ICYMI: Secretary Bellows protects Mainers – Tells Trump Administration “Go Jump in Gulf of Maine”

Maine won’t turn over personal info on voters, election administrators

Augusta – Earlier today Secretary Bellows told the Trump DOJ to “Go Jump in the Gulf of Maine” in response to their letter her office received requesting the Maine voter registration list among other personal data. 

Early coverage

Maine Morning Star: Trump administration requested voter data. Secretary Bellows says, ‘Go jump in the Gulf of Maine’

Emma Davis, 7/29/25

• The U.S. Department of Justice asked Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows to provide access to the state’s voter registration list and other sweeping election data. Bellows told Maine Morning Star she will respond in the next few days by telling the DOJ that it does not have the right to such information.

• “The federal government has overstepped its bounds,” Bellows said. “We will be denying their request for the citizen voter information of every Mainer.”

• “Jen Lancaster, communications director for Democracy Maine... described the probes as ‘a nefarious data grab’ that is likely intended to target groups that have already been subject to other data probes by the Trump administration, such as immigrants. ‘We hope that our election officials, if it came down to being pushed to share that sensitive data, we would hope that they resist that,’ Lancaster said.” 

Bangor Daily News: Shenna Bellows rejects Trump administration’s request for Maine voter data

Billy Kobin, 7/29/25

• Maine will not turn over voter registration data that President Donald Trump’s administration has been seeking from states, Secretary of State Shenna Bellows said Tuesday.

• Pushback has come from both red and blue states, as the Republican secretary of state in neighboring New Hampshire also declined the Trump administration’s request last week by citing current statutes and cybersecurity concerns.

• “Go jump in the Gulf of Maine,” Bellows said of her message to the Justice Department. 

• “The DOJ doesn’t get to know everything about you just because they want to,” Bellows said.

Portland Press Herald:  Maine rejects Justice Department’s request for all voters’ personal info, list of election officials

Dylan Tusinski, 7/29/25

• Bellows, who is also a Democratic candidate for governor, said the Trump administration is overstepping its bounds, empowering false narratives and “trying to change the topic away from the Epstein files.” “Article 1 of the Constitution places the states — not President Trump, not the federal government — in charge of federal elections,” she said at a press conference Tuesday. “The DOJ doesn’t get to know everything about you just because they want to.”

• The American Civil Liberties Union of Maine said the DOJ’s actions both now and then are part of “a clear pattern of intimidation.” “This letter also fuels false narratives that sow distrust in our elections. Maine elections are safe, secure, and accessible, and that’s why Maine consistently has some of the highest voter turnout,” said Samuel Crankshaw, the group’s communications director. “Our government should focus on helping more people exercise their fundamental rights.”

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.