Voting Rights and Save the Date
Date:
Dear Neighbors,
As winter approaches, many of us are preparing to keep warm through a season of high home heating prices, and to vote in next week’s election. We’re sharing resources in this issue to help you get ready for both.
Last month, we shared information about the Census Bureau’s proposed 2030 Census rule which would remove questions about race and ethnicity, the data we rely on to track and understand disparities in Maine. You have until Monday, November 2 to submit a public comment. Learn more about the changes and how to submit your comment at pcritp.me/2030-census.
Registration is also open for our Annual Meeting. Each year the Commission holds a public meeting to share an update and hear feedback about our work. This year we’ll meet over Zoom November 19. Register here.
In Solidarity,
The Permanent Commission
Voting Rights
UPDATED RESOURCE: A Brief History of Voting Rights and the path to Wabanaki Voting Rights in Maine
The right to vote in this country was won by people who organized for it, generation after generation. Our resource A Brief History of Voting Rights traces that story from the founding to today: the constitutional foundations that left most people out, the movements that secured the vote for women, Black Americans, and tribal citizens, the barriers used to keep people from the ballot, and the laws that made the right to vote real. It also covers the challenges voters face now, from the 2013 Supreme Court decision that weakened the Voting Rights Act to polling place closures and new barriers to voting by mail.
We've also added information about Maine’s path to Wabanaki voting rights. Maine’s constitution barred Wabanaki people living on reservations from voting until 1954, and they didn’t have full voting rights until 1967.
Read A Brief History of Voting Rights
Election Day is Tuesday, November 3. These resources from the Maine Secretary of State, the Maine Immigrants’ Rights Coalition, and the American Civil Liberties Union of Maine can help you understand your rights and make a plan to vote:
State Resources
MaineCare Work Requirement
Starting January 1, 2027, adults who get MaineCare through Medicaid expansion will need to meet new federal work requirements to keep their coverage, and most will see the change at their 2027 renewal. Maine DHHS built a short screener to help you find out whether the requirements apply to you or whether you qualify for an exemption.
Home Heating Resources
The Maine Department of Energy Resources (DOER) has released its 2026-2027 Winter Heating Guide, with help finding heating assistance, ways to cut energy costs, and a printer-friendly contact sheet you can share at libraries and community centers. DOER also tracks home heating fuel prices across the state.
Community Events
November 17, Orono: Wabanaki REACH presents Bear Grease Live, an Indigenous-led musical retelling of Grease.
