Signs directing early voters at Lewiston City Hall. (Photo by Emma Davis/ Maine Morning Star)
Maine Attorney General Aaron Frey joined a bipartisan group of 50 other attorneys general in asking for peace across the country after Tuesday’s presidential election.
“Regardless of the outcome of Tuesday’s election, we expect that Americans will respond peacefully and we condemn any acts of violence related to the results,” a news release from Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost said.
“A peaceful transfer of power is the highest testament to the rule of law, a tradition that stands at the heart of our nation’s stability.”
The attorneys general are asking every American to vote, participate in civil discourse and “respect the integrity of the democratic process,” according to the release. “Violence has no place in the democratic process,” the statement continued, “we will exercise our authority to enforce the law against any illegal acts that threaten it.”
The statement comes after national polls highlight widespread concern among Americans about post-election unrest, the release said, but it did not mention specific surveys.
The latest survey of Maine voters from the University of New Hampshire Survey Center found that nearly nine in 10 Mainers are concerned that people will try to interfere with the election process in the next year using illegal or violent methods. Democrats across the board in Maine (96%) are worried that political leaders will violently or illegally try to seize power, the poll found.
The coalition of attorneys general represents a variety of political views. Frey, a Democrat, has said he is supporting Vice President Kamala Harris and participated at events for her campaign; whereas, Yost has publicly supported former President Donald Trump and his running mate, Ohio U.S. Sen. J.D. Vance.
The other attorneys general who signed on to the letter represent Connecticut, Kansas, Oregon, Alabama, Alaska, American Samoa, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, the Northern Mariana Islands, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, the Virgin Islands, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin and Wyoming.
Frey’s office did not immediately respond to a request for this story.
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