As Secretary of State Shenna Bellows launches her campaign to succeed Gov. Janet Mills (D-Maine) in 2026, she has not resigned from her current position. A failed 2023 bill could have forced her resignation to avoid a conflict of interest.
[RELATED: The Audacity of Shenna Bellows…]
“The sanctity of our elections is extremely important to me, as it should be to all of you on this committee. The Secretary of State oversees our elections here in Maine and l feel that it is a conflict of interest for the Secretary of State to be overseeing the ballots for their own election to another office in government. The State and Local Government Committee has an opportunity to fix this, and I urge you to pass this bill unanimously out of committee,” said former state Rep. John Andrews (R-Paris) in presenting his 2023 bill.
The straightforward bill, LD 484, simply required the Secretary of State to resign before becoming a political candidate for any office, and initially drew support from ten co-sponsors, including both Republicans and Democrats, along with former Independent Rep. Walter Riseman (I-Harrison).
No one appeared to testify in person on the bill during its public hearing, but three testimonies were submitted in writing, all in favor of the proposal.
The conservative Maine Policy Institute supported the bill.
“Unfortunately, since our current SoS, and several former (officeholders), have been elected from the Legislature itself, the state legislature must ensure that no perception of impropriety may exist in the election process. Our democratic mechanisms are too important to be ceded to partisan administrators,” said the Institute at the time.
The left-leaning Maine League of Women Voters also joined in supporting the bill, suggesting that the proposed policy was truly bipartisan.
“The League of Women Voters believes that responsible government should be responsive to the will of the people and that it should be free from undue influence, corruption, and the appearance of corruption. We support measures that encourage governmental ethics and that give citizens confidence that public affairs are being conducted in the public’s best interests,” they said.
Despite bipartisan support, the bill was sent out of the Committee on State and Local Government with an “ought not to pass” recommendation and failed in the broader legislature.
Now, with Bellows announcing her bid for governor, questions of conflict of interest are sure to reemerge, raising concerns that she will be presiding over her own election, putting her in a position to potentially influence the results. By retaining her current office while seeking the governorship, she could easily foster the perception of using taxpayer-funded resources of the Secretary of State to further her personal political aspirations.
Disclaimer: The Maine Wire is a project of the Maine Policy Institute. Former State Rep. John Andrews is a regular contributor to The Maine Wire.
<span class="dsq-postid" data-dsqidentifier="37177 https://www.themainewire.com/?p=37177">19 Comments
Gosh I swear I’ve seen this movie before… I think it took place in Arizona…
This corrupt, piggy creature (and Biden fluff girl) must be stopped at all costs!
Just when you though the Gate Troll Mills was
the worst along comes the worst nightmare to
ever run for office! Goodbye Maine! Nice knowing ya!
No fellows for Bellows
I always figured that Mills fellow swamp creature Bellows was going to try to slither into the Blaine house as soon as she got a chance. God help us if she gets in there.
This is the Karen that took Trump off the election docket.
It’s a matter of economics for Bellows. By remaining in office, she gets to run around the state, campaigning, while still picking up a large paycheck. Take away that paycheck, she would have waited much longer to announce. This is a corrupt politician Maine is dealing with here. And who does she report to? Essentially, no one.
I will not be surprised if she wins. Mainers are dumb and lazy when it comes to elections. Look who they keep re-electing and this applies to all parties, Republican, Communist, etc. Mainers enjoy their stupidity and misery they prove it all the time!!!
The Repulsicans need to focus upon producing a quality candidate to beat Valley Girl Bellows.
Let’s see she wouldn’t look into illegals voting in our state.
She runs the voting process. I wonder who will win the governor’s race.
I wonder who she would appoint to SOS.
I got it her & mills will trade places! So they can keep dumping on the people and state of Maine.
The Peter Principle. DEI people in a hierarchy tend to rise to “a level of respective incompetence.” Good little commies.
Yes, She’ll just take her opponent off the ballot as she tried to do with Trump. When are Maine voters going to get some sanity?
#Shenna5wallows
The truth is: there aren’t enough enthusiastic police and state troopers in Maine to protect this corrupt administration and its Marxo-fascist petty tyrant demonrat politicians. What will it take to rouse the sleeping giant of law-abiding, patriotic Maine gun owners to stand up in their own defense (and in defense of their children) and safeguard the future of this state, before it is destroyed completely by these sociopathic, psychotic vampires known as “democrat politicians”? We may very well see… if (s)elections fail and corrupt devilcrat party rule continues….
Great,4 more years of deadbabypotpie. Just great
She will be taking paid family and medical leave next year to campaign, that’s why she, fatty Mattie, clueless Cloutier, and the rest of the mob won’t allow any rule changes to pfml.
“There’s undisputable evidence I cheated in the election? I’ll personally do a full investigation, nope nothing here” SB
Fluff girl, I love it.
If Mainers do not find a way to remove RCV and follow Presidents Trumps Order of Mandatory voter ID, Bellows will be your next Governor. As Secretary of State, she will cheat her way into the governors mansion? She is the absolute worst possible choice for the people of Maine!!!!!!
Wake up Mainers, Conservatives will either fight, move or die a slow death of absurd lifestyle and taxes.