Thank you to everyone who attended Advocacy Day! On February 14, the day of love, we headed to the State House in Augusta to celebrate our 103rd birthday, discuss important issues, and lobby our legislators. We also heard from a panel of young activists, who spoke about how they got into activism and the issues they care the most about. The future is in good hands. View more photos here from the day of action.
On Advocacy Day we made sure that our representatives heard our voices. We urged them to support the National Popular Vote, ongoing absentee voting, tribal sovereignty, and ending foreign government spending in Maine Elections. Click here to learn more about these issues. These bills don't have their LD numbers yet, but they're on the horizon.
As for legislative business, the representatives have a winter break this week. We won't see any action until the following week, but here's a quick update on a few bills we're watching:
- 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. We testified as NFNA. Its work session was scheduled for Feb. 15 but has been postponed for a later date.
- LD 34 — Photo ID: This bill would require voters to show photo ID at the polls. We oppose this bill, as we always do. The work session is TBD.
- 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 filing deadline, rather than from the drop-off date. We testified as NFNA. The work session is TBD.
- LD 237 — Voter Re-registration: This bill would require voters to renew their voter registration every four years. We opposed this one because we have better solutions already in place. The bill had its work session on Feb. 15 but was tabled; its future uncertain.
D.C. statehood would strike a blow against racial injustice
This time of year is when leaders quote Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and celebrate Black History Month with lofty rhetoric, but do their words match their deeds in fighting racial injustice? This Black History Month I’m reminding our senators of the painful legacy of continued disenfranchisement of the residents of Washington, D.C. | Read more from our latest op-ed.
Want to take action on D.C. Statehood? Send a quick email now to your Maine Senators and House Reps.
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.