It’s Election Day, and Mainers are headed to their local polling places to cast their votes to determine who will serve as the next leader of this great country as well as a handful of other races that matter to the future of our state and cities.
For more than 220 years, Americans have participated in this democratic tradition, and every time the election has been followed by the peaceful transfer of power from one leader to the next. This time will be no different, and Mainers should feel confident in the integrity of their votes. As a former state senator, who chaired the Legislature’s Veterans and Legal Affairs Committee, and Bangor City Councilor, I can attest to the integrity and thoroughness of both the process and the people.
Our voting system is one of America’s most cherished institutions. As someone who’s been on the ballot, I understand the stakes of this election. But as a candidate, no matter the outcome, I was always secure with the fact that the voters had spoken and the results were accurate. Although improvements are possible, I have a strong faith in our election system, and I am confident this hallmark of American democracy is secure, reliable and accurate.
Recently, I had the opportunity to participate in the recount for the Republican primary for the 1st Congressional District. Witnessing the recounting of thousands of ballots, for an election whose outcome did not change, was staggering and reassuring.
Elections are run at the community level with transparent checks and balances in place to prevent fraud in the rare instances when it occurs. The officials manning our polling places in Maine — checking voter rolls, staffing precincts and counting votes — are your neighbors, coworkers and friends. They’ve been trained to spot mistakes, prevent fraud and adjudicate the process with professionalism and fairness.
Both parties are invited to participate in assigning poll watchers to voting precincts to stand outside polling places and watch for illegal electioneering, intimidation, or fraud. If poll watchers from either party question any aspect of the process, there are systems in place to challenge results and initiate reviews.
Furthermore, when voting, Maine voters are given a paper ballot, which they mark, and then, in most locations, insert into a voting machine. These machines tally the votes, and they are only programmed to receive ballots for their specific ward.
Every aspect of our voting system can be reviewed. Physical ballots combined with records of who voted and where create a paper trail that can be reviewed by any interested party. Additionally, state law ensures a recount is automatically triggered if the difference between candidates is less than 1 percent of the total votes cast.
Maine has one of the highest voter participation rates in the country, and this year should be no different. Mainers should do their civic duty today, and do it with tremendous pride in our vibrant democratic process.
Nichi Farnham is a former state senator, who represented Bangor and Hermon in District 32 from 2010 to 2012. She also served on the Bangor City Council from 1997 to 2003 and the school committee from 2007 to 2012.