Upcoming deadline: Online voter registration open through Tuesday

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, October 11, 2024

AUGUSTA — The deadline to utilize online voter registration at maine.gov/vote ahead of the Nov. 5, 2024 General Election is coming soon. Online voter registration is available in Maine through Tuesday, Oct. 15.

“We’ve already seen strong interest in online voter registration by Mainers to register for the first time, or to update an existing registration after a big life event” said Secretary of State Shenna Bellows. “With same day voter registration available up to and including Election Day, Mainers have a lot of options for how to register to vote, but online voter registration is an easy, convenient way for folks to register at their own convenience, and have one fewer thing on their to do list before casting a ballot.”

To register to vote in Maine, voters must be Maine residents, U.S. citizens, and at least 16 years old, though only Mainers who will be 18 years old on or before November 5, 2024 may vote in the General Election. When registering for the first time, voters must provide proof of residency and identity. Current or former incarceration status does not disqualify any Mainer from registering to vote or casting their ballot. Incarcerated persons at a correctional facility or county jail may register to vote in the Maine municipality where they established residency prior to incarceration.

Maine has same day voter registration, meaning that Mainers may register to vote and cast their ballot on the same day, even Election Day. Online voter registration at maine.gov/vote is available through Tuesday, Oct. 15 (21 days before Election Day). Registrations done by mail need to be received by the municipal clerk of the voter by that date as well. Automatic voter registration during Bureau of Motor Vehicle transactions is available through Tuesday, Oct. 29 (7 days before Election Day). After those deadlines, registrations must be done in person at the voter’s municipality.

Maine has seen a surge in online voter registration usage in recent weeks (see chart below). These registration numbers include new registrations, duplicate registrations from Mainers who perhaps are not sure if they are currently registered and want to be certain, and updated registrations with a change of name, address or party enrollment. There were more than 10,000 new voter registrations in September.

Mainers who are not sure if they are registered to vote, or if their voter registration is up-to-date should contact their municipal clerk’s office to check. Contact information for municipal clerks and registrars is available at www.maine.gov/sos/cec/elec/munic.html. Maine does not currently have an online registration lookup tool.

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