Just days before Mainers head to the polls on Tuesday, Nov. 4, the controversy surrounding 250 absentee ballots found inside an Amazon package in Newburgh continues to deepen, with more questions than answers from state officials.
A Newburgh woman said she discovered the sealed ballots in a package she received in late September. State election officials later confirmed that the ballots matched a missing shipment meant for Ellsworth, reported lost the same day. Secretary of State Shenna Bellows quickly promised to find the “bad actors” responsible for what she described as a serious break in the chain of custody.
But weeks later, no arrests have been made, and local officials say they’ve been left in the dark. No one in Newburgh Town Hall has spoken with the FBI, despite Bellows telling reporters that federal investigators were involved.
Town leaders told The Maine Wire that they’ve received no briefings, no contact and no explanation. The Maine Wire spoke with Newburgh Board of Selectmen Chairman Kurt Giles Thursday morning,”there are no new updates.”
Adding to the confusion, an anonymous UPS employee told Bangor television station WABI this week that the incident was an “honest mistake.” The worker claimed the ballots were mixed in with unrelated packages during a high-volume delivery period. UPS has not responded to multiple requests for comments from The Maine Wire. Calls to Secretary Bellows asking for comments on the admission also have not been returned to The Maine Wire.
Meanwhile, Bellows quietly replaced UPS with a private courier service called Vital Delivery, which normally handles medical supplies. The Secretary of State’s Office awarded the new, no-bid contract, but Bellows has refused to explain the reason for the switch, even when questioned face-to-face by The Maine Wire last week in South Portland.
Election integrity advocates argue that the state’s response has done little to rebuild public confidence. The lack of communication with local officials and the refusal to release key details have fueled speculation that the state is trying to contain political fallout rather than ensure accountability.
The ballots in question were blank and unused, and the state insists they could not have been counted without corresponding, signed envelopes. Still, the bizarre circumstances surrounding missing ballots showing up in an Amazon package have rattled voters and reignited debate over the security of Maine’s absentee-voting system.
Bellows has maintained that Maine’s elections remain secure and pointed to multiple safeguards that prevent unauthorized ballots from being cast. But with early voting underway and a contentious voter ID referendum that seeks tighter controls on absentee ballot distribution, Question 1, on the November 4 ballot, the controversy has become a flashpoint for conservatives demanding stronger oversight and more transparency.
As of Thursday, the FBI, UPS and the Secretary of State’s Office have not provided further comment. Bellows’s office has said only that the investigation is ongoing and that results will be made public “at the appropriate time.” Earlier this month, Gov. Janet Mills declined to comment on the controversy, saying “there is an ongoing investigation.”
For now, Mainers are left with a troubling image just days before Election Day — hundreds of state-issued ballots discovered in a stranger’s Amazon box, a delivery worker claiming “an honest mistake,” and state officials refusing to answer the most basic questions.
