The state is launching a new service that will allow Mainers to track online absentee ballots they have requested as the ballots make their way to voters and back to the election box.
The Absentee Ballot Request Status service went live Monday and will be available until the Nov. 3 election, Maine Secretary of State Matt Dunlap said.
The new service comes amid controversy over the ballots and the impact of the coronavirus pandemic keeping voters indoors. President Donald Trump has criticized mail-in voting, arguing that it invites voter fraud, although no evidence of widespread voter fraud has been found.
The absentee ballot request page requires a voter’s name, date of birth and city of residence. Once that is entered, a grid will show whether the voter’s request was accepted or rejected, the date it was delivered, and the date when the completed ballot was returned to the clerk. The functionality will resemble trackers used by delivery services.
The deadline to request an absentee ballot through the online service is Oct. 29. The deadline to request an absentee ballot in-person from the proper municipal clerk is 5 p.m. on Oct. 30.