Shenna Bellows, Democratic candidate (US Sen, ME) wants to bring same day voter registration from Maine to Washington D.C.
Bellows Calls for National Same Day Voter Registration
Tuesday, November 5, 2013 | Press Release
Augusta – The former co-chair of Maine’s campaign to pass same day voter registration is running for United States Senate and urging passage of federal same day voter registration legislation.
“Maine voters endorsed same day voter registration at the polls in 2011, and Congress should follow Maine’s lead,” said Bellows. “The attack on voting rights nationwide threatens our democracy, and it’s time that good people from all parties take a stand to protect our voting rights. I pledge to work with Republicans and Democrats alike to modernize our voter registration systems, just like I did on the 2011 Protect Maine Votes campaign.”
When the Republicans took over the Maine state legislature and installed Tea Party governor Paul LePage in 2010 one of their first acts was to eliminate same day voter registration, a Maine tradition dating back 38 years. Fortunately Maine has a referendum process affectionately known as the "citizen's veto" and this infringement on voting rights was overturned.
Shenna Bellows was a leader in the campaign to restore election day voter registration in Maine.
“Maine voters sent a clear message: No one will be denied a right to vote,” said Shenna Bellows, director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Maine. “Voters in small towns and big cities voted to protect our constitutional right.”
Same day voter registration is a way to nullify purges of voters by unscrupulous state officials. It protects lower income voters who move more often, and student voters. It could also be used to overcome the disenfranchisement of women through laws such as Texas is using.
Isn't it time to protect voting rights nationally?
Bellows for Senate