There’s no better way to reinvigorate the democratic republic in you than to cast a vote for a worthy candidate or against one who didn’t impress. Want another reason? Your neighbor, or maybe even your spouse, may have voted already, and you don’t want to be left out.
Voting is simple but important. If you are registered, you just need to show up at your local polling place. Don’t know where it is? Visit http://www.maine.gov/portal/government/edemocracy/voter_lookup.php, type in your home address, and you’ll find out. It wouldn’t hurt to bring identification, though you shouldn’t need it.
Not registered? Bring identification — a photo ID works, but so does a piece of mail that proves you live where you say you live — and head to the polls. Maine is one of 14 states that currently allow you to register on Election Day. If you are a college student from another state, you can vote in Maine by listing your dorm or apartment as your residence; you don’t have to register your car in Maine before you vote, contrary to fliers distributed at Bates College in Lewiston over the weekend. Gov. Paul LePage’s statement Monday suggesting that college students engage in voter fraud was reprehensible, but follows a pattern of intimidation of college-aged voters.
Even if there is a problem with your registration, you still can vote under Maine’s challenged ballot law, so there’s no reason to leave a polling place without having your say. By the way, if you make a mistake on a ballot, you can take it to a volunteer at the polling place and ask for another.
At the top of the ballot is your chance to choose the next president in a close contest between Democrat Hillary Clinton and Republican Donald Trump. Because Maine can split its Electoral College votes by congressional district, voters in northern Maine may play a big role in this year’s final tally. You should also help choose Maine’s congressional representatives as well as who will represent you in Augusta.
There are five referendum questions that shouldn’t have escaped your attention. Do you want to legalize recreational marijuana sales? Raise the state’s minimum wage? Want to give ranked-choice voting a try or broaden Maine’s firearms background check law? Another question asks about adding a tax surcharge on high earners to increase school funding.
There’s also a $100 million bond to improve Maine’s roads and bridges on the ballot.
Local referendum questions and city council and probate judge races are also on many ballots.
Don’t know who the candidates for Congress are? Don’t know whether you want to support the referendums? Visit the s ecretary of state’s website or check out the BDN’s election primer.
Certainly, there’s enough at stake to lift you from the torpor induced by endless campaign commercials and lengthy arguments over issues. The heated campaign for president couldn’t have escaped your notice. Don’t simply burden your friends with your opinion — make it official at your polling place. Haven’t decided which way to go on the bond issue or which city council candidate to favor? It’s not too late to work up an opinion.
Participation is crucial in this election. The Maine Senate could switch control from the Republicans to the Democrats with several contentious state Senate races. With a close contest for the 2nd Congressional District seat, the race could be decided by a small number of votes. Make sure yours is among them.
Many of your friends and neighbors likely already have had their say; the trend of more people voting absentee continues. Nearly 219,000 ballots had already been cast in Maine by late last week.
It may be confusing to first-time voters, but there are only two things to remember: Votes are counted carefully in Maine, so if you cast a ballot, it will matter. Second, voter fraud is virtually nonexistent, so the integrity of this election is secure.
Now, do your part and go vote.
