Maine’s Secretary of State Shenna Bellows With President Biden Behind Her at the White House for a Women’s HIstory Month Celebration Last Year. She is the First Woman to Hold the Position.

Democrats across the state of Maine requesting “in-person absentee” ballots outnumber requests from all other parties by a wide margin according to a press release issued early this afternoon by the office of Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows.

Voters enrolled as Democrats across the state  requesting ballots are 8,420 in number;  Unenrolled voters requesting in-person ballots are 3,590; Republicans requesting in-person ballots are 3,021.  Forty-six members of the “No Labels” party have requested ballots.

As of Friday, October 6, 2023, a total of15,487 absentee ballots have been requested by Maine voters with 399 ballots having been already returned.

“There are many ways that Mainers can cast their ballots, depending on what works for them and their busy schedules,” said Secretary of State Shenna Bellows.  “The ease and accessibiliy of no-excuse absentee voting for 30 days before an election is one of the reasons we’ve consistently been among the states with the highest turnout, including heing first in the nation last November.”

Voters in Maine can request teir absentee ballots up to three months before an election, so many voters who requessted ballots early have already begun receiving and returning their absentee ballots.

Voters may request ballots by contacting their municipal clerks.  All absentee ballots must be received by a voters mucipality by 8:00 pm on Election Day.