To the editor:
Question 1, if passed by Maine voters, will require every voter to present a photo ID at the polls. This is redundant because all Maine registered voters have verified their identity and American citizenship when they registered to vote. Adding this unnecessary step to the voting process will make it more difficult for some Mainers to vote. It is also unnecessary because current law allows election officials to challenge any ballot when there is a question about the voter’s identity. False identity at Maine elections is extremely rare and almost never proven.
In the 2024 presidential election, about 39 percent of Presque Isle’s voters chose to vote by absentee ballot. Question 1 proposes many changes which will make it more difficult to vote by absentee ballot. For senior citizens like us, the current law allows us to register just once with the city clerk in order to receive our absentee ballots by mail 30 days before every election. This service is very convenient for older citizens, but Question 1 will require us to apply for this service for each and every election. It will also require us to include a copy of our photo ID or the number of our photo ID when we return the absentee ballot.
As Mainers age and stop driving, it becomes more difficult to obtain an alternate state photo ID. Moreover, if we want our spouse or another family member to return the absentee ballot, then we have to name that person in advance on every application for an absentee ballot. These proposed changes to absentee balloting are cumbersome and prone to error, especially for older people, and they will make it more difficult for us to vote, and moreover, to cast a valid vote.
For students away at school and for people away from Presque Isle on Election Day, these proposed changes to absentee balloting will also make it more difficult for them to vote. These are the reasons why we encourage you to vote no on Question 1.
Stephen Freeman and Jayne Farrin
Presque Isle
