Shenna Bellows

Last updated

Brandon Baldwin
​
(m. 2012)​
Shenna Bellows
Shenna Bellows.jpg
Bellows in 2014
50th Secretary of State of Maine
Incumbent
Assumed office
January 4, 2021
Education Middlebury College (BA)

Shenna Lee Bellows (born March 23, 1975) is an American politician and a non-profit executive director. On December 2, 2020, the Maine Legislature elected her to serve as the 50th Maine secretary of state. [1] She was executive director of the Holocaust and Human Rights Center of Maine between 2018 and 2020, and she served as the executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Maine between 2005 and 2013. [2]

Contents

Bellows was the Maine Democratic Party nominee in the 2014 United States Senate election in Maine, and was defeated by incumbent Republican Susan Collins. In 2016, she won election to the Maine Senate, and she served until resigning in 2020 when she became a candidate in the legislative election for secretary of state. On December 28, 2023, Bellows ruled that Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump would be barred from the Maine primary ballot due to his conduct during the January 6 United States Capitol attack, pending an appeal. In the aftermath of that decision, she was doxxed and swatted, along with several other American activists and politicians, during the period of similar incidents nationwide. [3]

Early life and education

Shenna Bellows was born on March 23, 1975, in Greenfield, Massachusetts, the eldest daughter of Dexter Bellows, a carpenter, and Janice Colson, a nurse. She grew up in Hancock, Maine, where she attended Hancock Grammar School. Bellows grew up in a struggling family; she claims her family did not have running water or electricity, which the family could not afford, until she was in the fifth grade. [4] [5]

When Bellows was 15, she was an AFS–USA foreign exchange student in Campos, Brazil. Bellows graduated from Ellsworth High School in 1993. During high school and college, Bellows worked as a research assistant at Mount Desert Island Biological Laboratory. [6] During her junior year, she studied for a semester as an exchange student in San Jose, Costa Rica.

Early career

Bellows served as executive director of the ACLU of Maine for eight years. In that role, she built coalitions with both Republicans and Democrats to pass privacy and civil rights laws. [7] She was a leader of Mainers United for Marriage, working for seven years to pass same-sex marriage in Maine. [8] She was a leader on voting rights and co-chaired the 2011 Protect Maine Votes campaign to restore same day voter registration. [9] [10] Most recently, she organized a successful privacy campaign to require warrants for access to private cell phone communications, and she led the opposition to warrantless drone surveillance. [11]

During her time at the ACLU, Bellows was a leader in the Maine Choice Coalition and the Coalition for Maine Women. [12] She was recognized for her work to advance women’s health and reproductive choice by awards from the University of Maine Women’s Studies Department, [13] Mabel Wadsworth Women’s Health Center, [14] the American Association of University Women, [15] the Frances Perkins Center [16] and the Maine Democratic Party.

Prior to her work at the ACLU of Maine, Bellows was the national field organizer at the ACLU in Washington, D.C., organizing nationwide civil liberties campaigns including opposition to the Patriot Act, where she built broad coalitions that included librarians and gun owners alike. [17]

Bellows was an AmeriCorps VISTA volunteer in Nashville, Tennessee. There she assisted a start-up non-profit, Community IMPACT! in developing an asset building program to promote educational and economic empowerment for young people in Nashville’s largest public housing project. [18]

Bellows served as a small business development Peace Corps volunteer in La Arena de Chitré, Panama. In Panama, she launched a micro-lending program for artisans, started a Junior Achievement entrepreneurship program at a local high school, and was President of Women In Development/Gender and Development, dedicated to advancing economic and educational opportunity for women and girls. [19]

From 1997 to 1999 Bellows worked as a researcher and recruiter for Economists Incorporated, a privately held economic consulting firm specializing in microeconomic analysis in antitrust, regulatory and legal contexts in Washington, D.C. [20]

Political career

Bellows launched her candidacy for the United States Senate in 2014 on October 23, 2013. [21] [22] In November, she was defeated.

Bellows announced on March 4, 2016, that she would run for the Maine Senate in district 14, including her hometown of Manchester and ten other towns in the Augusta area. She ran as a publicly financed candidate. [23] Bellows won election to the Maine Senate on November 8, 2016, and took office on December 7, 2016. She won reelection to the Maine Senate in 2018, defeating Republican Matt Stone with 57.9% of the vote. [24] She was reelected again in 2020, winning 56% of the vote over Republican Mark Walker. [25] Bellows resigned from the Senate on December 2, 2020. [26] A special election was scheduled for March 2021. [26]

In December 2020, Bellows was elected Secretary of State of Maine. She is the first female to hold the position. [27] In Maine, the secretary of state is elected biannually in December by a joint session of the Maine Legislature for a term that begins in January. [28]

Disqualification of Donald Trump from Maine primary ballot

In December 2023, five Maine voters filed challenges to former president Donald Trump's petition to appear on the 2024 Republican presidential preference primary ballot in Maine. [29] On December 15, 2023, Bellows held a public evidentiary hearing to consider the validity of those challenges. [29] [30] On December 28, 2023, she ruled that Trump would be barred from the Maine primary ballot due to his conduct during the January 6 United States Capitol attack, pending appeal. [31] [32]

After ruling Trump ineligible, Bellows was doxxed, with her home address, phone number, and other personal data information published online. [33] Bellows was also swatted on December 29, 2023. [34] The incident was part of the series of violent threats against politicians, activists, and government buildings. [34] On January 3, 2024, bomb threats were further made against the Maine State Capitol, which led it to be evacuated, in what has been described as a likely continuation of the threats. [35]

On January 2, 2024, Trump appealed Bellows' December 28 decision to the Maine Superior Court. [36] The Superior Court ordered Bellows to reconsider her disqualification decision pending a ruling from the United States Supreme Court on Trump's ballot access. Bellows unsuccessfully appealed the Superior Court ruling to the Maine Supreme Court, where her request was dismissed. [37]

Bellows' disqualification of Trump, along with those of two other states, was overturned by the United States Supreme Court in a unanimous ruling in Trump v. Anderson on March 4, 2024. [38] Bellows rescinded her disqualification of Trump from ballot access the same day. [37]

Political positions

Bellows supports abortion rights, describing herself as "a strong advocate for women's healthcare and reproductive freedom including access to abortion and contraception". [39] Bellows wants to greatly decrease subsidies for large agricultural corporations. [39] Bellows opposes the Citizens United v. FEC decision, and supports public financing of elections and strong disclosure requirements. [39] Bellows opposes the death penalty. [39] Bellows supports large cuts to the defense budget, and largely opposes military intervention by the U.S., saying "we cannot afford to be the world's military policeman". [39] Bellows supports federal regulation of greenhouse gas emissions to combat climate change. [39] Bellows opposes efforts to repeal the Affordable Care Act, and supports expanding coverage through the Medicaid and Medicare programs. [39] Bellows led the effort to enact marriage equality in Maine as the head of Mainers United for Marriage. [39] [40] She supports federal anti-discrimination protections against LGBT people. [41] In 2014, Bellows supported increasing the federal minimum wage to $10.10, and indexing it to inflation. [41] In 2016, she supported a ballot initiative to gradually raise Maine’s minimum wage to $12 by 2020. [42] Bellows advocates for eliminating the cap on income taxable under the social security payroll tax in order to increase benefits. [39] Bellows supports decreasing the tax burden on lower- and middle-income families, as well as small businesses, but wants to "make sure the wealthiest Americans pay their fair share" and does not support lowering taxes for high-earners or corporations. [39] Bellows supports large increases in corporate and capital gains taxes, as well as the personal income tax rates for higher-earning brackets. [39]

Personal life

Bellows lives with her husband, Brandon Baldwin. [21]

Electoral history

Maine Senate district 14

Democratic primary for the 2016 Maine Senate election, district 14
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Shenna Bellows 1,947 81.74
Democratic Terry Berry43518.26
Total votes2,382 100.0

[43]

2016 Maine Senate general election, district 14
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Shenna Bellows 9,125 43.0
Republican Bryan Cutchen8,07138.1
IndependentJoseph Pietroski4,00818.9
Total votes21,204 100.0
Democratic gain from Republican

[44]

United States Senate

Democratic primary for the 2014 United States Senate election in Maine
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Shenna Bellows 47,909 73.6%
Other and Blank17,17626.4%
Total votes65,085 100.0%

[45]

2014 United States Senate election in Maine
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Susan Collins 413,505 67.0%
Democratic Shenna Bellows190,25430.8%
Total votes603,759 100.0%
Republican hold

[45]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Susan Collins</span> American politician (born 1952)

Susan Margaret Collins is an American politician serving as the senior United States senator from Maine. A member of the Republican Party, she has held her seat since 1997 and is Maine's longest-serving member of Congress.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chellie Pingree</span> American politician (born 1955)

Chellie MariePingree is an American politician serving as the U.S. representative for Maine's 1st congressional district since 2009. Her district includes most of the southern part of the state, centered around the Portland area.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Maine Green Independent Party</span> Maine affiliate of the Green Party

The Maine Green Independent Party is a state-level political party affiliated with the Green Party of the United States. It is the oldest state green party in the United States. It was founded following an informal meeting of 17 environmental advocates, including Bowdoin College professor John Rensenbrink and others in Augusta, Maine in January 1984. From 1994 to 2006, the party's gubernatorial nominees received between 6% and 10% of the vote.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Secretary of State of Maine</span> Political office in Maine

The secretary of state of Maine is a constitutional officer in the U.S. state of Maine and serves as the head of the Maine Department of State. The Secretary of State performs duties of both a legislative branch as well as an executive branch officer. The role oversees areas that include motor vehicle licensing, state identification, record keeping, and corporate chartering.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Matthew Dunlap</span> American politician from Maine (born 1964)

Matthew Dunlap is an American politician from Maine who has served as the Maine State Auditor since November, 2022, and previously from January to October, 2021. A Democrat, Dunlap served as Secretary of State of Maine from January 7, 2013, to January 4, 2021, and previously served in that same post from 2005 to 2011. In 2012, he sought to become his party's nominee to replace retiring Olympia Snowe but lost in the primary to State Senator Cynthia Dill.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2012 United States Senate election in Maine</span>

The 2012 United States Senate election in Maine was held on November 6, 2012, alongside a presidential election, other elections to the United States Senate in other states, as well as elections to the United States House of Representatives and various state and local elections. Despite initially declaring her candidacy and being considered the favorite, popular incumbent Republican U.S. Senator Olympia Snowe unexpectedly decided to retire instead of running for reelection to a fourth term.

Emily Ann Cain is an American politician from Maine and Executive Director of EMILY's List. A member of the Democratic Party, Cain served in the Maine Senate from 2012 to 2014, representing the 30th district which includes part of Penobscot County. She was previously a member of the Maine House of Representatives from 2004 to 2012, where she served as Minority Leader from 2008 to 2010 and as House Chair of the Appropriations & Financial Affairs Committee from 2010 to 2012.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2014 United States Senate election in Maine</span>

The 2014 United States Senate election in Maine took place on November 4, 2014. Incumbent Republican Senator Susan Collins, who had served in the position since 1997, won election to a fourth term in office with 68% of the vote. The primary elections were held on June 10, 2014.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eric Brakey</span> American politician (born 1988)

Eric Brakey is the current Executive Director of the Free State Project, and an American politician, who served as a Maine state senator from 2014 to 2018, and again from 2022 to 2024.

Sara I. Gideon is an American politician who served as the Speaker of the Maine House of Representatives. A member of the Democratic Party from Freeport, she represented the 48th district in the Maine House of Representatives, which includes part of Freeport and Pownal in Cumberland County.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2018 United States Senate election in Maine</span>

The 2018 United States Senate election in Maine was held on November 6, 2018, alongside a gubernatorial election, U.S. House elections, and other state and local elections. Incumbent independent Senator Angus King won re-election to a second term, defeating Democratic nominee Zak Ringelstein and Republican nominee Eric Brakey. This was one of two independent-held Senate seats up for election in a state that Hillary Clinton won in the 2016 presidential election.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2015 Maine Question 1</span>

Maine Question 1, "An Act To Strengthen the Maine Clean Election Act, Improve Disclosure and Make Other Changes to the Campaign Finance Laws", was a citizen-initiated referendum measure in Maine, which appeared on the November 3, 2015 statewide ballot. As the Maine Legislature did not exercise its ability to pass the bill on its own, it was placed on the ballot and approved by Maine voters.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2016 Maine Question 5</span> Referendum on instant-runoff voting

Maine Question 5, formally An Act to Establish Ranked-Choice Voting, is a citizen-initiated referendum question that qualified for the Maine November 8, 2016 statewide ballot. It was approved by a vote of 52% in favor, 48% opposed. It sought to change how most Maine elections will be conducted from plurality voting to instant-runoff voting. It appeared on the ballot along with elections for President of the United States, Maine's two U.S. House seats, the legislature, five other ballot questions, and various local elections. The referendum was successful, making Maine the first state to use ranked choice voting for its federal elections.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2011 Maine Question 1</span> Referendum

Maine Question 1, "Do you want to reject the section of Chapter 399 of the Public Laws of 2011 that requires new voters to register to vote at least two business days prior to an election?", was a 2011 people's veto referendum that rejected a bill repealing Election Day voter registration in Maine. The vote was held on November 8, 2011 after being placed on the ballot due to supporters collecting the necessary number of signatures. The veto effort was successful, with 237,024 votes in favor of repeal to 155,156 against repeal.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2020 United States Senate election in Maine</span>

The 2020 United States Senate election in Maine was held on November 3, 2020, to elect a member of the United States Senate to represent the State of Maine, concurrently with the 2020 U.S. presidential election, as well as other elections to the United States Senate, elections to the United States House of Representatives, and various state and local elections. This was Maine's first election for its Class 2 seat to use its ranked choice voting system. Because the first round of the general election saw a majority, the instant runoff tabulation of more than 800,000 ballots was not carried out.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2017 Maine Question 2</span>

Maine Question 2, formally entitled "An Act To Enhance Access to Affordable Health Care", was a citizen-initiated ballot measure that appeared on the November 7, 2017 statewide ballot in the State of Maine. Maine Question 2 sought to expand Medicaid eligibility under the terms of the Affordable Care Act. The measure passed.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2020 United States House of Representatives elections in Maine</span>

The 2020 United States House of Representatives elections in Maine were held on November 3, 2020, to elect the two U.S. representatives from the state of Maine, one from each of the state's two congressional districts. The elections coincided with the 2020 U.S. presidential election, as well as other elections to the House of Representatives, elections to the United States Senate and various state and local elections. The election was conducted with ranked choice voting, as per the result of a referendum passed in 2016.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2024 United States presidential election in Maine</span>

The 2024 United States presidential election in Maine took place on Tuesday, November 5, 2024, as part of the 2024 United States presidential election in which all 50 states plus the District of Columbia participated. Maine voters chose electors to represent them in the Electoral College via a popular vote. The state of Maine has four electoral votes in the Electoral College, following reapportionment due to the 2020 United States census in which the state neither gained nor lost a seat.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2024 Maine Republican presidential primary</span>

The 2024 Maine Republican presidential primary was held on March 5, 2024, as part of the Republican Party primaries for the 2024 presidential election. 20 delegates to the 2024 Republican National Convention were allocated on a winner-take-most basis. The contest was held on Super Tuesday alongside primaries in 14 other states. This was a semi-closed primary where party members may only vote in their respective party's primary, but unenrolled voters may choose a party's primary to participate in. This change in law from Maine's previous closed primary went into effect on May 14, 2022, without Gov. Janet Mills' signature.

In December 2023, there was widespread swatting of prominent figures in American politics, as well as bomb scares and other violent threats made against government buildings. The series of swattings extended into January 2024. In August 2024, the U.S. Department of Justice indicted two foreign nationals located abroad on "one count of conspiracy, 29 counts of threats and false information regarding explosives, and four counts of transmitting threats in interstate and foreign commerce."

References

  1. ↑ Shepherd, Michael (December 27, 2018). "These Maine lawmakers will control 2019's biggest State House debates". Bangor Daily News.
  2. ↑ "Honorable Shenna Bellows Maine's 50th Secretary of State". Maine Department of the Secretary of State. Retrieved January 2, 2024.
  3. ↑ Lee, Dave (January 4, 2024). "US Must Stop 'Swatting' From Becoming an Election Weapon". Bloomberg.com. Retrieved January 5, 2024.
  4. ↑ Catanese, David (February 27, 2014). "National Security Drives Maine Race Against Collins". U.S. News & World Report.
  5. ↑ Smith, George (January 15, 2014). "MAINE STREAM: Democratic candidate for Senate a grassroots phenomenon". CentralMaine.com.
  6. ↑ Claiborne, James B.; Perry, Erin; Bellows, Shenna; Campbell, Jennifer (1997). "Mechanisms of Acid-Base Excretion Across the Gills of a Marine Fish" (PDF). The Journal of Experimental Zoology. 279 (5): 509–520. doi:10.1002/(SICI)1097-010X(19971201)279:5<509::AID-JEZ15>3.0.CO;2-2. Archived from the original (PDF) on June 24, 2010. Retrieved November 28, 2013.
  7. ↑ Hench, David (September 27, 2013). "Maine ACLU's leader announces resignation". Portland Press Herald. Retrieved October 22, 2013.
  8. ↑ Ricker, Nok-Noi (September 27, 2013). "Maine ACLU leader Shenna Bellows steps down". Bangor Daily News. Retrieved October 22, 2013.
  9. ↑ Bellows, Shenna (October 15, 2012). "College students: You cannot be denied your vote". www.bangordailynews.com. Bangor Daily News. Retrieved December 17, 2016.
  10. ↑ Dolan, Eric (November 9, 2011). "Maine voters restore same-day voter registration". The Raw Story. Retrieved December 17, 2016.
  11. ↑ Moretto, Mario (October 8, 2013). "Shenna Bellows will run against Susan Collins in 2014". Bangor Daily News. Retrieved December 17, 2016.
  12. ↑ "Broad Coalition Celebrates 40th Anniversary of Roe v. Wade". aclumaine.org. ACLU of Maine. January 22, 2013. Retrieved November 28, 2013.
  13. ↑ "Women's, Gender and Sexuality Studies Program". umaine.edu. University of Maine. Retrieved November 28, 2013.
  14. ↑ "Dinner, auction to benefit women's health center". bangordailynews.com. Bangor Daily News. Retrieved November 28, 2013.
  15. ↑ "AAUW-Maine Photos". aauw-me.aauw.net. AAUW-Maine. Retrieved November 28, 2013.
  16. ↑ "First Annual Garden Party". Frances Perkins Center. June 29, 2009. Archived from the original on April 14, 2013. Retrieved December 17, 2016.
  17. ↑ "Mid-Maine Global Forum - Program Announcement: "Challenging U.S. Torture in the Courts and Congress"". REM Community Network. January 13, 2006. Archived from the original on November 28, 2013. Retrieved December 17, 2016.
  18. ↑ "NASW-Maine Annual Conference" (PDF). NASW Maine. April 8, 2010. Retrieved December 17, 2016.
  19. ↑ Bellows, Shenna (October 24, 2000). "High School Scholarship for Young Girls in Panama". Peace Corps Panama Friends. Retrieved December 17, 2016.
  20. ↑ "Maine Humanities Council Fall Program". Maine Humanities Council. Retrieved November 28, 2013.
  21. 1 2 Russell, Eric (October 9, 2013). "Former ACLU Director Will Challenge Susan Collins". Portland Press Herald . Retrieved October 30, 2013.
  22. ↑ Fulton, Deirdre (October 24, 2013). "Former ACLU head Shenna Bellows launches US Senate campaign: 'Freedom of the underdog'". The Portland Phoenix . Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved December 17, 2016.
  23. ↑ "Shenna Bellows announces Maine Senate primary run". Bangor Daily News. Archived from the original on March 5, 2016. Retrieved March 4, 2016.
  24. ↑ Neumann, Dan (November 8, 2018). "Mainers voted out Republicans who ran on bigotry and fear". Maine Beacon .
  25. ↑ "Election Results". WABI. Retrieved November 16, 2020.
  26. 1 2 Mills, Janet T. (December 14, 2020). "Proclamation of State Senate District 14 Vacancy" (PDF) (Press release). Augusta, Maine: Maine Secretary of State. Retrieved January 4, 2021.
  27. ↑ Carrigan, Don; Mannino, Gabrielle (December 2, 2020). "Shenna Bellows becomes first woman elected as Maine secretary of state". News Center Maine. Augusta, ME. Retrieved December 21, 2020.
  28. ↑ Andrews, Caitlin (November 17, 2020). "The big changes eyed by 6 Democrats aiming to be Maine's next top election official". Bangor Daily News . Bangor, ME.
  29. 1 2 "Hearing scheduled for challenges to Trump primary nomination petition". Maine Department of the Secretary of State. December 11, 2023. Retrieved January 2, 2024.
  30. ↑ "Hearing Regarding Challenges to Trump Primary Nomination Petition". Youtube. Maine Department of the Secretary of State. December 15, 2023. Retrieved January 2, 2024.
  31. ↑ Bellows, Shenna (December 28, 2023). "In re: Challenges to Primary Nomination Petition of Donald J. Trump" (PDF). Retrieved December 28, 2023.
  32. ↑ "Maine Secretary of State Decision in Challenge to Trump Presidential Primary Petitions". www.maine.gov. Retrieved December 29, 2023.
  33. ↑ Moshtaghian, Artemis (December 30, 2023). "Maine elections official who removed Trump from primary ballot targeted in swatting incident, police say". CNN. Retrieved December 30, 2023.
  34. 1 2 Edmonds, Colbi (January 2, 2024). "Maine Secretary of State Targeted by 'Swatting' After Trump Ballot Decision". The New York Times.
  35. ↑ Duggan, Emily (January 3, 2024). "Maine State House evacuated as state capitols across U.S. face bomb threats". Kennebec Journal and Morning Sentinel. Retrieved January 4, 2024.
  36. ↑ Kingsley, Owen (January 2, 2024). "Former Pres. Trump appeals ruling that keeps him off Maine primary ballot". WGME.
  37. 1 2 Palanza, Libby (March 4, 2024). "Shenna Bellows Withdraws Disqualification of Trump from Maine's Primary Following SCOTUS Ruling". The Maine Wire.
  38. ↑ Howe, Amy (March 4, 2024). "Supreme Court rules states cannot remove Trump from ballot for insurrection". SCOTUSBlog.
  39. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 "Maine Congressional Election 2014 Political Courage Test". Project Vote Smart . 2014. Retrieved January 19, 2021.
  40. ↑ Bates, Greg (July 9, 2014). "Collins declares support for marriage equality, but that's not good enough". Bangor Daily News . Retrieved January 19, 2021.
  41. 1 2 Eidelson, Josh (April 7, 2014). "Meet America's most progressive Senate nominee: Shenna Bellows of Maine". Salon. Augusta, ME. Retrieved January 19, 2021.
  42. ↑ Bellows, Shenna (December 30, 2016). "RADIO ADDRESS: SEN. BELLOWS SAYS MINIMUM WAGE RAISE IS GOOD NEWS FOR NEW YEAR" . Retrieved January 19, 2021.
  43. ↑ Department of the Secretary of State (June 15, 2016). "Tabulations for elections held in 2016". Department of the Secretary of State.
  44. ↑ The New York Times (November 9, 2016). "Maine 14th District State Senate Results: Shenna Bellows Wins". The New York Times.
  45. 1 2 Department of the Secretary of State (November 5, 2014). "Tabulations for elections held in 2014". Department of the Secretary of State.
Party political offices
Preceded by Democratic nominee for U.S. Senator from Maine
(Class 2)
2014 		Succeeded by
Political offices
Preceded by Secretary of State of Maine
2021–present		Incumbent
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.