Earlier this year Rep. Laurel Libby introduced to the Maine Legislature L.D. 175, which proposes an “Amendment to the Constitution of Maine to Ensure That Only Citizens of the United States May Participate in Elections.”

Our constitution currently states that “every” citizen of the United States living in Maine has the right to vote. This amendment would change that language to stipulate that “only” citizens are allowed to vote.

Although this change may seem trivial, it is actually far from it, and we need to call this proposed amendment out for what it really is: an attempt to both further the conspiracy theory that non-citizen voting is an actual problem and to demonize our immigrant communities.

Let’s begin with the facts. It is currently illegal for non-citizens to vote in the state of Maine, and this proposed amendment would do nothing to change that. And another important fact: Despite having become a favorite talking point of President Trump and other Republicans up and down the ballot, there is still no evidence of widespread voter fraud on the part of non-citizen voters.

So, why try to fix a problem that isn’t real? Because blaming immigrants is politically advantageous these days, as is trafficking in conspiracy theories about election results.

But neither of those things has to be the case. Mainers need to see L.D. 175 for what it is: a distraction that will harm our immigrant communities by furthering the false narrative that they are perpetrating widespread vote fraud.

Robin Hackett, Bath