NEWRY — At the select board meeting in Newry on Jan. 16, Deputy Town Clerk Amy Henley warned voters to be careful of what they sign. “If you are going to change your voter registration, go do it at your town office,” she said.

Henley said she received two suspicious registration cards directly from the political party, No Labels. “This isn’t what the people stated they signed … what they signed is a list with other names, like a petition.” She sent the cards to Maine Attorney General Aaron Frey.

“It’s really bothering me because you shouldn’t take people’s right to vote,” said Henley, who also called and reported the issue to Sen. Lisa Keim and Rep. Mike Soboleski.

Henley said the registration cards arrived early enough for those voters to change their party affiliation. “The problem now is there is a three-month waiting period [to change a party affiliation] and there is not enough time and the party [No Labels] does not have a candidate so they can’t vote in the primary. There are going to be some sad people,” said Henley.

Bethel Town Clerk Jessicca Grover said she has not heard from any disgruntled Bethel voters. As the election approaches, she said, “it could still happen.” Woodstock Town Manager Vern Maxfield and Gilead Town Clerk Patsy Cox both confirmed they had not had any complaints either.

However, after hearing numerous complaints from town clerks across the state, Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows became concerned that No Labels, a third-party presidential party was unwittingly enrolling voters. People approached at supermarkets and pharmacies thought they were signing a petition but instead were registering in a political party.

In May 2023, Bellows sent letters to 7,000 newly registered voters giving them the option to change back or become unenrolled from No Labels.

State registration laws require municipal clerks, like Henley, to record registration cards on receipt and then send voter registration acknowledgement notes to inform applicants if their enrollment has been accepted or rejected.

More recently, No Labels has qualified as a political party in Maine having met the requirement that it enroll at least 5,000 voters into the new party. No Labels is eligible to participate in the primaries and November general election.

On Jan. 5, the Portland Press Herald reported that according to the Department of the Secretary of State, there were approximately 9,423 Maine voters enrolled in the No Labels Party.

“No Labels now has ballot access in 13 states and has filed paperwork or is gathering signatures to gain access in 14 others. Its goal is to become a party in all 50 states before the presidential election in November,” wrote Rachel Ohm.