On Aug. 18, 1920, the U.S. ratified the 19th Amendment, formally granting American women the right to vote, though few could immediately exercise that right. As we celebrate women’s suffrage this month, I am mindful of the tremendous work it has taken to extend voting rights in our nation.

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Anne Carney

n the 1848 Declaration of Sentiments, which was drafted and adopted in Seneca Falls, New York, Lucretia Mott and Elizabeth Cady Stanton wrote, “We insist that [women] have immediate admission to all the rights and privileges which belong to them as citizens of these United States.” They concluded with the statement: “Firmly relying upon the final triumph of the Right and the True, we do this day affix our signatures to this declaration.” Last fall, I visited the Women’s Rights National Historical Park. Though I’ve always found these words affirming that a citizen’s right to vote is right and true moving, it was an extraordinary experience to stand in the very house where Mott and Stanton first wrote them. All these years later, those words continue to move and inspire me to strengthen and protect this inherent right as outlined in amendments to U.S. Constitution:

• the 15th Amendment recognizing the right to vote must not be denied on account of “race, color, or previous condition of servitude,”

• the 19th Amendment conferring voting rights without regard to sex,

• the 26th Amendment granting those 18 and over the right to vote.”

While many of the women who signed the Declaration of Sentiments in Seneca Falls did not live to see the right for women to vote become the law of the land, their relentless, tireless advocacy made progress possible. With this history in mind, last month I was very proud to join Maine’s Secretary of State Shenna Bellows and other public officials and voting rights advocates at the Scarborough Bureau of Motor Vehicles, where we announced the launch of automatic voter registration in Maine.

While many states across the country have put up barriers to voting, Maine has taken a leading role in helping citizens exercise their constitutional right. Automatic voter registration is one tool that supports voting rights. When Mainers who are 16 years of age or older visit a BMV branch to get or renew a Maine driver’s license or ID, and provide proof of residency and citizenship, they will have the option to register to vote or update their voter registration information.

Mainers who are 16 and 17 years old will be pre-registered to vote when they turn 18, and Mainers 18 years of age and older will be registered. I’m excited that all Mainers, especially our youngest voters, will have such an easy, convenient opportunity to register to vote. Their votes will help determine the path our state takes to the future. Maine is just the 22nd state to implement automatic voter registration, which shows how committed our state is to making elections fair, free and open. Automatic voter registration has the added benefit of helping municipal clerks keep voter lists up to date.

Another great tool that will support Mainers’ right to vote is online voter registration, which will become available in November 2023. This change will modernize Maine’s voter registration process, as well as offer accessibility for voters and additional benefits for town clerks. A Mainer can choose to register to vote online as an alternative to visiting a municipal office for a physical voter registration card. Also, the new secure portal will help town clerks maintain updated records. I’m eager for this new method of voter registration to launch next year.

In addition to providing some important updates that will help Mainers register to vote, I want to remind people how easy it is to request an absentee ballot for the upcoming Nov. 8 election. An absentee ballot is a ballot you can return by mail, in person, or place in a drop box at city or town hall, rather than voting in person at a polling place on Election Day.

In Maine, any registered voter can request an absentee ballot without needing to provide a reason. From now until 5 p.m. on the Thursday before an election, you can request an absentee ballot online at apps.web.maine.gov/cgi-bin-/AbsenteeBallot/index.pl. The deadline to return an absentee ballot is 8 p.m. on Election Day. Absentee ballots offer a safe, convenient way to vote, especially for those who have to work or have family responsibilities on Election Day, and for people who might have difficulties getting to their polling place on Nov. 8.

If you have specific questions about absentee voting, you can find lots of information on the Maine Secretary of State’s Voter Information page, https://www.maine.gov/sos/cec/elec/voter-info/index.html, and you can also contact your municipal clerk. Now is the time to start making a plan to vote.

As always, I am deeply honored and humbled to represent you and your family in Augusta.

Anne Carney represents Maine Senate District 29, which consists of Cape Elizabeth, South Portland and part of Scarborough. She can be reached at 207-287-1515 or Anne.Carney@legislature.maine.gov.