Maine lawmakers returned the same slate of officers to key positions in state government Wednesday during a joint session of the Legislature.

Secretary of State Shenna Bellows, Attorney General Aaron Frey and Treasurer Henry Beck will all continue in their positions for another two years.

All are Democrats who previously served as legislators.

Bellows, of Manchester, was credited with overseeing a high-turnout midterm election last month, as well as improving customer service at the Bureau of Motor Vehicles and improving cybersecurity and the physical security of election clerks.

Frey, of Bangor, and Beck, of Biddeford, were also unanimously approved by the full Legislature.

Republicans said they chose not to offer their own slate of candidates because they believe the positions should be filled by voters, not legislators. Most states elect attorneys general (43), followed by the treasurer (36), and secretary of state (35).

The Maine Constitution calls for those positions to be filled by a secret ballot vote of lawmakers, which means the majority party gets to choose who serves in those roles. Republicans said in a statement that they will introduce legislation to change that this session.

 “What we would like to do instead is to work to put those positions back into the hands of the people where they firmly belong,” Sen. Trey Stewart (R-Presque Isle) said. “Let Maine voters decide who should keep Maine’s government transparent and enforce our laws — that should be the people’s power.”