On Oct. 18, Gov. LePage was quoted as saying that he’s “not confident of a clean election in Maine.”

Well, after 18 years as a poll worker here in Rockport, I am completely confident. I have worked every election, June and November, except two: the time I was on the ballot, running for our town Budget Committee, and this coming election.

I am not on the Nov. 8 ballot, but I am known in town for being in favor of the bond article for a new library. Linda Greenhouse, our town clerk, asked me to not work this year’s election because it might look wrong, and I agreed. Perception is important. Trust and belief may depend on it.

Linda and her predecessor, Brenda Richardson, along with their assistants, town employees and many volunteers, are incredibly conscious about their role in elections. We banter with friends coming in to vote, sure, but every voter has to announce their name, give their current address and is checked off the master roll of registered voters.

No one gets to vote 10 times under fake names. No one gets to go into the booth with a voter, except a young child or someone helping a disabled person. No one gets to stuff the ballot box.

Every step is controlled by both a Democrat and a Republican, mostly the same people we have worked with for years. Everything is witnessed, every vote is recorded properly. We all worry about that. We all care about that.

Gov. LePage has insulted many people over the years, and now he has accused employees and residents of the towns and cities of Maine of misusing a core practice of democracy either through incompetence or through illegal intention. I take it personally and would like an apology.

Jan Rosenbaum

Rockport


Only subscribers are eligible to post comments. Please subscribe or login first for digital access. Here’s why.

Use the form below to reset your password. When you've submitted your account email, we will send an email with a reset code.