March 25 executive risks disenfranchising many Maine voters
AUGUSTA, Maine — A federal judge in Washington, D.C. paused a key section of a March 25 executive order “Preserving and Protecting the Integrity of American Elections” which threatened to disenfranchise many eligible voters, including here in Maine. Today’s court order in League of Women Voters et. al. v. Trump et. al. temporarily paused the section of the order compelling the independent, bipartisan Election Assistance Commission (EAC) to add a requirement for applicants to show documented proof of citizenship before registering to vote. Secretary Shenna Bellows serves on the Standards Board of the EAC and is currently attending the annual meeting of the Standards Board.
“Everyone agrees that only citizens should vote in federal elections. The executive order is an unworkable and unconstitutional attempt to limit voting rights. Many people do not have a passport or access to other documentation proving citizenship. The result of this executive order would be to make it harder for Maine women, military and overseas voters, and rural citizens to vote.
Only Congress and the states can change the election laws, and we are glad to see the court uphold that today. Executive orders cannot change federal voter registration law or Maine election law. That power and authority lies with the legislative branch. I will work with my colleagues in Maine and around the country to protect the rights of Maine voters and the security of our elections.”
Secretary Bellows chairs the Election Infrastructure — Information Sharing and Analysis Center, a federal/state/local/tribal election security and cybersecurity partnership of election officials recently defunded by the Department of Homeland Security.
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