The ACLU’s commitments transcend election cycles and party politics. We are a nonpartisan organization with over 100 years of consistent advocacy for freedom and justice nationwide and 56 years in Maine. We are clear-eyed about the dangers posed by a second Trump presidency and the challenges ahead.
This moment is difficult, but it was not unexpected.
Together with our counterparts in all 50 states, we are ready to continue the fight. Over the past nine months, we have been preparing. Just like in 2016, the ACLU of Maine will get to work immediately to resist repression and totalitarianism. We take the president-elect at his word, and we are prepared to counter what we already know we can expect from the incoming administration with specific legislative and legal plans.
As we acknowledge the challenges we face, it is also important to remain clear about what this election means. This was not a referendum on what we believe. Elections are fought and won based on all kinds of intangibles - on fear, bias, "fit,” "taste,” and lies, as much as on conviction, vision, dedication, skill, or integrity. The civil rights pioneers who came before us knew this, expected it, and anchored their advocacy and activism not to the political cycle, but to bedrock principles and commitments.
There were many bright spots across the country last night as well.
- For the first time, we will have two Black women serving in the U.S. Senate and the first transgender U.S. Representative.
- Voters in Arizona and Missouri passed ballot initiatives reversing restrictive laws and restoring the abortion rights once protected under Roe.
- Voters in Maryland, Montana, Nevada, and Colorado expanded or codified their commitment to reproductive freedom.
- Kentucky voters rejected a proposal that would have opened the door for public dollars to fund private schools that discriminate against students based on race, gender, disability, sexual orientation, religion, and gender identity.
- New York voters protected abortion access and expanded their state's Equal Rights Amendment to prohibit discrimination based on a person's pregnancy status.
And in Maine, we experienced one of the highest voter turnouts in the country, something that wouldn’t have been possible without our dedicated poll workers, volunteers, and election officials. We’re incredibly grateful to their commitment to carrying out a safe, fair election.
In the coming weeks and months, we will move forward decisively here in Maine and across the country to vindicate the rights and freedoms of those most vulnerable, to give voice to the values of our multicultural democracy, and to preserve the commitment to justice for all.
Thank you.
