Political signs along our roadsides say "Secure Elections," and urge a "yes" vote on Question 1. But our elections are already secure. I urge you to vote "no," as the opposing signs say, and ensure that those who can't get to the polls can still vote.

Don't be misled. Question 1 on the November 4th referendum is an attempt to limit the ways you can cast your ballot. Read it carefully. If passed it would "eliminate two days of absentee voting, prohibit requests for absentee ballots by phone or family members, end ongoing absentee voter status for seniors and people with disabilities..." That's not all. If passed it would limit the number of drop boxes for ballots, and require a photo ID.

None of those things sound good or necessary. My daughter, who relies on me to obtain a ballot from the town office because of chronic illness, could be disenfranchised if Question 1 passes. Are we going to say people with disabilities are not entitled to vote? Who is behind Question 1?

A leading proponent is Republican Rep. Laurel Libby, who made news earlier this year when she refused to apologize or remove a critical Facebook post that identified a transgender student athlete.  Alex Titcomb, campaign manager for the group Voter ID for Maine, is quoted as saying, “The big change for our elections is the requirement for a photo ID. All of the other stuff is really minor.”

David Farmer, of the group Save Maine Absentee Voting, doesn't think the "other stuff" is minor, and I agree with him. It's revealing that the wealthy political operative Leonard Leo, who has a house in Northeast Harbor, is linked to the Yes group. Leo has funded various conservative causes at the federal level and worked with Donald Trump to put conservative justices on the Supreme Court. Leo is reportedly showing interest in Maine politics these days.

On the other side, Save Maine Absentee Voting has received donations from various liberal organizations, some of them affiliated with Democrats. Regardless of partisan issues, I don't see why we would want to restrict voting in Maine. There is no evidence of fraud. We have an honest and honorable system in place.

Please vote "no" and preserve our Constitutional right to vote, either in person or by mail, without the hassle of a photo ID.  It's been working for a couple of hundred years and it ain't broke. I hope Mainers realize the "yes" vote would restrict who can vote.

Why make it hard for people to vote? An estimated 60 percent of seniors rely on absentee voting, according to the "no" folks. I've sometimes voted absentee myself, for various reasons. So however you vote, make sure you do. Restricting absentee voting is undemocratic. Maine can be proud of its historically high voter turnout. Let's keep it that way.

Steve Cartwright lives in Tenants Harbor and  is vice chair of the St.George Select Board. His views are strictly his own.