At a young age we learn that the truth can hurt and the facts don’t always lean in our favor. As we get older, how we deal with difficult truths can say a great deal about us. The debate and discussion regarding voting rights in Maine is a perfect example of how one side doesn’t like the truth and the great lengths they will go to manipulate the truth to support an argument.

In November, thanks to the support from a huge number of Mainer voters, we will all have a chance to weigh in on the issue of same-day voter registration and overturn the radical legislation that will ultimately limit voter participation.

Before November, it is important to make an informed decision, one based on truth, not on rhetoric or anecdotes. Those on the right will come at you with claims of fraud and abuse, something they can’t justify in a court of law, or in the court of public opinion.

Truth: Maine Republicans can’t get around the fact that in Symm V. U.S., the U.S. Supreme court affirmed a lower court decision that found college students can vote where they attend college.

Reminiscent of Joe McCarthy, GOP chair Charlie Webster continues to investigate and accuse others of fraud and improprieties. The 200 students from the University of Maine-Farmington, yah, they didn’t do anything wrong. The 19 students in South Portland, yah, they didn’t do anything wrong. No laws were broken. All were simply college students looking to vote, their legal right.

Truth: So scared of the truth and the facts, Maine Republicans don’t even seek them out. After putting out a press release titled “Maine GOP uncovers 19 election-day registrations from one Maine hotel” GOP leader Charlie Webster was asked if he inquired as to why 19 students shared the same address, a South Portland hotel, Webster said “the circumstances are irrelevant.”

Truth: This is part of a national effort to implement a radical, social, conservative agenda. The right will tell you that other states have enacted voter registration legislation so we should as well. What they don’t like to share is that at the time, many of these new laws were enacted by newly-elected Republican and tea party governors.

Maine Republicans won’t tell you that in these states, like Maine, voter fraud was not an issue and that these efforts are part of a nationwide assault on voter rights.

The right also doesn’t like to talk about that voter registration moratoriums and voter identification laws stymie voter turn out and do nothing to reduce voter fraud. The Brennan Center for Justice has extensively examined voter legislation. In many states where voter moratoriums have been put in place, turnout has decreased and fraud has not been deterred.

In our case, even if the people’s veto fails, it will not address Republican arguments about college students voting in Maine. The Supreme Court has spoken.

The sole argument, the only instances of so-called fraud that Maine Republicans use to support this legislation, isn’t even addressed by the law.

Fact: The integrity of the system is stronger than the integrity of those trying to change it.

If Republicans are so concerned about the integrity of the voting system, why have they waited until now to show their hand? These anecdotal stories are not new to GOP leadership, these are stories that have been tucked into their back pockets. Issues of voter fraud should have been brought to the attention of legal authorities. If there was such rampant fraud, so much fraud that Maine needed new laws, why were the allegations not shared with law enforcement earlier? The answer is simple, it would not have been politically advantageous.

This is a political game for Republicans. Our nation and our state are still feeling the impact of a recession, high unemployed and an undereducated workforce. We have enough real issues to take on, we don’t need Republicans creating works of fiction. At a time when we need new ideas and real leadership, instead we get the Republicans.

This November, support election-day voter registration and vote against rhetoric and lies.

Will Fessenden lives in Sabattus with his wife and two children who attend public school. He is a former RSU4 school board member, and a community organizer who serves on many local nonprofit boards and committees.