AUGUSTA, Maine — Maine’s election supervisor, Shenna Bellows, is taking a unique approach to make the state’s ranked choice voting process more transparent, likening her efforts to that of a sports commentator. This week, she has been broadcasting live on YouTube, providing real-time updates and addressing viewer inquiries as Maine works to determine the winner of its congressional race.
Bellows expressed her hope that by showcasing the electoral process in action, voters will gain a greater trust in the integrity of the elections and the officials dedicated to facilitating them. “We anticipate that seeing the process firsthand will reinforce public confidence in our elections, showing that they are conducted fairly and accurately,” stated Bellows.
In the closely contested race for Maine’s 2nd Congressional District, incumbent Democratic Rep. Jared Golden is ahead of his Republican opponent, Austin Theriault, by approximately 2,000 first-place votes out of nearly 400,000 cast. However, since neither candidate surpassed the 50% threshold, the ranked choice voting mechanism will now come into play.
The significance of this election is heightened as both parties vie for control of the U.S. House, and no official winner has been declared yet. Bellows, who assumed office in 2021, has a background as a civil liberties attorney and previously generated controversy among Republicans when she declared that Trump was ineligible for the state’s GOP primary ballot due to his involvement in the January 6 events. Although the U.S. Supreme Court later intervened, Bellows faced harassment and threats as a result.
During the live broadcast on Tuesday, lawyers and officials from both campaigns were present as election staff opened ballot boxes at the Maine State Police headquarters. Viewers had the opportunity to observe the process from multiple angles, while Bellows interacted with the audience, occasionally turning her camera onto observers for detailed explanations.
She explained the protocols in place for ensuring the security of the ballots, detailing how election workers in each district locked ballots in blue padlocked boxes, which were monitored and transported under police supervision to a secure location. Bellows provided insights into the digital security protocols as well, emphasizing that the voting machines are not connected to the internet to prevent any potential hacking or tampering.
After securing the ballot boxes, Bellows invited representatives from both campaigns to verify the accuracy of the voting machine records against initial tallies. The campaign manager for Theriault expressed satisfaction with the transparency of the process after discussions with Bellows.
In light of ongoing challenges and disputes surrounding election outcomes across the nation, the conventional tabulation process has often drawn scrutiny. Notable controversies, like those witnessed during the 2000 election in Florida and the claims of ballot stuffing in 2020, have left many Americans questioning the electoral system.
Bellows’ proactive approach in addressing questions during the live stream aims to foster transparency and rebuild trust in the electoral process. Mark Brewer, a political science professor at the University of Maine, commended her strategy, particularly because of the scrutiny surrounding ranked choice voting.
Maine has been using ranked choice voting since 2016, a methodology not widely adopted in other states. In this congressional race, there was only one minor alternative, a write-in candidate named Diana Merenda, who garnered about 400 votes. Over 12,000 ballots initially lacked a first choice and will need to be verified for second choices before they can be discarded.
Bellows emphasized the importance of accurately confirming initial vote tallies before proceeding with the ranked choice tabulation, which will ultimately determine which candidate achieves the necessary 50% majority. She also maintained a light-hearted demeanor when acknowledging minor hiccups, such as needing bolt cutters for a locked box where the key was misplaced.
Following the conclusion of the tabulation process, election officials will proceed with a formal recount, which Theriault’s campaign has initiated, with the goal of finalizing results before the certification deadline on November 25.