On June 21, 2011, an application for a “People’s Veto Referendum” of the elimination of Election Day registration was filed with the Secretary of State’s office.  

The group of Maine citizens was led by Barbara McDade, the president of the League of Women Voters of Maine. Other original signers included District Attorny Evert Fowle, his son, Evert Fowle III, volunteer poll worker Harold Booth of Hallowell, Gloria Fleming of Augusta, and Robert Talbot of Bangor.

On July 6, 2011, the Secretary of State’s office provided the following ballot question:

“Do you want to reject the section of Chapter 399 of the Public Laws of 2011 that requires new voters to register to vote at least two business days prior to an election?”

A “Yes” vote on Question 1 in November will protect voting rights and repeal the new law that eliminates Election Day registration.

On July 8, 2011, a coalition of 18 organizations in Maine announced that they would begin gathering the necessary signatures to put this question on a statewide ballot so that Maine voters could make the final decision regarding Election Day registration rights in our state. The coalition has since grown to 21 groups, and counting.

Thousands of volunteers, young and old, Democrats, Republicans and Independents, and all registered voters in our state, began collecting signatures to put this question on the ballot in November.  

The response was overwhelming and positive.  

On Aug. 8, 2011, about a month after collecting our first signature, Protect Maine Votes turned in 70,021 signatures that had been certified by town and city clerks.

If more than 57,277 signatures are validated by the Secretary of State, the people’s veto will be Question 1 on the November 2011 ballot.

The Protect Maine Votes Coalition is made up of a broad range of organizations committed to restoring Election Day registration in Maine. The members are: Engage Maine, Maine People's Alliance, Maine Civil Liberties Union, Maine League of Conservation Voters, League of Women Voters of Maine, Maine League of Young Voters, Opportunity Maine, Maine Equal Justice Partners, EqualityMaine, Maine Women's Lobby, Maine Education Association, MSEA-SEIU, Speaking Up For Us, Disability Rights Center, Preble Street Resource Center, Homeless Voices for Justice, Maine AFL-CIO and Maine Chapter of the Sierra Club.