This is in response to David Marquis’ letter (Oct. 13), written in response to my letter of Oct. 10,

Referendum Question 1 is where a “no” vote preserves the current law on voter registration. The current law does not take away anyone’s right to vote (disenfranchising) as many claim. It simply moves the registration deadline back two business days so election clerks can ensure the integrity of the election. Forty-one other states have similar laws. New York has a 30-day and Massachusetts a 20-day deadline.

There are 250 days per year when one can register in Maine. Infirmed citizens can register and vote by mail.

Some organizers have made a practice of bringing unregistered individuals at the last moment to register and vote (when there is no time to thoroughly check their credentials). Are they also told how to vote? Do the citizens of Maine want important issues decided by these people?

Secretary of State Charles Summers’ “witch hunt” on a random sampling of registrations found several non-citizens registered to vote and, according to a talk by Summers, an 80 percent rate of registration card error.

Maine’s election process is ripe for fraud. The current law is a first step in correcting the circumstances.

I cannot understand why some Democrats and their allies object to a mildly restrictive registration law that is in place in so many other states.

Surely the Democrats and their allies want honest elections and, therefore, should vote no on Question 1.

Thomas F. Shields, Auburn

Editor’s note: The above letter has been revised to correct an error regarding non-citizens found to be listed on Maine’s voter lists by Secretary of State Charlie Summers.