Local · Maine
DOJ Election Monitors to Observe Polling in Three Maine Cities
Secretary of State Shenna Bellows says Portland, South Portland and Lewiston were notified that federal observers will attend Tuesday’s election.
The U.S. Department of Justice will send federal monitors to polling places in Portland, South Portland and Lewiston on Election Day, Nov. 3, according to Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows. Maine Public reported that South Portland was added this week to Portland and Lewiston, which were announced earlier. WGME reported that the DOJ’s goal is to send 1,000 monitors to all 50 states on Election Day.
Bellows said the department has sent monitors to elections for decades, and Maine Public reported she noted that federal observers were in Maine for the 2024 congressional races. Maine Public reported that the monitors are expected to rotate among each municipality’s polling places during the day.
Bellows said monitors “may not interact with voters, handle ballots or equipment or disrupt voting in any way” and are subject to the same laws and rules as any other poll observer. Her office will watch their activities to make sure they follow state and federal law. Neither outlet reported who requested the deployment or the legal authority the department cited.
Sources
- Maine Public, Oct. 29, 2026: South Portland added, Bellows’s description of monitor rules <https://www.mainepublic.org/politics/2026-10-29/federal-election-monitors-will-also-observe-polling-in-south-portland-next-week>
- WGME, Oct. 29, 2026: all three communities notified, nationwide plan for about 1,000 monitors <https://wgme.com/news/local/doj-to-send-election-monitors-to-3-maine-communities-trump-administration-maine-secretary-of-states-office-south-portland-lewiston-and-portland>
This article was drafted with automated tools from the sources listed, checked by a review pass, and published by Daniel Varrone. Corrections: editor@monochromechronicles.com