FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, August 20, 2024

Maine Secretary of State Decision in Challenge to Cornel West Petitions

AUGUSTA — Secretary of State Shenna Bellows issued a decision regarding challenges brought by three Maine voters to the nomination of slate of presidential electors to support Dr. Cornel West.

The Secretary of State’s Office received two challenges to the nomination of Dr. West, each filed on July 30, 2024, pursuant to 21-A M.R.S.A., section 354 (2024). One challenge is from Nathan Berger of Portland, Maine. The second challenge is from Anne Gass of Gray and Sandra Marquis of Lewiston. Both challenges were brought under 21-A M.R.S.A., section 356(2) (2024).

A consolidated hearing was held at 1:00 p.m. on Wednesday, August 14 in Augusta. The hearing was live-streamed to the Department’s YouTube and is still available to view online. 

The Secretary, upon review of the proceedings and evidence, determined that some signatures were gathered fraudulently, rejecting the petition forms that contain those signatures. Secretary Bellows, nonetheless, concluded, as detailed in the decision, that there are a sufficient number of valid signatures submitted by the Campaign for Dr. West to appear on Maine’s presidential ballot and that the Gass and Berger challenges to the petition are therefore denied. “The bad actions of one should not impugn the valid First Amendment rights of the many.” said Secretary Bellows.

In the decision, Secretary Bellows noted,

“The challenges allege fraud by a circulator of Dr. Cornel West’s candidate petition and errors on the part of the municipal registrars and the Department of Secretary of State in reviewing the petitions. It is extraordinarily important to the public confidence in our elections that the process be fair and free from fraud and that election administration be accurate. I have a responsibility to the voters of the State of Maine to ensure that the rights of voters are protected every step of the way from nominating candidates to casting ballots. Our democracy depends upon the free and fair exercise of the constitutional rights of the citizenry.

Upon review of the proceedings and the evidence before me, I conclude that some signatures were gathered fraudulently, and I reject the petition forms that contain those signatures. However, the bad actions of one should not impugn the valid First Amendment rights of the many.

I have also reviewed in great detail the evidence presented by the challengers regarding alleged errors by local and state election officials in certification of the signatures. While other states across the country may direct election officials to exclude voters from duly participating in our elections processes on the basis of scrivener’s quibbles, Maine does not. Our election laws are grounded in encouraging full and fair voter participation, and the registrars acted appropriately in certifying signatures for voters that they could verify regardless of whether a voter signed with a nickname or dated the petition with the day and month only.

On the basis of the evidence presented to me at the hearing and the reasons outlined [in my decision], I therefore conclude that there are a sufficient number of valid signatures submitted by the Campaign for Dr. West to appear on Maine’s presidential ballot and otherwise reject the challengers’ arguments for invalidating the Petition.”

The challenger or candidate may appeal this decision by commencing an action in the Superior Court within five days of this date, pursuant to 21-A M.R.S.A., section 337, subsection 2, paragraph D.

A copy of the full decision can be found here.

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