AUGUSTA, MAINE – Secretary of State Shenna Bellows has issued a formal letter of response to the Department of Justice’s unprecedented request for every Maine citizen’s voter information, questioning the overbroad scope of the request and reiterating states’ right to administer elections without federal interference.
Multiple states have received similar requests for voter files. Reportedly it is the Justice Department’s intention to make requests of every state.
“The United States Constitution entrusted the states, not the federal government, with responsibility for administering elections, and that’s a critically important check and balance on potential federal abuse of power,” said Secretary Bellows. “The Department of Justice doesn’t get to know everything about you just because they want to, and I will do everything in my power to protect the privacy and security of Maine voters.”
Secretary Bellows’ letter to Deputy Assistant Attorney General Michael Gates highlighted the steps Maine takes to ensure free, safe, and secure elections, including modernization of systems as well as regular maintenance and multiple procedures in place to ensure Maine’s voter lists are as up to date as possible.
Secretary Bellows also pointed to the success of Maine elections, particularly in terms of voter registration and turnout. In 2024, Maine was third in the nation in voter turnout, and in 2022, it was number one. More Maine citizens turned out to vote in 2024 than ever before in Maine’s history. In 2023, under the leadership of Secretary Bellows, Maine implemented automatic voter registration at the Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV), giving Mainers an opportunity to electronically register to vote or update their voter registration information. In 2024, there were 20,042 automatic voter registrations at the BMV, including 7,857 updates to existing voter registration records. Duplicate records are not uncommon and are typically created after someone recently moved to a new municipality. Election officials conduct detailed inspections of the voter rolls following every election to identify duplicates and any discrepancies or potential wrongdoing.
“Mainers should be extremely proud that our state is a national leader in voter registration and voter turnout,” Secretary Bellows. “Every eligible voter in Maine has the right to vote and should be encouraged to do so. Why the Department of Justice would question Maine’s success is beyond me and smacks of federal interference in our elections.”
Bellows also addressed the Department of Justice’s request for information concerning removal of deceased voters from the voting lists, pointing to two programs which ensure registrations are cancelled shortly after a voter’s death. This includes monthly updates from the State’s Bureau of Vital Records to Maine registrars as well as annual updates from the Social Security Administration’s Limited Access Death Master File via the Electronic Registration Information Center (ERIC) program.
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Attachment: Letter to Justice Department