Maine Makes Security Changes for State Lawmakers Following Minnesota Shootings

In the wake of a tragic shooting in Minnesota that left a state legislator and her husband dead, and injured another lawmaker and his wife, WGME is reporting that Maine officials have made a change to help protect the privacy of our own elected leaders.

As of Tuesday morning, the home addresses of Maine lawmakers have been removed from the Legislature’s website. WGME explained that previously, lawmakers could choose whether or not to make their personal contact info public. Now, the only address listed for each member is their official State House address in Augusta.

Secretary of State Shenna Bellows also confirmed to channel 13 that personal information has been pulled from the state’s candidate filing site as an added precaution. It's a move aimed at balancing transparency with safety, especially in a time when tensions, and threats, seem higher than ever.

The recent changes in Maine highlight growing safety concerns among lawmakers, following a tragic shooting in Minnesota over the weekend. A man reportedly killed Democratic State Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband, and seriously wounded another legislator and his wife at their homes near Minneapolis.

For decades, Maine has made lawmakers’ home addresses and phone numbers publicly available, but that policy is now being reconsidered in light of the violence.

The news station included that authorities arrested 57-year-old Vance Boelter on Sunday after a large-scale manhunt. Prosecutors say he had been planning these attacks for months, calling them politically motivated. Boelter allegedly also showed up at the homes of two additional Minnesota lawmakers that same night, but they weren’t there.