The Maine Supreme Judicial Court has affirmed a lower court ruling that found the wording of a voter ID ballot initiative is reasonable.
Five voters sued Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows in May, accusing her of writing a deliberately confusing ballot question.
But a Superior Court ruled in her favor in June, and Friday, the state’s highest court affirmed that judgement.
The referendum that will appear on the ballot this November seeks to make several changes to Maine’s election laws, including requiring a photo ID, eliminating two days of absentee voting and prohibiting voters from asking for absentee ballots by phone.
The ballot question is as follows:
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?”
This story appears through a media partnership with Maine Public.
