LEWISTON — As part of our ongoing Election Day 2011 coverage, the Sun Journal will host online forums on three of the ballot questions facing Maine voters this November.

Question 1: Same-day voter registration

At noon Wednesday, Oct. 26, the topic will be the effort to repeal a recently enacted change to Maine’s voter-registration laws. After 38 years of same-day voter registration, the Maine Legislature in 2011 approved a change that would require voters to be registered at least two days prior to an election.

Joining us for this conversation will be Shenna Bellows, executive director of the Maine Civil Liberties Union and a member of the political action committee Protect Maine’s Vote, which launched the people’s veto initiative aimed at repealing the law and keeping same-day voter registration.

On the opposing side will be state Rep. John McKane, R-Newcastle, a supporter of the two-day-registration waiting period. Bellows and McKane will take questions from both our online audience and moderators from the Sun Journal.

Joining the conversation for the Sun Journal will be political reporter Steve Mistler, Regional Editor Scott Thistle and Web Editor Pattie Reaves.

Questions 2 and 3: Casinos and racinos

At noon Thursday, Oct. 27, we will host a conversation on ballot Question 2, which would allow the creation of combined harness racing and casino facilities in Biddeford and Washington County. Question 3 would allow the creation of a casino in Lewiston.

Panelists will include Peter Robinson, a principal investor and advocate for the Lewiston casino and Crystal Canney a spokeswoman for the Biddeford and Washington County racino proposals. Canney supports a “yes” vote on Question 2 and Robinson supports a “yes” vote on Question 3.

In opposition will be Mike Hein, former administrator of the Maine Christian Civic League and Mark Ferguson, a store owner in Poland who supports the recently approved Black Bear Casino in Oxford but opposes the Biddeford and Lewiston projects.

Sun Journal moderators for the conversation will include Thistle, Reaves and city government reporter Scott Taylor.

Both forums will be available at www.sunjournal.com. For those unable to join the conversation, a transcript of the discussion will be available online after the event.

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