Maine's secretary of state is taking exception to a letter Lewiston Mayor Shane Bouchard sent to new voters who registered at the polls during last year's election.
The Republican mayor wrote last month that registering to vote amounts to a declaration of Maine residency and that it carries additional legal obligations like getting a Maine driver's license and registering cars in Maine. The Sun Journal reports that the letter was sent to 221 people, including Bates College students.
Secretary of State Matthew Dunlap said it's wrong to imply that failure to comply with motor vehicle statues after voting is a crime. College students voting in Lewiston elections is a perennial issue. All told, 481 voters in the municipal election were under 25 and used a Bates address.