Overview

• Ellsworth told the state 250 ballots were missing the same day a Newburgh resident reported finding five wrapped bundles of blank ballots in her delivery.
• The secretary of state’s law enforcement division is leading the probe with assistance from the FBI, Maine State Police, the attorney general’s office and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.
• Amazon said initial findings indicate the box was altered outside its fulfillment and delivery system, and the company is cooperating.
• Secretary of State Shenna Bellows said safeguards such as ballot‑request tracking and secure envelopes limit risks to the Nov. 4 election, with in‑person absentee voting already underway.
• Republican leaders urged federal action and are citing the episode in their push for a voter‑ID referendum, while state officials say Ellsworth and Newburgh have the ballots they need.