AUGUSTA — Secretary of State Shenna Bellows is now accepting public comment on the wording of two citizen initiative questions that will appear on the November 7, 2023 Referendum Election ballot, unless enacted by the Legislature as written.

The department’s Bureau of Corporations, Elections and Commissions has certified two citizen initiatives, as follows:

AUGUSTA — The citizen initiative petition regarding voter approval for certain public borrowing has been found valid, Secretary of State Shenna Bellows confirmed today.

The petitions for “An Act To Require Voter Approval of Certain Borrowing by Government-controlled Entities and Utilities and To Provide Voters More Information Regarding that Borrowing” had been in circulation since December 7, 2021. On December 27, 2022 the Bureau of Corporations, Elections and Commissions received 28,238 petition forms with 93,837 signatures of voters who support the initiative.

A hearing regarding challenges to the Primary Nomination Petition of Donald J. Trump in Maine’s Presidential Primary Election will be held at 10:00 a.m. on December 15, 2023 at the Maine State House, Room 228. Secretary of State Shenna Bellows will serve as the Presiding Officer at the hearing.

Three challenges were received by the Secretary of State last week from Benjamin Gaines (on behalf of Kimberley Rosen, Thomas Saviello, and Ethan Strimling), Paul Gordon, and Mary Anne Royal.

AUGUSTA — On October 5, the First Circuit Court of Appeals will hear oral arguments in a case where a Virginia-based nonprofit, Public Interest Legal Foundation (PILF) will argue that a 2021 Maine law which prevents online doxing of Maine voters should not apply to their activities.

AUGUSTA — Secretary of State Shenna Bellows released the below statement today regarding the importance of protecting the freedom to vote for all Maine voters.

AUGUSTA — On Monday Secretary of State Shenna Bellows testified in opposition to legislation which would require Maine voters to provide specific types of IDs to receive a ballot.

AUGUSTA — Secretary of State Shenna Bellows announced Monday that Maine received an award of $1,000,000 under the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2022 for Election Security.

"Ongoing investment in election infrastructure is vital for Maine to continue being a national leader in election administration," said Secretary Bellows. "We’re glad to see this investment from the federal government so that we have the resources to protect the integrity of Maine elections."

The order of questions on the November 2023 Referendum Election ballot has been determined through a public lottery held by Secretary of State Shenna Bellows and Deputy Secretary of State for Corporations, Elections and Commissions Julie Flynn Thursday morning.

A video of the lottery is available to view on the Department’s Facebook page.

AUGUSTA — Secretary of State Shenna Bellows announced Friday that the Department of the Secretary of State’s Bureau of Corporations, Elections and Commissions is reaching out to Maine voters who may be unaware that they have enrolled in the No Labels Party, which is seeking party status in Maine.

AUGUSTA — The citizen initiative petition regarding campaign spending restrictions has been found valid, Secretary of State Shenna Bellows confirmed today.

The petitions for "An Act To Prohibit Campaign Spending by Foreign Governments and Promote an Anticorruption Amendment to the United States Constitution" had been in circulation since October 27, 2021. On November 1, 2022 the Bureau of Corporations, Elections and Commissions received 11,292 petition forms with 79,660 signatures of voters who support the initiative.