AUGUSTA — The state’s highest court ruled Friday that a November ballot question proposing changes to Maine voting laws meets required state standards.

Voter ID for ME, the group behind the citizen initiative, filed a court challenge in May saying that they believe the wording written by Secretary of State Shenna Bellows “misrepresents the ballot question.”

The question reads: “Do you want to change Maine election laws to eliminate two days of absentee voting, prohibit requests for absentee ballots by phone or family members, end ongoing absentee voter status for seniors and people with disabilities, ban prepaid postage on absentee ballot return envelopes, limit the number of drop boxes, require voters to show certain photo ID before voting, and make other changes to our elections?”

In June, a Superior Court judge ruled that the question did meet state standards, which require ballot questions to be clear, concise and easily understandable. Then on Friday, the Maine Supreme Judicial Court upheld the lower court’s ruling. 

State law requires ballot questions to be “understandable to a reasonable voter reading the question for the first time and will not mislead a reasonable voter who understands the proposed legislation into voting contrary to that voters’ wishes.”

In court filings, Voter ID for ME criticized the question for highlighting the changes to absentee voting rather than focusing on requiring voters to present a photo ID when they go to vote on Election Day.

The group also argued that the question was too long, creating concern that it will be difficult for voters to understand.

The state supreme court ruling acknowledges that the question is longer than most, but the justices conclude that it does not “render the question incomprehensible or misleading.” 

In response to the ruling, Voter ID for ME spokesman Alex Titcomb said they are disappointed but are now ready to work to convince voters to support the measure.

“We will continue to press forward over the next 16 weeks and engage voters to come out and support the common-sense ballot measure to strengthen our elections on Nov. 4,” he wrote in an email.

On the other side of the issue, the Save Maine Absentee Voting coalition, which includes the ACLU of Maine, Maine AFL-CIO, Defend Our Health and several other groups, celebrated the ruling.

“The referendum proposes 27 changes to Maine voting law that would effectively dismantle absentee voting,” said Liz Wester, campaign manager. “It’s vital that the referendum question reflects that.”