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Require Voter Photo ID and Change Absentee Ballot and Dropbox Rules Initiative | ||
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Maine Question 1, officially the Require Voter Photo ID and Change Absentee Ballot and Dropbox Rules Initiative, is an indirect initiated state statute that will appear on the ballot in the U.S. state of Maine on November 4, 2025, concurrent with the 2025 United States elections.
Background
[edit]A petition drive was launched by a conservative political action committee (PAC) to gather signatures for the initiative, as the Democratic-controlled Maine Legislature has for years refused to pass similar bills. The signatures were submitted in January 2025, where the initiative then went to the Legislature for consideration.[1][2] As the legislature chose not to pass the initiative, it was placed on the 2025 election ballot.[3][4]
The conservative PAC that organized the petition drive challenged the wording of the initiative, claiming that it was misleading due to the words "photo ID" only being mentioned in the final sentence.[5] The Maine Supreme Court upheld the original wording in July.[6]
Text
[edit]Do you want to change Maine election laws to eliminate two days of absentee voting, prohibit requests for absentee ballots by phone or family members, end ongoing absentee voter status for seniors and people with disabilities, ban prepaid postage on absentee ballot return envelopes, limit the number of drop boxes, require voters to show certain photo ID before voting, and make other changes to our elections?[7]
Impact
[edit]If passed, the state of Maine would require photo identification for all forms of voting. Photo ID cards would be provided to registered voters who do not have a driver's license. Other changes would also insert partisan officials into certain parts of elections that are now conducted by nonpartisan municipal clerks, among other changes described in the question. [8]
Endorsements
[edit]- State legislators
- Laurel Libby, state representative from the 90th district[1]
- Statewide officials
- Organizations
References
[edit]- ^ a b c Ohm, Rachel (January 6, 2025). "Supporters of a Maine voter ID law hand in signatures to force referendum". Portland Press Herald. Retrieved August 7, 2025.
- ^ Emma, Davis (February 19, 2025). "Voter ID initiative headed to Legislature for consideration". Maine Morning Star. Retrieved August 7, 2025.
- ^ Bonatesta, Lara (July 2, 2025). "Maine voters to decide citizen initiatives on voter ID and extreme risk protection orders in November". Ballotpedia News. Retrieved August 7, 2025.
- ^ Miller, Kevin (February 19, 2025). "Voter ID campaign qualifies for Maine's fall ballot". Maine Public. Retrieved August 7, 2025.
- ^ "Conservative group challenges wording of Maine's voter ID ballot question". WGME. May 13, 2025. Retrieved August 7, 2025.
- ^ Mundry, Jackie (July 11, 2025). "Maine Supreme Court upholds voter ID question wording". WMTW. Retrieved August 7, 2025.
- ^ "Maine high court upholds wording for referendum to require voter ID, change absentee rules". Spectrum News. July 14, 2025. Retrieved August 7, 2025.
- ^ "Maine Question 1, Require Voter Photo ID and Change Absentee Ballot and Dropbox Rules Initiative (2025)". Ballotpedia. Retrieved August 7, 2025.
- ^ a b c d Steinmetz, Channa (August 1, 2025). "Maine voter suppression referendum to appear as Question 1 on ballot". Maine Beacon. Retrieved August 7, 2025.