Media Release

Maine’s Question 1 Threatens to Silence Tens of Thousands of Voters:
National Vote at Home Institute Alerts Public to Risks for Voting Access

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE October 29, 2025

Contact: Barbara Smith Warner, Executive Director bsw@voteathome.org

Question 1 on next Tuesday’s Maine ballot would make multiple changes to Maine’s
absentee voting laws that would create unnecessary barriers for seniors, rural voters,
people with disabilities, and anyone who relies on voting at home with an absentee
ballot.

As the only national organization that works to increase voters’ access to, use of, and
confidence in voting at home with mailed-out paper ballots, the National Vote at
Home Institute (NVAHI) believes that the passage of Question 1 would harm Maine’s
popular, widely used absentee ballot system and potentially disenfranchise thousands
of voters.

Phil Keisling, Chair of the National Vote at Home Institute and the former Oregon
Secretary of State, who more than 25 years ago implemented the nation’s first
universal Vote at Home system, issued the following statement:

“Maine’s tradition of citizen involvement includes top voter turnout, which is
supported by a secure and accessible absentee voting system. In recent elections,
more than 40% of voters—including older voters, women, and those with
disabilities—cast absentee ballots. For many, absentee voting is essential to
their participation.”

Since 2018, NVAHI has helped policymakers and election administrators nationwide
facilitate innovation of Vote at Home systems by providing best practices on research,
policy, and communications.

“As Oregon’s former chief election official, I believe these needless restrictions
could reduce voter participation by tens of thousands of individuals in a general
election. That’s equivalent to disenfranchising towns the size of Bangor,
Lewiston, or Auburn.”

NVAHI has studied mail voting systems across all 50 states, including those where
every voter automatically receives a ballot by mail. These Vote at Home states see
increased voter participation across all demographic groups and some of the nation’s
highest turnout rates, including in primary elections.

In states like Maine, Minnesota, Montana, and Michigan, we have seen how secure and
efficient permanent absentee systems benefit voters and reduce both costs and
administrative burdens for election administrators.
Keisling concluded,“I cannot see why any Mainer would support absentee ballot
restrictions that make it harder for citizens to request, use, or have their ballots
counted.”