Voter ID laws decrease equity at the ballot box
It may be an “off year” for elections, but here in Maine, we have a referendum question on our ballots this fall that is historically important, and could potentially fundamentally change the way democracy is done in this state - for the worse.
"An Act to Require an Individual to Present Photographic Identification for the Purpose of Voting" will appear like this on our ballots:
“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?”
To put it another way: do Mainers want to make it much more difficult for many people to vote - especially women, gender-expansive people, caregivers, seniors and people with disabilities? Because that’s effectively what this measure would do – decrease access to voting for tens of thousands of Mainers. The same Mainers, we might add, that have historically made this state have one of the highest overall voter turnout rates in the country.
In our latest Maine Women’s Lobby policy brief, Isobel Morton, our 2025 Linda Smith Dyer Policy Fellow, took a deep dive into how so-called Voter ID laws like the one proposed in Maine are just a repackaged version of old tactics like poll taxes and tests, designed to keep people away from their constitutional rights. In particular, these laws decrease gender equity at the ballot box, making it much harder for people who have changed their names – like 70% of married women and many transgender people - to exercise their right to vote.
Read our Voter ID policy brief here.
The MWL is part of the Save Maine Absentee Voting coalition, alongside 23 other organizations. Together, we’re making sure that Mainers know that this “Voter ID” referendum is bad for everyone – not just the people it will disproportionately affect. Democracy is something we must work at and not take for granted. This fall, make sure you vote NO on this unfair and anti-democratic ballot question.
Our thanks to Isobel Morton, our 2025 Linda Smith Dyer Policy Fellow, for spearheading this brief!
