PORTLAND, Maine — With the 2024 presidential election fast approaching, Maine state leaders are taking steps to ensure that election workers and voters are safe at the polls.
Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows said following the 2020 presidential election, several poll workers across the country and locally reported receiving threats or experiencing harassment. Bellows said those reports rolled in by the thousands across the country.
"Here in Maine, there were just a few instances of threats against election workers, but even one threat against an election clerk is one threat too many," Bellows said.
In 2022, the Maine Legislature passed laws and state statues that protect poll workers. The Legislature also made it a requirement for the secretary of state's office to report incidents of threats and harassment to the Veterans and Legal Affairs Committee. Bellows said it is a federal crime to disrupt or threaten a polling place or an election worker.
Crimes of obstructing an election or threatening election workers are prosecuted by the attorney general and district attorney's office. Federal offenses are prosecuted at the U.S. Attorney General's level.
District attorney Maeghan Maloney, who represents Somerset and Kennebec Counties, said she has seen an increase of violence at the polls over the years.
"The level of violent chatter has increased, and in particular, directing that towards our election workers," Maloney said. "That is a direct attack on our democracy"
According to the Pew Research Center 2018, 2020, and 2022 were three of the highest voter turnout years of U.S. elections. In 2022, more than 73 percent of active registered voters in Maine participated in the general election. That level of participation was the highest rate in the country.
No matter who wins the 2024 presidential election, state leaders said they're hoping to see a peaceful transfer of power.
"Simply trying to get in a person's way when they go in to cast a vote, that's a crime. Trying to physically intimidate someone, that's a higher-level crime," Maloney said. "Trying to prevent someone from casting a ballot, that's going to be an even higher-level crime, or even tampering with that person's ballot."
Maloney said verbal and electronic threats will also be investigated. In light the continuous personal attacks that are constantly passed between both the Republican and Democratic campaigns, Bellows said voters need to look past the rhetoric.
"Verbal attacks, disinformation, lies about our election are unacceptable," she said. "Violence is unacceptable."
Bellows said she believes Mainers will be able to uphold democracy that America was built on. Maloney said people who volunteer at the polls and who work to make sure everyone can exercise their right to vote will be protected.
"To make people feel intimidated about voting is hurting the very foundation of our country," Maloney said. "It is the most unpatriotic thing that a person can do."