Secretary of State Shenna Bellows has used inflammatory language to rewrite the voter ID referendum to read: “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?”

Last year, almost 172,000 Mainers signed a petition for voter ID. This referendum would require voters to have a photo ID to vote, such as an unexpired driver’s license, nondriver ID card, interim ID issued by the S.O.S., U.S. military ID, Maine Guard ID, U.S. passport and U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs ID. This is a very extensive list.

If an ID isn’t available, a provisional ballot can be used while obtaining one. Voters will no longer be able to obtain an absentee ballot by simply calling the clerk or have a ballot automatically sent to them without requesting it. This hinders people not eligible to vote from obtaining a ballot. They can still submit a request to the clerk via a family member. Presently, only Portland and Orono have two drop boxes, which works for them. These are the parameters of the citizens referendum.

Presently, 36 states have some form of voter ID law. All Mainers should want their vote to count. Please vote for the voter ID referendum in November.

Diane Vernesoni
Topsham