BANGOR — A longtime Maine election warden has been asked to stay home on Election Day after refusing to let a uniformed, armed Bangor police officer vote because he wouldn’t hand over his gun in the polling place.
Bangor City Clerk Patti Dubois said today that Wayne Mallar won’t be working the polls Tuesday. According to the Bangor Daily News, Dubois also planned to apologize to Officer James Dearing and ensure that he has another chance to vote.
Officials said Mallar refused to let Dearing cast an early vote at the Bangor Civic Center on Friday unless he turned over his service revolver to another officer. Dearing refused and left without voting.
Police Chief Ron Gastia says officers have always been allowed to vote in uniform – armed or unarmed.
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