The Sun Journal’s editorial, “Measuring ME residency in different doses,” went after Secretary of State Charlie Summers for simply doing his job (Oct. 4). It was derogatory, ill-informed and irresponsible.

In a letter sent to some college students, Secretary Summers reminded them that if they register to vote in this state, they are considered residents and thus are subject to the same laws residents must abide by. This is the conclusion that Attorney General Richard Cohen reached when this issue was last addressed in 1980. I believe it is also the opinion of the current attorney general, William Schneider.

The Sun Journal considered that notification bullying and intimidating — even though the secretary of state oversees both elections and the Bureau of Motor Vehicles.

The editorial goes off on a tangent and tries to calculate how much tuition would be lost if all of those out-of-state students were allowed in-state tuition, even though the University of Maine uses a different set of rules to determine residence for tuition purposes than the state does for tax and voting purposes.

The piece also referenced an “investigative reporter” named Ernest A. Canning, a blogger who disparages all things Republican and works tirelessly against any kind of election reform. Using his opinions on Maine’s election reform is the equivalent of using Rush Limbaugh’s opinion on Dirigo Health. You know the opinion before you ask.

This irresponsible and ill-informed editorial flaunts the newspaper’s liberal bias using ridicule, insults and mean-spiritedness. It is profoundly disrespectful to the secretary of state as well as the chairman of the Maine Republican Party. We expect something better from one of Maine’s largest newspapers.

Rep. Jonathan McKane, R-Newcastle, represents District 51