Toting a bright blue Harris/Walz pin, Governor Janet Mills (D-Maine) made a surprise pit stop in Commons today, greeting students and Bates Democrats club members as part of a push to get Bates students to vote.
“I’m here to encourage everyone who’s eligible to vote tomorrow at the Lewiston Armory, kitty corner from here,” Mills said. “It’s an exciting day. And some people here have never voted before.”
Mills emphasized that students who have not yet registered to vote can still do so, due to Maine’s policy of same-day voter registration. Only 20 states and Washington D.C. allow voters to both register and cast their ballot on Election Day, per the National Conference of State Legislatures.
“We fought to preserve that law in Maine,” Mills said. “It’s a privilege to have that here, and it’s a right. We make it easy to vote for any eligible person.”
While partisan debates over same-day registration in Maine have grown over the years, with Republicans largely opposing it and Democrats striving to maintain it, Maine’s policy still stands.
The Bates Democrats were notified earlier today that Campus would be visited by Mills, as a part of the Harris Walz 2024 presidential campaign. This was in coordination with democratic Maine Democratic Party, as a part of an ongoing effort to reach college-aged voters before tomorrow’s election.
After her meal with Bates Dems, Governor Mills returned back to the nearby Harris Campaign Field office to distribute fliers across Lewiston, while Bates student volunteers posted around campus.
According to Bates Democrats club president, Trinity Monstwillo, this has been a busy election season for the club, and she was glad to be joined by Mills in their efforts.
“We’ve been doing some canvassing launch parties for Jared Golden, some postcard writing events and have been phone-banking in North Carolina and Maine for the Harris Walz campaign,” Monstwillo said.
Monstwillo was one of many Bates Dems that were ambassadors of the college to Mills, joining her for lunch in Commons.
“I think it was great that we got to see Janet Mills interact with students in Commons,” Monstwillo said. “Students were really excited to meet her and talk to her, which made me really optimistic about the political culture on campus.”
Monstwillo added that this election, while being incredibly divisive, has really energized the student body. “Bates students have a really high voter registration rate and turnout rate,” she said. “It’s about 90% for registration rate, and about 87% of those who do register also go out and vote, which is higher than the national average.”
While Governor Mills is not running on the 2024 ballot, she maintained that offices up for election could be consequential for Bates students’ lives – both in school and their lives beyond. She urged voters to choose Vice President Kamala Harris.
“If Donald Trump is elected, there won’t be any department of education. We’ll be teaching history only as he thinks history exists, right?” Mills said to The Student. “He wants to repeal the Affordable Care Act. Right now, the Affordable Care Act says you can stay on your parents insurance until age 26, and that all goes away.”
And for all citizens, Mills added, this election is monumental.
“Women’s Health Care, women’s rights, are all on the ballot this year,” Mills said. “Our freedoms are on the ballot.”
