Maine Secretary of State Matthew Dunlap is upping the ante in his effort to compel President Trump’s voter fraud commission to provide him with information and correspondence about its work. Dunlap, one of four Democrats on the 11-member Presidential Advisory Commission on Election Integrity, has asked a federal judge to issue an injunction forcing the […]
elections
Posted inMaine, sj-web
Study: Maine ballot questions too confusing even for college graduates
A nationwide study on the complexity of the wording of ballot questions found that it takes a post-graduate education just to comprehend the title of the average referendum in Maine. Or to put it another way, the study found that it would take 25 years of education to figure out the average ballot question in […]
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Posted inMaine, sj-web
Susan Collins seeks to block Russian meddling in U.S. elections
Concerned that Russian efforts to interfere with American elections “continue to this very day,” U.S. Sen. Susan Collins said Thursday that the nation must beef up security to fend off cyberattacks by foreign hackers. The Maine Republican said if an adversary succeeded in compromising a U.S. election, it would “undermine public confidence in free and […]
Posted inMaine, sj-web
Analysis: Maine encourages everyone to vote, including prisoners and the homeless
At a time when many states are adopting measures that make it harder for people to vote, Maine stands for the other extreme. It is the easiest state in the country for someone to cast a ballot. In Maine, just about every resident who is 18 or older gets to vote — and, since the […]
Posted inMaine, sj-web
Maine makes $30,000 by selling voter information
AUGUSTA (AP) — While Maine officials have refused to share voter information with President Donald Trump’s Election Integrity Commission, the state has made more than $30,000 over the past two years selling voter information. The Portland Press Herald reports the state sold a list of registered voters for $2,200 to government agencies and political groups […]
Posted inMaine, sj-web
Matt Dunlap still won't share Maine voter data with task force
AUGUSTA (AP) — Maine’s secretary of state says he is sticking with his decision to deny a request for voter data made by a Trump administration commission. Secretary of State Matthew Dunlap said last month he would not comply with the request by the Presidential Advisory Commission on Election Integrity, which is investigating possible voter […]
Posted inMaine, sj-web
Maine refuses to hand over voter data to federal commission
AUGUSTA — The state won’t comply with a request to hand over voter registration information to President Donald Trump’s Advisory Commission on Election Integrity. Secretary of State Matthew Dunlap and Attorney General Janet Mills determined Monday that the state couldn’t provide the data without violating its own laws protecting voter privacy. “Maine citizens can be […]
Posted inMaine, sj-web
Ranked choice voting survives repeal effort
AUGUSTA (AP) — A new voting method that Mainers approved in November has withstood a court conclusion that it’s unconstitutional and now a legislative repeal effort. A bill to repeal the ranked-choice voting law died Wednesday following legislative votes. Democratic Secretary of State Matthew Dunlap’s office will begin preparing to implement the system for the […]
Posted inNation / World
How the NSA connected leaked document to Reality Winner
Criminal investigations into national security leaks tend to be long, complicated and delicate affairs. Sources generally cover their tracks, especially in an era when even the most innocuous computer activity leaves an electronic trail. Edward Snowden took extraordinary precautions when he leaked troves of classified information on surveillance activity by the National Security Agency to […]
Posted inMaine
Analysis: Legislature to choose among 5 options for ranked-choice voting
AUGUSTA — Protected by Maine’s high court, a key group of Democrats looks open to eventually joining Republicans in repealing the state’s pioneering ranked-choice voting law before the 2018 election. The Maine Supreme Judicial Court issued a unanimous opinion in May finding the law unconstitutional after it passed with 52 percent support from voters in 2016, saying it violates […]