Recent news poll indicates more than 80% of Mainers support common-sense proposals

AUGUSTA – The Maine Republican Party is today urging support of proposals to require voters to show identification before voting in Maine’s elections.

“This is exactly the type of common-sense proposal Maine people expect from their legislators, and a Voter ID law should be passed in this session,” said Maine Republican Party Chair Hon. Joel Stetkis.

Maine is one of only 15 states that does not require or request voters to provide a photo ID before receiving their ballot at the polls.

“Maine’s local election officials do an outstanding job managing Maine’s elections, but the legislature’s previous refusal to end the Voter ID vulnerability ties their hands. It is inexcusable,” said Chair Stetkis.

A recent WABI poll showed that 83% of respondents supported a Voter ID law, with only 17% opposing. The poll received nearly 3,400 responses. (Link to results)

Senator Matt Pouliot with Senator Jeff Timberlake and Rep. Joshua Morris have proposed legislation to enact a common sense Voter ID requirement, LD 34, which can be viewed at this link.

“The aim of my bill is to restore trust in our elections by implementing a common-sense measure already in place in the vast majority of states,” said Senator Matt Pouliot, the sponsor of LD 34. “The people of Maine widely support a Voter ID requirement and we can do this in a bipartisan fashion if Democrats will act according to the will of the people.”

Representative Reagan Paul, the sponsor of another Voter ID proposal that has yet to be released from the Revisor’s Office, said, “The purpose of my bill is to ensure confidence and trust in our election system. Requiring photo ID is a perfectly reasonable and easily met requirement to protect our elections. My goal is for the Maine people to feel confident that their vote was perfectly counted without any risk of fraud or dilution. The majority of Mainers and Americans support securing our elections through a photo ID requirement.”

House Republican Leader Billy Bob Faulkingham has been a strong supporter of a Voter ID requirement, with a Citizen’s Initiative Referendum to put a Voter ID requirement out to a vote of the Maine people in an upcoming election.

“I urge Maine people to raise their voices in support of requiring Voter ID and strengthening the confidence of Maine people in our election process. We are lucky to have a good system here, but let’s put this one piece in place for the integrity of our elections,” said Stetkis. “If our counterparts in the Democrat Party truly want to ‘protect our Democracy’ as they claim, let’s start here.”