Supporters say the initiatives would help safeguard elections, while opponents, primarily Democrats, claim they are intended to make voting more difficult or address issues that aren’t major problems.
The proposal in Texas, where Republicans control the government, is fairly simple: It would amend the Texas Constitution to add “persons who are not citizens of the United States” to the list of those excluded from participating in elections.
Maine’s proposal centers on requiring a photo ID to vote, but it is far more sweeping. The Republican-backed initiative also would limit the use of drop boxes for returning completed ballots and make several changes to the state’s absentee voting system system, including eliminating two days of absentee voting.
Maine Gov. Janet Mills is one of many Democrats in the state speaking out against the voter ID initiative that is the centerpiece of Question 1. She said she sees it less as a chance to shore up elections and more as an attack on the right to vote itself.
Proponents of the ID push said it’s about ensuring legal votes count in the state.
The Maine proposal also would limit the number of ballot drop boxes to just one per municipality in a state where mail voting has been growing in popularity.
The ballot initiative is up for approval as the state investigates an allegation that dozens of unmarked ballots, intended for use in this year’s election, were discovered inside a woman's Amazon order. The secretary of state’s law enforcement division is investigating with assistance from the FBI and other state authorities, Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows has said.
