Maine Republican Candidate Plans ICE at Polls

Maine’s Republican gubernatorial nominee Bobby Charles said at an Aug. 20 event that he would ask Tom Homan, a top DHS official, to send U.S. Marshals and ICE agents to Maine polling places ahead of this fall’s elections. He described Homan as a longtime friend and said he would initiate the request three to four weeks before Election Day to help ensure voting legality and deter intimidation at polling sites. Charles argued that authorities should keep an open line of communication with federal officials to prevent illegal voting and protect lawful voters. Critics and election watchdogs have stressed that deploying federal agents to polling places could be illegal or unconstitutional, and state officials have pointed to existing laws that restrict such actions. The remarks arrive amid broader national debate about election security and Trump-era rhetoric, with Charles noting he distances himself from Trump on some aspects while aligning with concerns about noncitizen voting.