Detroit, MI, August 27, 2026 — Maine’s Republican nominee for governor, Bobby Charles, has announced his intention to request the presence of federal law enforcement at polling locations across the state during the upcoming midterm elections. Charles stated that he plans to ask U.S. Marshals and agents from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to be present.

The stated objective behind this proposal, according to Charles, is to prevent voter intimidation and to deter illegal voting. The specifics regarding which federal agencies Charles intends to contact beyond U.S. Marshals and ICE were not detailed in the provided information.

The proposal has drawn swift criticism from state officials and the state’s Democratic Party. Maine’s Secretary of State has described the plan as alarming. The state’s Democratic Party also voiced strong objections, characterizing the proposal as potentially illegal.

In response to inquiries about the potential deployment of federal agents to polling sites, the Department of Homeland Security has indicated that it has no plans to deploy ICE agents to polling locations. Further details regarding the response from U.S. Marshals or the specific actions Charles intends to take were not provided.


Story summarized from the original created by AP via Scripps News Group on www.wxyz.com, see more information here.

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