The ballot committee behind a referendum requiring a photo ID to vote has received a half-million-dollar cash infusion from the national group that helps Republicans get elected to state legislatures.
The contribution comes from the political action committee connected to the Republican State Leadership Committee, or RSLC. The group spent nearly half a million dollars last year trying to help Republicans gain control of the Maine Legislature. It spent more than $61 million nationwide, according to IRS filings.
Now the group is backing an initiative that would require Mainers to show a photo ID before voting along with a host of other restrictions.
The contributions vault RSLC's PAC over a Maine-based PAC called For Our Future as the initiative's lead funder. For Our Future's top donor is The Concord Fund, the group associated with conservative activist Leonard Leo.
According to IRS filings, The Concord Fund has contributed $7.1 million to the RSLC since 2020. Forty percent of that was donated last year.
