‘Maine Policy Matters’ interviews Shenna Bellows on voting integrity
Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows was featured on a the latest episode of the “Maine Policy Matters” podcast by the Margaret Chase Smith Policy Center at the University of Maine.
In “Behind the Ballot: Voting Integrity in Maine with Shenna Bellows,” she delves into the complexities of voting integrity in Maine, providing listeners with a behind-the-scenes look at the safeguards in place to ensure secure and accurate elections.
The episode explores the extensive systems Maine employs to protect the democratic process. Bellows provides an in-depth look at how the state ensures every vote is counted accurately, discussing the critical roles played by officials, volunteers and election workers at both local and state levels. These dedicated teams work together to implement a secure, transparent election process that fosters trust in the system. Maine is notably first in the nation in voter turnout rate due to the state’s policy of same-day voter registration, underscoring the importance of removing obstacles for people to get to the polls. The conversation highlights how rigorous planning, careful oversight and collaborative efforts are essential to maintaining voter confidence and protecting the integrity of each election in Maine.
The Margaret Chase Smith Policy Center is a nonpartisan, independent research and public service unit of UMaine. It contributes to the quality of public dialogue concerning local, state, regional and national policy issues through applied policy research and engagement with the community. The center’s research is interdisciplinary, bringing together faculty, staff and students from a variety of backgrounds — anthropology, ecology, economics, engineering, history, politics, psychology, social work and sociology — with external policy experts to address issues confronting the state and nation.