Dear Editor: 

As a Mainer who has volunteered on voter assistance hotlines in Pennsylvania and Georgia, I have seen first-hand howlaws like the proposed Question 1 make it harderfor elderly, disabled, and rural voters to exercise their rightto vote. Here's just a bit of what I saw.   

WhenGeorgia eliminated permanent absentee voting -- one of the changes included in Question 1 --many elderly and disabled voters who had signed up to get an absentee ballot for every election simply didn't get their ballots. Many were unaware of the changes to the law or thought they had requested a ballot, only to learn that their request was for an earlier election. Very often by the time they called the deadline to request a ballot had passed, or if the deadline hadn't passed they had to figure out how to submit their request, which couldn't be done over the telephoneand many of these voters didn't have the technology to request an absentee ballot online. They also couldn't have a family member or friend pick up their ballot for them, another obstacle to someone homebound or without transportation. 

This is what we'll see in Maine if Question 1 passes. It willend ongoing absentee voting, prohibit phone requests for absentee ballots, ban family members and helpers from picking up absentee ballots for their loved ones disenfranchising rural, disabled, and elderly voters. It will alsoreduce the number of early voting days and create complicated and potentially expensive new restrictions on ballot drop boxes (which are already governed by very explicit rules to ensure their security). 

I'm in favor of safe and secure elections, and guess what? In Maine, we already have them! According to the Heritage Foundation, a conservative organization that has tracked voter fraud, we've had exactly two cases of voter fraud since 1982, both of which were prosecuted. 

Let's be honest. This referendum isn't about securing Maine's elections;it's about limiting the number of people who vote. Don't be fooled. Please learn the facts and vote against Question 1. 

Carole Florman 

Damariscotta