Stephanie Cotsirilos lived in the Bangor area for 17 years and now lives in Portland.

I never thought I’d draft legislation, but after I witnessed Maine voters being intimidated in 2002, I did. A year after the bill passed, Shenna Bellows met me for lunch to tell me how she and her ACLU colleagues were making sure the new voter protections were followed. At that restaurant table, I recognized something at Shenna’s core: her conviction that, without access to the ballot, we lose all our other rights.

She acts on that truth even when it’s personally risky. Maine and the nation have witnessed her weathering attacks, then returning to Mainers’ needs. Now, when we rely on states as bulwarks against federal aggression, she will be the courageous and compassionate governor we need, in part because she remembers what happened in 2002.

That year, I was a volunteer voter protection attorney in Orono. I watched both familiar
and unidentified persons at the polls challenge, on the spot, UMaine students’ right to cast a ballot. By dinner time, the challenges occurred once every minute. All voting stopped. The voter’s name was announced aloud. Students flushed red and turned on their heels to leave rather than be called out publicly for having done nothing wrong. Poll watchers began documenting each challenge.

Another lawyer showed up to help witness the three Orono polling sites. The Secretary of State’s office was on notice. Finally, I filed a written complaint with an elections warden. Still, the harm was done. That election yielded more challenged Maine ballots than in the prior decades combined.

Having seen what voter suppression looked like, some Orono residents who’d participated in the challenges apologized. At the time, however, Maine law permitted polling-place challenges without evidence, simply by asserting lack of “residency.” Some folks believed that the Maine Constitution prohibits all students from voting where they go to school. But that’s not accurate.

While the Maine Constitution says students aren’t entitled to vote in a municipality solely because they go to school there, Maine statutes clearly state that neither can students be prohibited from voting where they attend school — as long as they meet age, citizenship and residency requirements like anyone else.

So after the election, my town colleagues and I gathered data, researched and drafted the current voter challenge law. It allows a person to exercise her right to challenge someone she believes is unqualified to vote at a polling place — as long as she signs a sworn affidavit that identifies herself as challenger, the person challenged and the reasons and source of information supporting the challenge. 

Passing a law is one thing, though. Following it is another. Shenna and her colleagues ensured that the new law was followed, resources like Maine Students Vote have emerged and unjustified polling place confrontations have fallen dramatically. 

Fast forward to now. Shenna’s a leader among nationwide secretaries of state with whom she closely collaborates — refusing to give away our private voter information to the federal government and resisting presidential executive orders seeking to illegally federalize elections.

As she’s explained on national media, under the United States Constitution elections are
managed by the states — with adjustments, if proper, to be made by Congress, not the executive. Meanwhile, Shenna’s instituted online voter registration and, in furtherance of civil rights, paused issuance of undercover Maine license plates to ICE in light of its lawless tactics.

Shenna routinely obtains bipartisan support for her work and was elected — three times — to the Legislature from a Trump district because she cares authentically about her neighbors’ needs, like property tax relief, and does something about them. 

In short, Shenna champions our ability to govern ourselves, to pursue our values and economic well-being in Maine as we see fit. She knows that all those things — and our democracy — depend on our making choices in the voting booth without fear of intimidation.

Because she’s fought for such foundational freedom all her life, and fights for it now, I’ll
rank Shenna my first choice for governor on June 9.

PORTLAND (WGME) — The 18-year-old charged with the death of paddleboarder Sunshine “Sunny” Stewart last summer appeared in court Thursday.

Stewart was killed last July in Union while out paddleboarding near a family campground.

Last week, a judge ruled Deven Young is competent to stand trial.

Thursday afternoon, he appeared in front of a judge via Zoom from Long Creek Youth Development Center.

The hearing to address motions started and stopped briefly when Young’s attorneys said they hadn’t yet had an opportunity to speak with their client.

Deven Young (Deven.Young.33/Facebook)

We didn’t hear much from Young once the hearing restarted, except for when he acknowledged his name. During the hearing, Young’s attorneys objected to the state’s request for his school and hospital records. They say since Young was 17 when police say he committed this crime, he should be treated as a juvenile.

The judge said he would take the matter under review.

He also talked about a “bind-over hearing” being held by August or September.

That’s where they could decide whether to try Young as an adult.

Young is facing a murder charge.

A medical examiner says Stewart died from strangulation and blunt force trauma.

Sunshine “Sunny” Stewart (APTN via CBS Newspath)

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Police haven’t publicly said what the motive might be.

WELLS, Maine — The site of the Maine Diner is slated for the auction block, just four months after the iconic eatery went on the real estate market for $3.3 million.

Remember the Maine Gift Shop, located next door, is also part of the property at 2265 Post Road, for which Keenan Auction Company of Portland will hold a foreclosure auction at 11 a.m. on June 4.

Jim MacNeill and his wife, Karen, have owned the diner and gift shop for the past 8 years. MacNeill began working at the diner 30 years ago, starting as a manager and eventually becoming general manager.

During an interview on May 6, MacNeill expressed confidence that next month’s auction will not be necessary, as he is taking steps to address financial challenges associated with the property.