Maine voters delivered a decisive verdict on Tuesday, November 4, 2025, rejecting a contentious ballot initiative known as Question 1 that would have imposed new photo identification requirements at the polls and made sweeping changes to the state’s absentee voting process. With just 40.4% voting in favor, the measure failed by a wide margin, preserving Maine’s reputation for accessible and high-participation elections, according to reports from Maine Morning Star, Democracy Docket, and the Associated Press.
The proposal, backed primarily by Republican activists, sought to require voters to present a government-issued photo ID—such as a driver’s license, passport, or military ID—at polling places and when requesting absentee ballots. It also included a host of other provisions: eliminating permanent absentee voter lists, banning absentee ballot requests by phone or through family members, ending automatic delivery of absentee ballots to certain voters, and limiting each municipality to a single ballot drop box, regardless of population size. For cities like Portland, with nearly 70,000 residents, this would have meant sharing the same number of drop boxes as rural towns with just a handful of voters—a change critics called unfair and impractical.
The defeat of Question 1 was called less than two hours after polls closed. Early returns showed opposition not just in left-leaning coastal areas but also in rural pockets, with the gap widening as results came in. By midnight, the Associated Press reported the measure was failing 63% to 37% with three-quarters of votes counted. The outcome was hailed by voting rights advocates as a resounding endorsement of Maine’s commitment to broad ballot access.
“This vote is an affirmation of Maine voters’ confidence in our elections. It sends a strong message of support for democracy and for election reforms that increase access to voting while keeping our elections safe and secure,” Secretary of State Shenna Bellows told Democracy Docket. Bellows, along with Governor Janet Mills and other Democratic officials, had publicly opposed the measure, arguing that it addressed a “virtually nonexistent problem” and risked disenfranchising eligible voters, especially seniors, people with disabilities, and working Mainers unable to take time off to vote in person.
Grassroots organizing played a major role on both sides of the campaign. The Save Maine Absentee Voting coalition, supported by the Maine Democratic Party and more than 30 organizations including labor unions and the ACLU-Maine, made over 400,000 direct voter contacts through door-knocking and phone banking, according to Executive Director Devon Murphy-Anderson. “Our takeaway is that when we get out there and we talk face to face with voters, we knock the doors, we make the calls, we get back to grassroots organizing and get back to the basics, it shows in voter awareness,” Murphy-Anderson said to Maine Morning Star.
Opponents of Question 1 argued that the measure would have erected unnecessary barriers, particularly for the elderly and those living in nursing homes. Robin Berry of Oxford, age 70, expressed her concerns at the polls: “I’m 70 years old. When I get in a nursing home, I want to be able to vote absentee. A lot of the elderly can’t get out to vote.” Gabby Riggieri, an independent voter, echoed the sentiment: “I don’t think we need to make voting any more challenging for anyone. We need to make voting more accessible, not harder for people.”
Supporters of the initiative, led by the Voter ID for ME campaign and the conservative political committee Dinner Table Action, argued that requiring photo identification would strengthen election integrity and reduce the risk of voter fraud. Alex Titcomb, the campaign’s lead petitioner, emphasized their grassroots efforts in gathering more than 170,000 signatures to place the question on the ballot. “It’s that passion that will eventually ensure that Voter ID passes, to strengthen and secure Maine elections,” Titcomb said. He also expressed disappointment with the result, suggesting that future efforts would continue: “Unfortunately it wasn’t today. But because the policy is so popular, we have confidence that it will pass in the future.”
The campaign was marked by sharp partisan divides and significant spending on both sides. According to campaign finance disclosures, opponents of Question 1 raised roughly $1.8 million, backed by national labor unions and Democratic organizations. Supporters raised about $585,000, with the majority coming from the Republican State Leadership Committee. The state’s fiscal analysis estimated that implementing the proposed changes would have cost taxpayers more than $1.3 million—another point of contention in the debate.
For many voters, the absentee voting provisions were the most controversial aspect of the proposal. Maine has one of the highest voter turnout rates in the country, a legacy attributed in part to its accessible absentee voting system. During the 2024 presidential election, about 45% of Mainers voted by mail, drop box, or early in-person ballot. On Tuesday, more than 146,000 absentee ballots had already been requested, with about half from registered Democrats, 22% from Republicans, and 26% from unenrolled voters.
“Question 1 was a voter suppression bill that would have erected unnecessary barriers to voting,” said Jen Lancaster, communications director for the League of Women Voters of Maine. U.S. Rep. Chellie Pingree, a Democrat, added, “With the rejection of Question 1, Maine voters have ensured that our elections will remain open, secure, and accessible—just as they should be.”
Still, some voters saw the measure as a common-sense safeguard. Julie Ames of Poland said, “Just show an ID—that’s it.” Jack Fowler of Biddeford drew a parallel to airport security: “Put it this way, I just dropped my wife off at Logan Airport at 5 a.m. and she cannot get on that Delta Flight without a photo ID. I think it makes sense for our most precious right here in America.”
The defeat of Question 1 stands in contrast to trends in more than a dozen other states that have adopted or expanded strict voter ID laws since 2020. Thirty-six states now require some form of identification to vote, though the specifics vary. Maine’s decision to maintain its current system was celebrated by national voting rights advocates. Democratic National Committee Chair Ken Martin called the vote “a major win for all Mainers,” noting, “Question 1 would have ended absentee voting as we know it, further diluting the voting rights of people with disabilities, seniors, and working Mainers who are unable to take the day off from work to vote.”
As the dust settles, both sides are reflecting on the campaign and the lessons learned. While supporters vow to continue their push for voter ID, Maine’s voters have spoken—loudly and clearly—about the value they place on accessible, secure, and inclusive elections.
Tuesday’s result leaves no doubt: for now, Maine’s tradition of open ballot access remains firmly in place, a testament to the state’s enduring commitment to democratic participation.
