BANGOR – Though requests for absentee ballots have been slow to arrive, the June 10 elections are shaping up to be technically trickier than most, city officials said Friday.
“It’s cumbersome. It’s quite a process,” said City Clerk Patti Dubois. While turnout is expected to be light, “there’s not less work than there will be in November” when the presidential, congressional, statewide and city elections will occur simultaneously.
That’s because besides the statewide primary elections, voters here will be asked to approve a school budget for the first time and weigh in on a state bond issue.
All told, the city’s 120 election workers will be handling 14 ballots, though no individual voter will receive more than three ballots, Dubois and Deputy Clerk Sue Mitchell said during an interview at City Hall.
Further complicating matters is that although most absentee ballots are available, the school budget validation referendum ballot cannot be distributed until June 2, when the City Council is scheduled to approve the school budget during a special meeting. By state law, the council’s vote must take place within 10 days of the citywide validation vote.
That means those who already have requested absentee ballots will be receiving their school budget ballots in a separate mailing.
“We’re trying to explain it to people as they call or come in,” Mitchell said.
The number of ballots Bangor voters will receive depends on whether they are registered voters entitled to vote on the proposed $41.5 million school budget and a proposed $29,725,000 bond issue or are enrolled in one of Maine’s three political parties, which also allows them to participate in the Democratic, Republican or Green Independent primaries.
As the result of a recent change in the state’s election laws, 17-year-olds who will turn 18 by the Nov. 4 elections now may vote in primary elections, Dubois said. They may not, however, vote on the school budget or state bond issue, which would provide funding for natural resources, agricultural and transportation infrastructure.
Residents who aren’t registered to vote or who need to update their registration cards because they have moved or changed their names may do so up to and on Election Day, Dubois said.
They should, however, bring identification, preferably a form that includes a photograph, and proof of residency, which can include a piece of mail, a utility bill or some other document showing their address.
Enrolling in a political party, however, has a somewhat different set of rules.
The deadline for enrolling in a political party is May 26, or 15 days before the primaries, Dubois said. Once enrolled, a voter must remain a member of that party for at least three months after the election, she said.
New voters who have not been registered or enrolled in a party by today will have to appear in person, Dubois said.
Absentee ballots are available now, but the early voting program won’t begin until the week before the June 10 elections, Dubois said. She said that absentee ballots will be counted on the mezzanine level of the Civic Center beginning at 8 a.m. Election Day. The public may watch.
“It’s a public process,” Dubois said. “It has to be advertised so that people know when and where it’s going to take place.”
According to Dubois, the Civic Center will be staffed and equipped for early voting from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday, June 2, through Monday, June 9. The center also will be open from 8 a.m. to noon Saturday, June 7, but will be closed on Sunday, June 8.
On Election Day, however, voters should report to their assigned polling places, which will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Bangor’s four voting locations are:
. Bangor Civic Center for voters who live in Maine House District 15.
. The community center on Davis Road, District 16.
. Bangor High School, District 17.
. William S. Cohen School, District 18.
Voters who aren’t sure which district they live in or who have any other election-related questions should call 992-4200.
Election results will be posted on the city’s Web site, found at www.bangormaine.gov, as they come in.
Comments
comments for this post are closed