To the Editor:

Vote “No” on Question 1.

There are ridiculous claims by those who want you to vote “Yes.” They create an impression that you could lose your right to vote unless you support this ballot question. They put forth an innuendo that all of us will need to re-register to vote, and they claim there are precious days for registration that are being taken away from us. What a pile of hooey!

Check these points:

The current law, which these liberals want to overturn, does not take away anyone’s right to vote. It simply stops registration to vote two days before the election (250 other days are available for you to register). This gives the election clerks time to check all of the newly registered voters to determine if they are fraudulent or not. If you have registered once at your current address, you have no need to re-register.

More than 40 states have the same laws. New York has a 30-day stop before an election; Massachusetts has 20 days; California two weeks. This is a common-sense practice.

Much has been made about allegations of fraudulent voting by out-of-state college students in Maine and their citizenship status here. No case has been uncovered so far, but one must wonder about the dozens who are known to be registered to vote in two states. In which state is that student a citizen?

I am concerned with the voter who is brought to register and vote by a political worker late on Election Day. That voter is most likely uninformed on the issues and will become a political pawn whose vote is owned by the political worker.

There is a higher percentage of voter registration card errors made on Election Day.

Having time to verify a voter’s legitimacy is a good service we all should want. Do you want a worthy issue defeated by fraudulent voters? Keep this common-sense law and vote “No” on Question 1.

Thomas F. Shields MD

Auburn