Background
The Committee on Veterans and Legal Affairs will hold a Public Hearing on Monday, March 3, 2025 at 9:30 AM at
📍 State House, Room 437, Augusta, to discuss LD 718, "An Act to Require Municipal Clerks to Issue Absentee Ballots Only to Residents of That Municipality and to Eliminate Ongoing Absentee Voter Status."
If you want to read LD 718, click here: https://legislature.maine.gov/bills/display_ps.asp?snum=132&paper=HP0457PID=1456
If you pick through the left side menu, you can find all kinds of good info!
In lieu of personally testifying in support of this bill, you may testify via Zoom, or by online testimony using the following link: https://www.mainelegislature.org/testimony/. Do this prior to the public hearing.
See below for EVERYTHING you're going to need to get this done, including testimony!
🔹 Steps to submit testimony online:
1️⃣ Click: "Public Hearing".
2️⃣ Choose a committee: "Veterans and Legal Affairs" - using the drop-down menu.
3️⃣ Choose date: March 3, 2025, 9:30 AM - using the drop-down menu.
4️⃣ Click: LD 718
5️⃣ Enter your testimony in the box (or click the checkbox if you want to testify via Zoom).
6️⃣ Complete your contact information.
7️⃣ Click: "I'm not a robot"
8️⃣ Click: "Submit/Register".
Action Time-Window
⚠️ Please consider taking action by March 1, 2025.
Template
The below is a community member's testimony. Feel free to use it, something of your own, or something as simple as "I support LD 718, and "it ought to pass." To get other wording ideas, as online testimony is submitted for this bill, you can see it here: https://legislature.maine.gov/ctl/VLA/03-03-2025?panel=2&time=0&sortdir=0&sortby=2 after clicking on the bill number.
I support LD 718 “An Act to Require Municipal Clerks to Issue Absentee Ballots Only to Residents of That Municipality and to Eliminate Ongoing Absentee Voter Status.”
As I understand it, this bill requires a municipal clerk to issue an absentee ballot only to a person who is registered to vote in that municipality, including the voter and an immediate family member or a 3rd person designated by the voter to deliver the ballot on the voter's behalf. It also repeals the provisions allowing for application for ongoing absentee voter status.
This is common sense legislation. I would assume people who weren’t supposed to receive a ballot, did. Why wouldn’t we want this sort of ballot restriction? Additionally, current practice allows for those age 65 or older or, who self-identifies as having a disability, can complete an application for an “ongoing absentee ballot status” to have a ballot sent to them forever. This makes zero sense. Voter status can change. People move, people die, people change parties. Who gets that ongoing supplied ballot if the voter moves or dies?
Election/voter integrity has been suspect in past elections. Why would any government/municipality be afraid of transparency? This bill, once enacted into law, would help to restore registered voters’ faith in our election integrity.
Again, I support LD 718 “An Act to Require Municipal Clerks to Issue Absentee Ballots Only to Residents of That Municipality and to Eliminate Ongoing Absentee Voter Status”, and it ought to pass.
The below is an alternative testimony, in case you want additional inspiration before reading through more testimony on the Legislature website. Feel free to use it as it is, adjust it as you see fit, or use a wording of your own.
My name is [Your Name], and I am a resident of [Your Town/City]. I am here today to testify in support of LD 718, as I believe it strengthens election integrity by ensuring absentee ballots are handled within the communities where voters are registered. This bill takes an important step toward increasing local accountability in our election process, and I urge the committee to vote "Ought to Pass."
However, I would like to raise a concern about one specific provision: the requirement that an immediate family member or third-party ballot helper must also be registered to vote in the same municipality as the voter. While I understand the intent—ensuring local control and accountability—I worry this could unintentionally create difficulties for voters who rely on family members for assistance but whose relatives live in a different town.
For example, an elderly voter who needs help obtaining or returning an absentee ballot might naturally turn to an adult child or sibling, but if that family member lives just across a town line, they would be ineligible to assist. In rural areas or for those with mobility challenges, this restriction could make it harder for some voters to participate, even though their intent is fully legitimate.
I believe LD 718 is a strong and necessary bill, and I fully support its core principles. However, I ask the committee to consider whether this specific provision might be adjusted to still maintain election integrity while allowing greater flexibility for voters who rely on assistance from close family members who may live outside their municipality.
Thank you for your time and consideration. I urge you to pass LD 718 while taking this concern into account, and I am happy to answer any questions.
[Your Name]
[Your Town]
[Optional: Contact Information]
Credit
Credit for the above goes to our community member Danny (@DannyEmerson61) from the South Berwick Republican Committee (@BerwickSouth) and an anonymous source via X.
Disclaimer
A community member has shared this personal template for those who wish to express their views on LD 718. This template is not an official PTP position, and using it is entirely up to you. Pine Tree Patriots encourages civic participation but does not endorse or support specific actions or policies. Please remember this is an individual initiative.
Create Your Own Website With Webador