This is your reminder to register for Advocacy Day 2023, scheduled for Tuesday, February 14. We can't wait to see everyone in Augusta. We're getting pumped 💪 and ready to discuss how we can protect Maine's democracy, chat with our legislators, and have tea at the Blaine House. We're especially excited for our afternoon session, when we'll hear from a panel of young activists on issues important to them. Click here to RSVP.
Here are your weekly updates 👇
Today is the first public hearing for some of our priority bills. During a public hearing, anyone can offer an opinion on the legislation, testifying as: supporting, opposed, or neither for nor against (NFNA).
The following bills will appear today before the Veterans and Legal Affairs (VLA) committee starting at 10 AM. Want to tune in? You can watch the livestream here.
- LD 26 — Prepaid Postage for Absentee Ballots: This bill would require the Secretary of State to provide prepaid postage on the return envelopes for absentee ballots for U.S. mailings only, not overseas. We intend to testify as NFNA. On the surface it seems like a worthy idea, but when it comes to whether prepaid postage increases voter turnout, the evidence is mixed. Plus, the USPS already guarantees the delivery of an absentee ballot regardless of insufficient postage (or no postage at all).
- LD 34 — Photo ID: This bill would require voters to show photo ID at the polls on Election Day. The League always opposes these bills. They disproportionately disenfranchise BIPOC, elderly, disabled, and poor voters.
- LD 233 — Petition Deadline Clarification: This bill would require the Secretary of State to determine the validity of certain petitions within 30 business days from the deadline submission, rather than from the drop-off. We’ll testify as NFNA, because the devil is in the details.
- LD 237 — Voter Re-registration: This bill would require voters to renew their voter registration every four years. We have some new measures in place (Automatic Voter Registration and membership in ERIC, the national voter registration database) that are much better solutions for keeping the voter rolls current. We’ll oppose this one.
📝 There are more bills to come. Stay tuned.
Board Positions Open!
Are you enthusiastic about democracy and want to serve on our board? We're looking for new board members. You'll serve as an advocate, ambassador, and fundraiser, working to ensure the welfare and integrity of our organizations. Board members serve terms of two years and can be renominated. The estimated time commitment is 5-10 hours/month, in addition to attendance at four board meetings per year. Interested? Click hereto learn more about the position and how you can apply to serve.