Mailer seeking to shame nonvoters raises eyebrows

The letter lists the mames, addresses and voting records of 10 people who live near the recipient.

LEBANON - A sketchy mailing from an obscure group bent on shaming residents into voting found its way into many Lebanon mailboxes on Monday.

The letter - from the Maine State Voter Project - typically listed the names and whether they voted in recent elections of people who live nearby and stated, "This chart shows the names of some of your friends, your neighbors and other people you know, showing which have voted in the past."

It then adds, "After the Nov. 4 election, your friends, your neighbors and other people you know will be able to find out who voted and who did not vote."

Many found the letter offensive and disturbing and both the Maine Secretary of State's Office and Bureau of Corporations, Elections and Commissions drew complaints from the public regarding the mailing.

The group, however, is well within its rights to access voter information, such as names, addresses and voting record, officials said.

In the letter The Maine State Voter Projects is said to be an effort by Be Counted, Inc. An Internet search, however, turned up no official website for either entity.

A letter received by this writer showed 10 names, addresses and voting records of people who live on Prospect Hill Road.

Voters in Kittery also received the mailer.

The envelope has a return address of Maine State Voter Program, PO Box 633, Augusta, ME 04332, but no other contact information.