State of Maine Voter Guide

The information below explains how to register and vote in state elections. By voting, you lot are keeping Maine'southward democracy potent and standing a long history of citizen participation in the governing of our state and nation.

It's easy to take our correct to vote for granted--to make up one's mind that voting isn't worth the endeavour or "doesn't make a departure."

The reality is that voting makes a tremendous difference. By casting a ballot, each citizen has a voice in deciding who will serve in office and what positions volition be taken on major issues.

Voting is of disquisitional importance to the strength and vitality of our arrangement of government, and I congratulate you for recognizing its significance.

For our democracy to work, we must all participate in the procedure. Please register and vote and encourage your family unit, friends and neighbors to practise the same.

Maine Voter Guide

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Who tin annals and vote in Maine?

To register, you must be a United States citizen, at least 16 years of age to pre-register to vote and take established a fixed principal home in Maine.

To vote in a Referendum or General Election, you must be registered in the community where you reside, and be at least eighteen years of age. A 17 twelvemonth quondam may vote in a Primary Election, if that person will be 18 by the General Election.

How practise I register to vote?

Y'all can register to vote by filling out a voter registration card at your town office or metropolis hall, through whatever Motor Vehicle co-operative office, in most state & federal social service agencies, or at voter registration drives.
Y'all can also download and print a Maine voter registration application here. Please notation that both sides of the card will print on one folio.

Completed voter registration cards may be hand delivered or mailed to your town role or city hall. Check this list for phone and postal service contacts for each town and metropolis.

When you register for the beginning time in Maine, you lot'll need to provide identity documents that show you have established your voting residence in the State of Maine.

The post-obit documents are acceptable proof of identification for the purposes of registering to vote:

  • Government certificate or credential with photograph ID (i.e. driver's license, Country ID, valid U.S. Passport, military ID)
  • Government ID document/credential without photo (i.e. certified birth certificate or signed Social Security bill of fare)
  • An official document that shows name and accost of voter (i.eastward. eligibility for public benefits, utility pecker, depository financial institution argument, government check, paycheck)
  • Student photo ID from a country-approved public or private school or institute of higher education in Maine
  • Verified unique identifier (Maine driver'due south license number or final 4 numbers of Social Security Number)

For more information, visit our Maine Voting Residence Fact Sheet page.

Is at that place a deadline for registering?

There is no cut-off engagement for registering to vote in person at your town office or city hall. For the Nov. 3, 2020 General Election, the deadline is extended: Voters can submit registration forms by mail or by third person by the close of business on October. nineteen, 2020.

When is the side by side ballot?

Delight visit the Upcoming Elections Page for more information regarding the side by side election.

Where do I go to vote?

Every town and metropolis has its own places where people vote, chosen voting places or "the polls". You can call your boondocks office or city hall to find out where you vote. Voting places open up between 6:00 a.yard. and ten:00 a.one thousand., depending on the population of the boondocks. Local officials can give you the exact opening time for your community. All voting places close at 8:00 p.m. on Ballot Day. You tin detect your polling place using the Voter Data Lookup Service

How do I marking a ballot?

The State of Maine uses paper ballots that voters marking by filling in an oval adjacent to their choices. There are also instructions printed on each ballot.. If you have a question, ask an election official. If y'all make a mistake, fold your ballot and give it to an election official. The election official will give you lot some other election. Some elections in Maine are conducting using ranked-choice voting. Learn more virtually ranked-option ballots on our RCV Resource folio.

Can I have help voting?

Yes. If you need assistance reading or marking the ballot, you lot may ask a relative or friend for assistance. The helper does not have to be a voter or old enough to vote. An election official can also help yous read or mark a election. Still, your employer or matrimony official cannot help you vote.

Do I need to get to the polls on Ballot Mean solar day to vote?

No. Any registered voter may cast an absentee election instead of voting in person at the voting identify.

You do not need to accept a specific reason or be unable to vote at the voting place on Election Day to use an absentee ballot. Learn more well-nigh absentee voting and how to request your ballot on our Absentee Voting page.

For additional information, contact:

Office of the Secretarial assistant of Country
Sectionalization of Elections
101 State Business firm Station
Augusta, ME 04333-0101
(207) 624-7650
CEC.Elections@maine.gov