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We, like many others, hope that the disruptions to voting that President Donald Trump and others have threatened do not happen. Voting is a basic civic right — and responsibility — that should not be interfered with. However, Trump and members of his cabinet have threatened to interfere with that right by stationing military members and Immigration and Customs Enforcement at polling places. Both would be illegal. The president has also tried to use the U.S. Postal Service to delay, and in some cases, stop the delivery of absentee ballots. Some supporters have urged the president to declare martial law to take control of elections.
Many of these moves would be unconstitutional, but that may not matter to Trump and others who want to influence the outcome of the midterm elections. Just talking about troops at polling places and new voting requirements could depress voter turnout. So, it is clear that such efforts are less about securing voting than about deterring some people from voting.
Against this national backdrop, early voting began in Maine this week. It runs through Oct. 29.
Early voting gives Mainers who may be away or busy on Election Day an opportunity to cast their ballots early. It also allows those who are worried about Election Day disruptions the same option.
If you know who you want to vote for, now is a good time to cast your ballot. You can do so in person at your town office when it is open. You can get a ballot at your town office and return it in person, at a secure drop box, or in the mail. If you’re a registered Maine voter but currently live out of Maine for work or school, you can request an absentee ballot and return it by mail.
This year, 70,000 voters have already requested absentee ballots, according to the Secretary of State’s Office.
“The election should be business as usual this year because the election laws haven’t changed, but sometimes life gets in the way. We have all unfortunately experienced frustration with the postal service and things from everyday mail to prescriptions not arriving in a timely manner,” Secretary of State Shenna Bellows said in a press release this week. “That’s why it can be so helpful to vote early.”
It is worth remembering that voter fraud is extremely rare. Despite claims from the president and others who want to restrict voting, it is already a crime for non-citizens to vote in federal and state elections. As a result, non-citizen voting is vanishingly rare. There has never been a conviction for this in Maine. In fact, according to a database compiled by the conservative Heritage Foundation, there have been only two cases of voter fraud that resulted in a conviction or guilty plea since 1982.
Still, Trump and others continue to claim fraud to try to restrict voting.
Earlier this year, Trump ordered the postal service to develop a complex system of verifying voter and citizenship information before absentee ballots were delivered by mail. The scheme was halted by the U.S. Supreme Court, but other disruptions may occur.
So, now is a good time to cast your ballot.
If you need more information before you vote, be sure to watch the debates among the candidates for governor, U.S. Senate and U.S. House, and follow the BDN’s election coverage. The BDN opinion team also shared your questions with the candidates. You can see their responses at bangordailynews.com/candidates-questions.
