Frustration is reaching a boiling point in Newburgh as local officials say they’ve received no communication from state or federal authorities about the mysterious Amazon box containing 250 absentee ballots discovered on a resident’s front porch earlier this month — despite what Secretary of State Shenna Bellows has called a vigorous, multi-jurisdictional investigation into the matter.
All three members of the Newburgh Board of Selectmen said they have not been informed of any formal investigation. Jonathan Clements said there is “no evidence of any investigation.” Ed Lovell described the board’s growing unease: “The frustration we are feeling, being in the limelight and not being able to inform the public.” Chair Kurt Giles added, “Nothing new has come down the pipeline, no mention of an investigation by SOS.”
The town clerk, when asked if she had spoken with the FBI, responded cautiously: “I have not.”
According to officials, on Tuesday September 30th, a Newburgh resident received an Amazon delivery that appeared opened and re-taped. Inside the box were her items — and bundles of roughly 250 blank Maine absentee ballots wrapped in plastic.
On that same day, Ellsworth officials reported 250 absentee ballots missing. Those missing ballots appear to match the Newburgh bundle.
The ballots found were blank and wrapped. Under Maine law, absentee ballots must be returned in a signed and sealed envelope that is printed and shipped separately. That requirement makes it impossible to cast votes with only the ballots themselves.
Still, the glaring issue remains: How did a shipment of state election ballots end up mixed with a private Amazon package and delivered to a small-town porch?
Secretary of State Shenna Bellows has faced escalating scrutiny over her handling of the situation. At a State House news conference two weeks ago, Bellows warned of “bad actors” attempting to interfere in Maine’s elections, declaring they “will be caught.” She also implied that Maine Wire Editor-in-Chief Steve Robinson could be among those bad actors.
Since then, Bellows has not provided any meaningful public update. When a Maine Wire reporter attempted to question her on Saturday at a “No Kings” rally in South Portland about the incident and about the state’s decision to fire UPS and hire Vital Delivery, a smaller courier company to deliver ballots ahead of the election — Bellows fled without answering questions.
This courier switch has become a flashpoint in the growing controversy. Many critics argue that making a major change to ballot transportation while refusing to answer questions about a major chain-of-custody breach has further eroded public trust.
The discovery landed just weeks before Maine’s Nov. 4 election, during heated debate over a voter ID and absentee ballot initiative. Republican leaders, including U.S. Senator Susan Collins (R) have called for federal oversight and accused Bellows of failing to safeguard the state’s election system.
Bellows and her office have not confirmed whether the investigation is active, how the ballots left secure custody or who is responsible. Amazon has stated it is cooperating with authorities.
Town officials in Newburgh say they’re not seeking investigation details— they just want confirmation that someone is taking this seriously.
“People here just want to know if someone is taking this seriously,” Lovell said. “That there’s accountability.”
Multiple calls and emails to the Secretary of State’s Office have gone unanswered.
For now, the state’s silence has only deepened suspicion. As Election Day draws closer, a troubling question remains unanswered: if Maine’s absentee ballot system needs no reform, then how did 250 ballots fly into the wind several months ago and what is actually being done to ensure it doesn’t happen again?
