January 1, RNC Targets Maine Secretary Over Voter Records

Wyatt’s Take

• Maine’s Secretary of State faces a federal complaint over voter roll secrecy.
• The RNC claims noncitizens remain on the state’s voter rolls.
• A federal investigation into public records access is underway.

The RNC has accused Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows of breaking federal law by hiding voter records. Bellows reportedly admitted “some” noncitizens might be on the state’s voter rolls and has resisted the Republicans’ efforts for transparency.

Internal documents show the RNC wants the Department of Justice to investigate whether Bellows has ignored the National Voter Registration Act. She allegedly delayed sharing voter roll information, demanding high fees and long wait times.

Bellows only shared basic policies but refused to say if she would release full data. RNC counsel Mandy Lester wrote, “the limited information provided by Secretary Bellows’ office suggests that Maine is failing to maintain its voter list with any regularity.”

A video shows Bellows acknowledging, “I’m sure there are, um, in some isolated instances, some noncitizens may be on the rolls.” Critics say Bellows has been dismissive of concerns about ineligible voters, often pointing to those worries as political ploys.

After months of delay, Bellows’ office told the RNC it could take “36 to 48 months” and a payment of $23,000 to access records, but still denied several requests. The state’s last major voter roll update was more than three years ago.

Federal law requires states to allow the public to inspect all records related to voter list accuracy. The RNC says Maine’s tactics contradict these rules and block government transparency.

The First Circuit Court sided with transparency advocates last year, declaring Maine’s voter rolls are subject to public record law. The court noted, “whether voter registration rolls are accurate and current cannot be determined without inspecting the Voter File.”

Watchdogs claim Maine’s voter list includes thousands of deceased people, duplicates, and people registered out of state. J. Christian Adams said Bellows “treats transparency like it’s a threat and dirty voter rolls like they’re a feature.” He added, “Elections aren’t a game of hide-and-seek, but you’d never know that in Augusta.”

The Justice Department has requested election data from Maine and other states, but Bellows called the request unconstitutional and pushed back hard.

Stay tuned as the fight for honest elections heats up and the call for federal oversight gets louder.

Wyatt Matters

Election integrity secures every hardworking citizen’s voice. Transparent records and fair process protect the value of every honest vote. Demanding answers holds government accountable to the people.

Read more at The Federalist