Dear Editor:

We did it! Thanks to thousands of Mainers and hundreds of volunteers, Maine Citizens for Clean Elections (MCCE), was able to turn in 85,185 signatures on Wednesday, Jan. 21 to the Secretary of State in Augusta. Because of this, the initiative to bolster accountability, increase transparency, and restore our Maine Clean Election Act will be presented to all voters on the November 2015 ballot.

More than 200 participants in this historical effort were present in the Hall of Flags. Andrew Bossie, Executive Director of Maine Citizens for Clean Elections, the nonpartisan group that organized the event and the signature collection, said, “This is an effort of, by and for Maine people. We’re here today because we want a government that works for everyday voters, not one bought and paid for by wealthy special interests. We’re here today because when our democracy is threatened, we, the people, will fight to keep it strong.”

Recently, retired Sen. Ed Youngblood of Brewer spoke of his experience talking with voters at the polls on Election Day. “The Clean Election Initiative is all about making sure that Maine people have the opportunity to step up, run for office, and serve their constituents without relying on big-money special interests,” he said. “So much about politics is about divisions, but in this Clean Election endeavor, we are Mainers first. Republicans like me worked alongside Democrats, Greens, and unenrolled voters to collect these signatures. That is a reflection of the widespread concern about the skyrocketing cost of elections and the growing role of big money.”

Susan van Alsenoy

MCCE Lincoln County Coordinator

Wiscasset