law. If voters are being asked to include their driver's license number or a copy of their photo identification with their absentee ballot, as the proposal would have them do, then it makes sense that the bipartisan team would be asked to collect the ballots from drop boxes to provide a greater level of security, Titcomb said. "It's strengthening the integrity of the election process and adding a layer of defense," he said. Copy the Story Link
