Maine Republicans call for probe of noncitizens registering to vote

Maine Republicans are calling for an investigation after a conservative group says it uncovered evidence at least a half dozen noncitizens registered to vote in the state over the past eight years.

The Maine Wire, property of the conservative Maine Policy Institute, said in a report that documents obtained from a whistleblower show that at least six noncitizens who are receiving MaineCare health benefits were registered to vote, and some voted in previous elections, in violation of state and federal laws.

"If their immigration statuses have been correctly recorded in Maine’s MaineCare system, then none of the individuals should be legally allowed to register to vote or vote in U.S. federal, state, or local Maine elections," the news outlet wrote in the report.

The report prompted members of Maine's Republican minority to call for an investigation into the claims ahead of the Nov. 5 presidential election.

In a letter to Maine Attorney General Aaron Frey and Secretary of State Shenna Bellows, House Republican Minority Leader Billy Bob Falkingham called for a "full and capacious" investigation into the allegations outlined in the report "to restore the faith and trust of main people in the sanctity of our ballot box and the integrity of our electoral process."

"On behalf of the people of Maine, we call on you, as Maine's constitutional officers, to conduct an immediate investigation, provide transparency, and inform the public if these allegations are factual," he wrote.

Falkingham said if the investigation determines that any individuals were "engaging in electoral misconduct" they should "face the full consequences of the law."

Maine GOP Executive Director Jason Savage called the new outlet's report "troubling" and echoed calls for an investigation into the allegations.

"We must ensure that the votes of Mainers are not diluted by those who aren’t legally eligible to vote," Savage said. "Now that this has been exposed, a thorough review should be undertaken and an immediate report of findings should be made public for examination."

Maine is one of a handful of states that provide taxpayer-funded health benefits to noncitizens through its Medicaid program, even though nonsitters are generally ineligible for health care coverage under federal regulations.

The news outlet said when it cross referenced the identities of 18 "legal and illegal aliens" from Maine's Medicaid program with voting records from the secretary of state's office, "at least six of the individuals were registered to vote, five had voted in state elections since 2016, and all were registered Democrats."

The report said it isn't clear from the documents it received from the whistleblower whether the individuals intentionally registered to vote and cast the ballots themselves "or were registered to vote by another party and had ballots cast in their name without their knowledge or permission."

Maine doesn't require people to verify their citizenship when an individual registers to vote, but they must sign an affidavit under the threat of criminal prosecution attesting to the fact that they are eligible to vote.

The state also doesn't require voter identification despite efforts by the Legislature's Republican minority to require ID to cast ballots in federal, state and local elections.

Democrats have repeatedly rejected the GOP proposals, most recently in June, saying the efforts are aimed at voter suppression and would disenfranchise the elderly, minorities, and others who may lack photo identification. They also say voter fraud, especially by noncitizens, is largely nonexistent.

In July, the U.S. House of Representatives approved a bill requiring individuals registering to vote to provide proof of citizenship to participate in federal elections and require states to check their voter rolls for registered noncitizens.

The Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act is intended to prevent noncitizens from voting, which is already illegal since, under current U.S. law, only citizens can vote in federal elections. However, supporters of the measure point out the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 prohibits states from confirming citizenship status.

Maine's two Democratic House lawmakers were divided over the bill's passage. Rep. Jared Golden voted to support the measure, and Rep. Chellie Pingree joined other Democrats in voting against it.