NEWS & MEDIA
Secretary of State Shenna Bellows Submits Signatures for Ballot Qualification
Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows turned in her signatures today to qualify for the governor’s ballot. Her campaign collected more than 3000 signatures engaging dozens of volunteers in every corner of the state.
"I'm deeply grateful for the support of every Mainer who signed a petition and who collected signatures to make sure we qualified for the ballot" said Secretary Bellows. “I’m excited to continue telling my story– from growing up Downeast, to standing up to Trump– and setting out a bold vision for a New Deal for Maine. Together, with support from every corner of the state, I know we will go on to be successful and win in June and then November”
Secretary of State Shenna Bellows Announces “New Deal for Maine”
Secretary of State Shenna Bellows today announced “A New Deal for Maine,” a series of bold economic plans to lower costs for Mainers. The New Deal for Maine is inspired by Frances Perkins’ “practical possibilities” that became FDRs New Deal and ushered in the period of the greatest prosperity in U.S. history. The New Deal for Maine’s Economy is here.
“Our rights are under attack, our institutions are failing, and too many Mainers are just one emergency away from disaster,” said Shenna Bellows. “That’s why I’m proposing A New Deal for Maine. The next governor needs to recognize affordability for what it is – a crisis – and we need to do everything in our power to bring down the cost of living. We can make Maine more affordable by cutting utility costs, building more housing that is truly affordable, reining in property taxes, and bringing in more high paying jobs.”
“What matters to me is that we have a Governor who believes in small business; in giving people an education for well-paying jobs; who will fight to keep electric bills and rents and property taxes affordable. And who is tough enough to call for a tax increase on the well-off to make it happen,” said Frank O’Hara, Chair MaineHousing Board. “Those are Shenna’s values, and they are reflected in her program.”“I’m incredibly encouraged to hear Shenna’s plans for common-sense policy changes for the people of this state,” Chena Immel, South Portland. “The cost of living in recent years has made life increasingly difficult for me and so many in my community. My electric bill has doubled since last year, my property taxes have increased dramatically in the past few years, and as a single homeowner, I bear the full brunt of those bills.”
Shenna will roll out additional components of a New Deal for Maine in the coming months.
Secretary Bellows: “See you in Court”
Secretary of State Shenna Bellows made the following statement in response to reporting from the Washington Post that Trump is looking to sign a state of emergency enabling him to “nationalize elections”:
“Today’s reporting is not surprising; it’s what I and others have long warned could be coming. Trump is like the bad boyfriend who can’t get over a breakup– and he’s willing to burn down our constitution and 250 years of democratic rule. Let us be clear: there was no foreign intervention in the 2020 election, as many courts have found, many many times. I will do everything in my power to push back against this executive order and if he goes through with this, I look forward to seeing him in court.”
Secretary of State Shenna Bellows Proposes Requiring All Law Enforcement Officers to Display Badges, ID Numbers, and Unmask
Secretary Bellows Announces She Will Issue A Governor’s Bill To Create A Statewide Standard For Law Enforcement’s Duty To Identify Themselves
Augusta – In light of reporting from Maine Monitor about the lack of a legal requirement for law enforcement officers operating in Maine to identify themselves, Secretary of State Shenna Bellows announced that she would issue a governor’s bill to create a new statewide standard.
The proposal from Secretary Bellows would require all law enforcement – both state and federal – operating in Maine to have clearly identifiable badges, require a badge number to be visible, and to show their faces without masks, except in extreme circumstances.
“The recent horrific actions by ICE and other federal agents across the country have made clear that new legal requirements are needed to protect Mainers from federal overreach,” said Secretary Bellows. “Our state and local law enforcement agencies here in Maine rely on varying written standards about how and when officers need to identify themselves. This common-sense proposal would create one statewide standard for all law enforcement officers operating in Maine – and critically, these rules would apply to federal law enforcement too. It’s important for both the safety of law enforcement and the safety of Mainers that people know who are there lawfully to keep us safe and who are not.”
ICYMI: As Trump Calls to Nationalize the Election, Shenna Bellows Leads National Resistance
Shenna Bellows has become the leading voice nationally, and in Maine, in response to Trump’s calls to nationalize the elections.
See coverage highlights below:
The Atlantic:‘The Trust Has Been Absolutely Destroyed’Michael Scherer, Yvonne Wingett Sanchez, Sarah Fitzpatrick, and Jonathan Lemire, 2/8/26
The trust,” Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows told us, “has been absolutely destroyed.” The sentiment is not confined to Democrats. Some state-level Republican election officials, who, like others interviewed for this story, requested anonymity to speak freely, said that federal officials’ activities involving elections have become so unusual that they are starting to question the federal officials’ competency and motives. These state officials wonder whether the feds are trying to do what Trump has accused others of doing: rig an election.
NYTimes: Trump’s Call to ‘Nationalize’ Elections Adds to State Officials’ Alarm
Nick Corasaniti, 2/3/26
“We can’t trust the federal government, and they are now adversaries of the states,” Shenna Bellows, the Democratic secretary of state in Maine and who is a candidate for governor, said in an interview. “They are abusing their power by trying to build this national voter database that is completely outside of the scope of their authority under the Constitution, and they’re afraid to actually engage in dialogue.”
Ms. Bellows, the Maine secretary of state, noted that there was no federal situation room on Election Day last year “for the first time in a long time.” “We were getting reports about bomb threats in New Jersey from public media, rather than the Sit Room, as would have happened in the past,” Ms. Bellows said.
Velshi: Trump Calls for Nationalizing 2026 Elections
Ali Velshi, 2/7/26
“It's unconstitutional. It's unlawful. I sent the President a pocket constitution this week. I used to head the ACLU of Maine. We handed them out to school kids, and clearly, he needs to read it. But he's also terrified of getting his ass kicked in 2026, and he is going to lose when people like me win. I mean, that's what this is really about.”
“He doesn't get to decide. The states are sovereign. The elections are free, safe, and secure because they're run by the states and by local election officials in the counties and municipalities all across this country. In 2024, we saw a record turnout. Maine was number three in the country in turnout, and I think voters do trust the elections, but it is going to depend on people like myself, my Republican and Democratic colleagues across the country, and the people standing up for the Constitution in our voting rights.
ICYMI: Secretary Bellows Faces MAGA Threat of Impeachment for Standing Up to ICE
New reporting shows MAGA Republican politicians in Augusta are asking for an impeachment hearing to be brought against the Maine Secretary of State because she stood up to a reckless and lawless Trump administration. She is the first statewide official nationally to face impeachment from Republicans after taking actions to stop ICE’s lawless behavior.
See story below:
Midcoast Villager: Maine GOP Proposed Impeaching Secretary of State Over ICE SnubAlex Seitz-Wald 02/04/26
Maine Republican legislative leaders proposed impeaching Secretary of State Shenna Bellows over her decision in January to pause the issuance of undercover license plates ahead of an Immigration and Customs Enforcement surge in Maine, according to a letter obtained by the Midcoast Villager.
The move appears to make Bellows the first statewide Democratic elected official to be threatened with impeachment over opposition to President Donald Trump and his policies in his second term.
"A majority of Americans, regardless of party, believe that ICE’s actions are unacceptable and have gone too far," Bellows said in a statement to the Villager. "Despite the rhetoric to the contrary, we have all seen with our own eyes the atrocities that have occurred, including here in Maine. I made the decision to pause the issuance of new confidential plates out of deep concern that ICE’s actions violate the U.S. Constitution and the law."
"It was not a decision made lightly. But where I saw the decision as a necessary one to protect Mainers’ lives, the Maine GOP saw it as yet another opportunity to spread lies and misinformation and instill fear," Bellows continued. "I won’t be intimidated. I will never back down from protecting our state and the Constitution.”
Secretary of State Shenna Bellows Condemns Trump's Comments about Nationalizing Elections
AUGUSTA, Maine — Secretary of State Shenna Bellows issues the following statement in regards to President Trump's calls for the Republican Party to "Nationalize" Elections:
"Tomorrow morning I will be mailing the White House a new pocket constitution because it's seems they must have lost their copy. The constitution could not be more clear-- elections are to be administered by the states. Elections will be administered in Maine by Mainers for Mainers in 2026, in 2028 and into the future."
Secretary Bellows: “Noem, Bondi, and Gabbard are Cowards” for No-Showing Bipartisan Group of Secretaries of State
Augusta – Secretary of State Shenna Bellows made the following statement in response to Attorney General Pam Bondi, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard and Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem pulling out at the last-minute from a scheduled briefing for the bipartisan National Association of Secretaries of State:
“We all know that a lot of the biggest bullies are cowards. Noem, Bondi and Gabbard are cowards for not showing up today and answering the questions from election officials from across the country about this administration's abuses of power.
“I would've called on Noem to resign, given that her department has murdered two American citizens in Minnesota and invaded the streets of Maine as well. I would have asked what they are going to do to assure the American public that they're not going to interfere in our elections in November? And can they promise the American public that masked, armed men aren't going to be patrolling the streets next November?
“And I think most importantly, the Constitution places the states, not the federal government in charge of our elections. Everything this administration has been doing from the voter rolls to Fulton County, to these ICE invasions, pushes the boundaries of the Constitution and sows fear and chaos. It's time for them to stop, to back off, and to restore the checks and balances.“
ICYMI: As Trump Election Intimidation Increases, Shenna Bellows Leads National Resistance
As Trump’s election intimidation has grown this week through AG Bondi’s ransom request to the state of Minnesota in order to stop ICE’s occupation and the FBI’s Georgia raid to further 2020 election conspiracies, Secretary of State Bellows has been leading the charge among national election officials to push back on ICE and defend free and fair elections.
See coverage highlights below:
PBS News: FBI raids Georgia elections office as Trump administration seeks voter data from states
Liz Landers and Ali Schmitzi, 1/28/26
Bellows: In Maine, ICE is surging. They're calling it, grotesquely, Catch of the Day, which is just truly gross. We're in the bottom quartile in terms of percentage of immigrants, refugees, and asylum seekers. So for them to send a letter on the heels of the killing of Alex Pretti and demand Minnesota's voter rolls as a condition for ICE leaving indicates that ICE's presence in Minnesota isn't really about immigration at all. It's about intimidating election officials.
Bellows: And we're going to continue to fight to protect the integrity of American voter information, because the Constitution places the states, not the federal government, not the president, in charge of elections.
Bellows: I do think that there is a lot of bipartisan conversation and dialogue. We are not going to agree on certain policies. But I think this is something that the American people can have confidence in. It doesn't matter what state you are in, whether it's Maine or Kentucky.
Bellows: We may not agree on certain voting rights policies, but in terms of the integrity of election administration, in terms of the checks and balances, and the state and local control of the elections, that's something that I think we all really value. And I think it's really important today.
Politico: These gov candidates stood up to Trump in 2020. Now they’re betting voters have moved on
Erin Doherty, 1/29/26
But Trump isn’t ready to move on, complicating these candidates’ hopes of putting 2020 in the rearview mirror. Speaking before an audience of global leaders and business officials in Davos last week, Trump repeated his false claim that the 2020 election was “rigged” and promised that “people will soon be prosecuted for what they did.”
Two Democratic secretaries of state are also running for the governor’s mansion. And while defending democracy and their defiance to Trump on election issues forms a defining part of their political biographies, both candidates lead with pocketbook issues rather than making protecting the vote the centerpiece.
“The economy is the number one issue for most Mainers, there’s a lot of economic concern right now, especially in the wake of the tariffs and increasing job losses that we’re about to see,” she told POLITICO. “That being said, I also think it’s really important to tell the truth,” she said. “What the Trump decision and my work as secretary and defending democracy tells people about me is that I will do the right thing even when it’s hard.
New York Times: On immigration, the GOP Finds Itself in a Shocking Place: On Defense
Reid Epstein and Lisa Lerer, 1/27/26
But in the meantime, both parties are adjusting on the fly as a midterm election year they thought would center on the cost of living abruptly seems far more focused on immigration and federal power.
Even the name of the ICE effort in Maine — Operation Catch of the Day — has infuriated some officials and voters.
“It’s a grotesque name,” said Shenna Bellows, the Maine secretary of state and Democrat who is running for governor. “People are not fish.”
Never Backing Down: Secretary Bellows previously drew national attention for ruling that Donald Trump was not eligible for the ballot in Maine based on his role in the January 6th insurrection. More recently, she's been leading more than 25 other states to stand up to the DOJ in protecting voter rolls, and recently for refusing to grant ICE confidential licesnse plates.
ICYMI: Secretary Bellows Leads Opposition to ICE Activity in Maine
Augusta – Amid major increases in ICE’s presence in Maine, Secretary Bellows has been at the forefront of condemning the agency's actions and taking decisive action to protect Mainers under attack.
See below for coverage highlights:
Maine Public Radio: Shenna Bellows denounces use of voter rolls as 'ransom' for ICE agents to withdraw from states
Nicole Ogrysko 01/26/26
Secretary of State Bellows pushed back against claims from the federal government that if states met certain requirements, including turning over state voter registrations, they could potentially have ICE’s presence removed. When asked, Secretary Bellows said, “And it really indicates what has already been clear: ICE is invading our states and inflicting violence in Minnesota and now in Maine to create chaos and control our states and our elections.” Maine has not yet received an official request for voter registration information.
Newcenter Maine: Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows condemns ICE activity in Maine
Phil Hirschkorn 01/21/26
Secretary Bellows denounced ICE’s activities in an interview, saying, “People are being dragged out of their homes, stopped on the street, and detained, and in many cases, those individuals are legally here, either asylum seekers or refugees, new Mainers with legal status, or in many situations, citizens who are Black and brown…People are getting racially profiled, and they're getting kidnapped off the street, and that is absolutely wrong.”
Portland Press Herald: Maine secretary of state will keep saying no to undercover license plates for federal agents
By Rachel Ohm, January 21, 2026
We are not issuing unmarked plates to federal agencies until we receive further assurances that Maine plates won’t be used for lawless purposes,” Bellows said in an interview Wednesday. “I have deep concerns that what is happening right now in our communities violates the Constitution and established law.”
The request came amid rumors that federal authorities would be ramping up immigration enforcement activities. Bellows, who is running for governor as a Democrat, said Saturday that “abuses of power” by immigration agents in Minnesota and elsewhere in the U.S. prompted her department’s action.
Secretary of State Shenna Bellows Responds to Video of Federal Agents Killing Man in Minnesota
Augusta – Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows releases the following statement in response to the video footage of another life taken at the hands of federal agents in Minnesota:
“I’m horrified by today’s killing in Minnesota by federal agents. Allowing violent, untrained, masked agents to roam our streets committing acts of violence is disgusting and un-American. These agents must be held accountable and President Trump needs to pull agents out of Maine and Minnesota now.”
Last week, in response to ICE’s actions in Minneapolis and in anticipation of similar operations in Maine, Secretary Bellows paused issuing any confidential license plates to ICE and Customs and Border Protection.
Secretary of State Shenna Bellows Responds to “Operation Catch of the Day” as ICE formally arrives in Maine
Augusta – Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows releases the following statement in response to widespread arrival of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in the state of Maine:
“What ICE is doing right now in Maine is unconscionable. Maine is consistently ranked as one of the safest states in the country. It’s because Mainers are strong – we look out for our neighbors and we take care of one another. There can be no pretense that ICE is here to keep us safe; they are here to stoke fears, play political games, and try to destroy the Maine spirit. Our immigrant neighbors make our communities stronger, and they are a critical part of what makes Maine the best place to live.”
“When it comes to protecting new Mainers, I’ll do everything in my power to hold the Trump administration accountable and protect our state.”
Last week, in response to ICE’s actions in Minneapolis and in anticipation of similar operations in Maine, Secretary Bellows paused issuing any confidential license plates to ICE and Customs and Border Protection.
ICYMI: Secretary Bellows Pauses Undercover License Plates for I.C.E.
Maine won’t distribute new confidential plates without assurances
they won’t be used for lawless purposes
Augusta – As rumors ramp up about a possible Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) action coming to Maine, the Secretary of State’s office has paused issuing undercover plates to ICE following their unconstitutional actions in Minnesota and across the country.
Fox Bangor: Bellows pauses issuance of unmarked license plates amid ICE concerns
Alex Schley, 1/19/26
As concerns over U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement activity continue to grow across Maine, Secretary of State Shenna Bellows has announced a pause in the issuance of new unmarked license plates.
Like most states, Maine is allowed to issue unmarked license plates to law enforcement agencies. The plates look like standard civilian plates but cannot be traced back to a specific agency or individual.
“Given some of the tensions and the rumors flying around, we just put a pause on the issuance of new unmarked plates until we can get assurances that those plates won’t be used for lawless purposes,” Bellows said.
Never Backing Down: Secretary Bellows has made national headlines for a reputation for being one of the fiercest Trump opponents. She first made national headlines after ruling Donald Trump was not eligible for the ballot in Maine based on his role in the January 6th insurrection. Since 2025, she’s been leading a national coalition of secretaries to protect voter data from DOJ overreach.
Fundraising Reports Re-Affirm Secretary Bellows is Leading Democrat for Governor
Secretary Bellows leads all Democrats in In-State Funding and Small Dollars Raised
Augusta – The Maine Ethics Commission's end of year reports show what Mainers have already known: Shenna Bellows is the leading candidate for Maine Governor. Despite growing up poor, with no electricity or running water until the 5th grade, she put up an impressive number- but that’s not all:
Shenna has raised more money from Mainers than any other candidate ($765,652.29)
Shenna has raised the highest percentage of dollars from Mainers (71.6%)
Shenna has raised more non-itemized, or donations under $50, than any other candidate ($81,471.44)
“From every corner, and every demographic, Mainers are fired up about the only candidate in the race who is battle-tested when it comes to standing up to Trump: Shenna Bellows,” said campaign manager Amy Weinstock. “We’re so grateful for Mainers who believe in our vision for the future of our state and who are helping us win the Blaine House this year”.
Secretary of State Shenna Bellows Responds to Reports of ICE Threats in Maine
Augusta – Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows releases the following statement in response to speculation that ICE may soon start conducting wide scale operations in the state:
"ICE’s lawless tactics are not welcome in Maine. In the United States, people cannot be taken off the street by masked agents, thrown in unmarked cars, and disappeared. That’s kidnapping, not law enforcement. Those wielding Trump's fascist agenda to divide us will fail because in Maine we stand with and will always protect our immigrant neighbors.”
Secretary of State Shenna Bellows Responds to Oregon Victory over DOJ
Augusta – Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows released the following statement in response to Judge Mustafa Kasubhai’s oral ruling that the U.S. Department of Justice cannot force Oregon to hand over personally identifiable voter data. Maine and Oregon were the first two states sued by the DOJ for refusing the Trump administration’s illegal order.
“The case in Oregon yesterday showed what we’ve always known: the best way to deal with a bully isn’t to give in, it’s to say hell no. I was proud to tell President Trump and the DOJ to jump in the Gulf of Maine because I will never compromise when it comes to protecting Mainers. I look forward to a similar result in our own case.”
Secretary of State Shenna Bellows Announces more than $1,075,000 Raised to Date in End of Year Fundraising Haul
Augusta – Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows will report an immense fundraising haul of more than $1,075,000 in the end of year fundraising report. This represents about 3500 Mainers donating to the campaign, representing every corner and all 16 counties and more than 75% of funds received.
"I'm deeply grateful for the support Mainers of all walks of life have shown our campaign," said Secretary Bellows. “As the daughter of a carpenter and green-house worker, I’m honored to be joined by so many Mainers, chipping in what they can, to support our vision for Maine.”
ICYMI from Mother Jones: Maine’s SOS Bellows Leading Charge to Protect Voters’ Personal Information from Trump’s DOJ
Bellows: “The election deniers are now ascendant in the federal government.”
Augusta – In case you missed it, new investigative reporting from Mother Jones highlights how election deniers at the Department of Justice are taking unprecedented steps to target Secretary of State Shenna Bellows as part of their efforts to disenfranchise voters, and how Bellows is leading the national fight to protect voters’ personal information and voting rights.
In recent months, Maine and Secretary of State Bellows have been one of the first states targeted by this frivolous DOJ lawsuit. This is noteworthy but not surprising after Bellows tried to remove Trump from the ballot after January 6th. But Mainer’s know that Secretary Bellows will never back down from a fight on their behalf.
Read More:
Mother Jones: Your Private Data Is Building Trump’s Voter Purge Machine
By Abby Vesoulis and Ari Berman
December 5, 2025
Bellows, a spunky, no-nonsense 50-year-old who grew up in a log cabin without running water, already had received a litany of demand letters, public records requests, and lawsuits throughout her five years serving as the top election integrity official in Maine
The September legal complaint was an escalation of a yearslong coordinated effort by conservatives to obtain voter roll data from numerous states, compare it to incomplete datasets they’d found on the commercial market, then attest that mismatches between the two are clear evidence of people illegally voting.
“The election deniers are now ascendant in the federal government,” says Bellows, who spent eight years as the executive director of the Maine ACLU before assuming her current post. “These requests are not unlike the requests that the organizations they used to be affiliated with have asked for years.” But unlike conservative legal organizations, she adds, “the Department of Justice has the power to investigate, prosecute, and place people in jail.”
Bellows believes Maine was among the first two states to be sued “because of animus”—also known as old-fashioned retribution. The Justice Department already has tried to retaliate against Trump’s political enemies, such as former FBI Director James Comey… Bellows, though lesser known, is likely on the administration’s radar for other reasons, too. Citing the 14th Amendment’s clause barring officials who “engage in” insurrection from holding future office, she attempted to remove Trump from Maine’s 2024 presidential ballot based on his connection to the January 6, 2021, attack on the US Capitol.
Responding to that previously unreported accusation [from PILF], Bellows called its claim a “damned lie from an organization that cares more about conspiracy theories than election integrity.”...In February 2025, the state’s election division canceled 180,584 inactive voter registrations—the largest bulk removal in nearly 20 years.
“These unprecedented demands for vast amounts of voter data are part of a larger pattern of actions indicating a reckless grab for power over American elections,” Bellows says.
ICYMI: “Bellows Says She Won’t Back Down After Clashes” With Trump Administration [Portland Press Herald]
“Bellows is the only one who has had high profile clashes with the president and his administration”
Augusta – In case you missed it, new reporting from the Portland Press-Herald is highlighting how different gubernatorial candidates would respond to Donald Trump. Mainers have come to count on Shenna Bellows for doing the right thing- even when it’s hard.
Read More:
Portland Press Herald: How will Maine’s next governor work with Trump?
By Rachel Ohm
December 1, 2025
As Maine secretary of state, Democrat Shenna Bellows made a controversial decision to keep Donald Trump off 2024 ballots in the presidential election. More recently, she told his administration to “jump in the Gulf of Maine” in response to requests for voter information.
The top Democrats vying to succeed her have been uniformly critical of Trump, though Bellows is the only one who has had high-profile public clashes with the president and his administration.
In 2023, Bellows, as secretary of state, issued a decision to keep Trump off the presidential ballot citing his role in the Jan. 6, 2021, riots at the Capitol and a constitutional amendment that prohibits insurrectionists from holding office.
I’m the only candidate in this race that has experience standing up to Trump,” Bellows said. “I’ve been doxed, swatted, attacked and I’ve never, and will never, back down.”
At the same time, Bellows said that like Mills she would work with Trump if it would benefit Maine. “The philosophy that has governed my entire career is, ‘No permanent friends and no permanent enemies,'” she said. “I’m willing to work with anyone who will deliver for Maine.”
ICYMI: Secretary Bellows rolls out online renewal for REAL ID
As Secretary of State, Sec. Bellows has led a massive government modernization process to make life better for Mainers.
Augusta – Earlier this week, Secretary Bellows launched a new effort to allow Mainers to renew REAL IDs online instead of having to visit the Bureau of Motor Vehicles. Secretary of State Bellows has undertaken numerous government modernization projects to improve customer service for Mainers, including appointments at the BMV, electronic lien and titling and automatic voter registration. As governor, Secretary Bellows will expand her modernization efforts across state government to continue to meet Mainers where they are and make government work better to make life easier for everyone.
See below for coverage highlights:
Spectrum News: Amid long lines at the BMV, Maine launches REAL ID online renewal
Susan Cover 11/18/25
It just got easier to renew your REAL ID. Secretary of State Shenna Bellows announced Monday that the Bureau of Motor Vehicles has expanded online services so Mainers can renew their REAL ID without coming into an office.
Maine Public: BMV launches online service to renew REAL ID
Kaitlyn Budion 11/17/25
Bellows said the service had a soft launch on Wednesday, and its first user logged in at 3:23 a.m. Thursday. Bellows said when staff reached out, they learned that the user was a shift worker.
"She had just gotten off the night shift needed to renew her REAL ID and was able to do it in minutes instead of going to the BMV motor vehicle branches," Bellows said. "This is what Mainers expect from their government, and we are so proud to be able to launch this new, more modern, efficient service."