<p>Bobby Charles, the Republican nominee for Maine governor, has stated he would request that Tom Homan, the White House border czar, send federal officers to polling locations during the midterm elections. This announcement has drawn criticism from Democratic officials.</p>
<p>During a meeting with the Maine Young Republicans on August 20, Charles mentioned he would utilize his relationship with Homan to involve Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the U.S. Marshals Service at the polls on Election Day.</p>
<p>“Well, here’s my secret,” Charles said, according to an audio recording. “I have a friend named Tom Homan. Tom and I used to be on Fox all the time together. Tom’s an awesome guy.”</p>
<p>He continued, “So I’m going to ask Tom. I’m going to [do it] actually three or four weeks before the election, maybe three. I’m going to make an appeal for ICE and marshals to be at our voting booths.”</p>
<p>While his request is considered unusual, it aligns with concerns expressed by Democrats regarding potential ICE enforcement at polling locations during the upcoming elections. The Department of Homeland Security has assured that there will be no aggressive ICE actions during the midterm elections, but it remains uncertain if Homan will respond to Charles’s request.</p>
<p>The comments made by Charles were first reported by Bangor Daily News and later shared by the Maine Democratic Party. Devon Murphy-Anderson, the executive director of the Maine Democratic Party, criticized Charles, stating, “Bobby Charles continues to prove that he is a MAGA extremist who will stop at nothing to put himself and his [Make America Great Again] agenda ahead of Mainers. His plan to ask Trump’s border czar to send ICE agents to Maine polling places just weeks before Election Day is not only deeply alarming — it is likely illegal. This is a blatant attempt to intimidate voters and yet another reason Bobby Charles is too extreme for Maine.”</p>
<p>Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows also opposed the proposal, clarifying that sending ICE officers to polling sites is illegal, as federal officers are prohibited from interfering in elections.</p>
<p>In defense of his remarks, Charles argued that federal authorities could assist in preventing illegal voting or managing potential violence in Maine, asserting that no legally entitled voter should feel intimidated.</p>
<p>Charles is set to compete against Democratic nominee Hannah Pingree, the former speaker of the Maine House of Representatives, in the November election. Both candidates aim to succeed Gov. Janet Mills (D-ME), who is concluding her second term.</p>