The League of Women Voters of Maine Education Fund has released its 12th Easy-to-Read Voter Guide for the 2018 general election. This year’s guide covers the gubernatorial race, the federal race for U.S. Senate, both federal races for the U.S. House of Representatives (Districts 1 and 2), one statewide citizen initiative question, and four statewide bond issues that will be decided by voters on November 6. Following the first statewide use of ranked choice voting (RCV) on the ballot last June, RCV will be used in the general election in all three federal races. 

This year, the league will also be offering a Portland supplement to the statewide guide covering all the races appearing on ballots in the City of Portland. All of the information in both guides will be available in Somali and Arabic. Audio and ASL translations will be available online, as well.

“Studies have shown that voters want information from independent, unbiased sources such as the League of Women Voters of Maine Education Fund, and we know from past experience that this free, nonpartisan voter guide is a highly valued resource for Maine voters,” said Jill Ward, President of the League of Women Voters of Maine Education Fund, in a news release. “We are so pleased to be able to provide it again this year and encourage Maine voters to use and share the guide so that all our citizens have the information they need to exercise their right to vote.”

Written in clear language, the 2018 Easy-to-Read Voter Guide is nonpartisan and does not promote any candidate, platform, or position on the ballot. It includes candidate biographies and position priorities provided by the candidates themselves and explanations of the ballot questions. It also includes sample ballots and general information about voting in Maine, including who can vote, how to register, how to cast an absentee ballot, and where to vote on Election Day.

The League is distributing 75,000 paper guides to libraries, adult education centers, social service agencies, colleges, and high schools across the state.

The guide will be posted on the LWVME website, www.lwvme.org, as well as on the website of our national affiliate, www.lwv.org. Information about candidates and ballot questions will also be online at www.Vote411.org.

Copies can be requested by emailing voterguide@gmail.com or calling 207-622-0256 Ext 2.
 

The League of Women Voters Education Fund is a nonpartisan, nonprofit, public policy education organization, which builds citizen participation in the democratic process, studies key community issues at all government levels in an unbiased manner, and enables people to seek positive solutions to public policy issues through education and conflict management.