Maine
How do I vote in Maine’s presidential primary on Super Tuesday, March 5, by absentee ballot?
AUGUSTA – Maine voters who want an absentee ballot before the presidential primary on March 5 can request one from the state’s election board until February 29. Ballots must be received no later than 8:00 p.m. on Election Day.
Although towns and villages may process absentee ballots before Election Day, the ballots are not counted until the polls are closed, so all ballots are tallied at the same time.
Read on for everything you need to know about absentee voting in Maine
Who qualifies for an absentee ballot?
Any registered Maine voter may cast an absentee ballot instead of voting in person. You don’t need a specific reason to receive an absentee ballot.
How do I request an absentee ballot?
There are several ways for a registered voter to request an absentee ballot in Maine.
You can request your ballot electronically using Maine’s Secretary of State’s online absentee ballot request service.
You can also contact the municipal clerk in the town or city where you are registered to request an absentee ballot. If making a telephone request for your ballot, it will be mailed to the address you provide to the clerk.
Voters may also make a written request by completing an absentee ballot application. You can obtain a ballot for an immediate family member in this way, as well.
If you are a uniformed service or overseas voter, you must request an absentee ballot directly from the Secretary of State, Division of Elections. You can choose whether your ballot will be sent to you by mail or received electronically.
How do I fill out and return my absentee ballot?
Once you receive your absentee ballot, you may fill it out by marking the oval next to your choice. Instructions are printed on each ballot.
You must return the ballot to the municipal clerk by mail or in person. Many towns and cities also provide the option of returning an absentee ballot to a secured drop box.
If you are a uniformed service or overseas voter, you must deliver the ballot to the Secretary of State, Division of Elections.
What are the deadlines?
Absentee ballot applications are available until the third business day before the election. or 5 p.m. on the Thursday before the election: Feb. 29.
To be counted, absentee ballots must be received by the municipal clerk by 8 p.m. on Election Day. You may vote absentee in person or return your ballot at the clerk’s office as soon as absentee ballots are available, at least 30 days before the election.
Suppose you plan to receive or return your absentee ballot by mail? In that case, the U.S. Postal Service advises that you request your ballot no later than 15 days before Election Day and to return it no later than seven days before Election Day.
More: Super Tuesday When is Super Tuesday? Here’s what to know about the day that could shape the 2024 election
What if I have a disability?
For voters with disabilities who prefer to vote absentee, Maine offers an accessible electronic ballot that can be completed at home using screenreader technology. It is intended for voters with print disabilities that prevent them from independently marking a paper ballot.
You can request an accessible ballot online here. To complete the application, you must self-certify that you have a disability that prevents you from completing a paper ballot independently. Once processed, the Elections Division will send you an email where you can access your ballot. More information on the steps needed to complete your absentee-accessible ballot is available here.
New this year is the option for voters to apply for ongoing absentee voter status if they are at least 65 by the next election or self-identify as having a disability. Qualifying voters will automatically receive an absentee ballot for each election where the voter is eligible to vote rather than needing to submit a request for each election. This application is available here and must be returned completed to their municipal clerk.
Can I change my mind and vote in person?
Yes, you can vote in person even if you requested an absentee ballot in Maine.
Once you vote by absentee ballot, your municipal clerk will mark your name in the voter system as having already voted absentee. Therefore, you will not be eligible to receive a ballot if you show up to vote in person after already voting via absentee ballot.
However, if you requested an absentee ballot but did not return it, your name will not be marked, and you will be allowed to vote in person.
Can I track my absentee ballot?
You can track the progress of your absentee ballot here.
This system will show the date that the municipal clerk accepted your absentee ballot, the date your clerk mailed your ballot to you, and the date your ballot is received. The tracker is not updated instantaneously. This tracking system will show you the status of your ballot regardless of how you requested it.
You can contact your municipal clerk directly if you have questions or concerns about tracking your ballot.
Where can I find more information?
Information, frequently asked questions, and contacts can be found here on Maine’s Secretary of State website.
Maine
A winter storm will hit Maine through Monday
A winter storm will move through Maine from Sunday into Monday, according to the National Weather Service in Caribou.
Precipitation, expected to begin early Sunday, will start as snow before changing to rain from south to north during the day.
The storm is expected to bring mostly snow north of Katahdin, with 10 or more inches in some areas, with less south of the mountain.
Coastal, central, and southern Maine is expected to get anywhere between a dusting to a few inches.
In eastern Aroostook County, snowfall totals will depend on whether temperatures rise enough for a rain–snow mix.
Rain may switch back to light snow Sunday night before tapering off on Monday.
The weather service advised Mainers to plan for slippery roads and sidewalks, especially in northern parts of the state.
Maine
Maine men’s hockey pulls away to beat Vermont
ORONO — Eleven games into the season, the University of Maine men’s hockey team has been inconsistent. But when the Black Bears put it together, they can be dominant and extremely fun to watch.
That was the case Friday night at Alfond Arena when Maine took the lead early, then broke it open with four goals in the second period on the way to a 7-0 win over Vermont.
The game showed both sides of the Black Bears. In the first period, they let the Catamounts (3-6, 1-4 in Hockey East) control and dictate play. In the second and third periods, Maine (7-3-1, 4-1) showed how good it can be when everything clicks.
“It wasn’t a 7-0 game. I thought they outworked us and outplayed us for most of the first (period). Obviously, the power play came through and got us going a little bit,” Maine coach Ben Barr said. “We couldn’t be bothered to forecheck in the first period. It was too much work.”
Maine’s special teams played better after struggling throughout much of the first 10 games. The Black Bears were 2 for 5 on the power play, with goals from Josh Nadeau and Owen Fowler. Just as important, Maine killed two Vermont power plays. The Black Bears ranked near the bottom of Hockey East in penalty killing at just over 76% entering Friday’s games, having allowed a league-high 11 power-play goals.
Vermont’s offense is as potent as a placebo. The Catamounts entered Friday’s games as one of the lowest scoring teams in the nation, averaging just 1.4 goals per game. Vermont had three goals on 23 power-play opportunities, a league-low 13% success rate. So maybe the Catamounts aren’t the best barometer to judge if Maine cleaned up problems on the penalty kill.
The Catamounts also rank last in penalty killing in Hockey East, at a rate of just under 72%. That said, the Black Bears worked harder on the power play, and it showed.
“When the power play’s struggling, the tendency is to get frustrated. Then you take a shot, and it doesn’t go in, you watch it and it gets iced and you’ve got to go chase it,” Barr said. “We had second and third opportunities on the power play tonight, on one zone entry, because guys were retrieving pucks and working.”
For freshman Miquel Marques, the hard work paid off with a goal and three assists. A scratch last month in a game against Colgate, the third-round pick by Nashville in the 2024 NHL Draft knew he had to adjust to the college game.
“Obviously, you don’t want to be a scratch or sitting … That kind of sucks. Sitting down with (Barr) and seeing what he wants from me, and everything is just working,” he said. “I’ve got to get back to my game, and I’ve kind of done that so far. Just getting my body in front of guys. That’s what he wanted, and it’s working well.”
Vermont got off nine shots in the first 10 minutes, but just 19 the rest of the game. Maine goalie Albin Boija was sharp early, giving the Black Bears time to regroup and take control. In earning his second shutout of the season, Boija said he felt better than he has in recent games.
“I just found the right head space in general. I felt better. It’s just been finding the right perspective on life in general, and then letting it come. I’m in a good spot now,” Boija said. “They came out firing. That was nice, because that’s been the difference, right? At the start, a lot of games had a couple quick goals. I thought I was ready, essentially, and I played that way, too.”
Nadeau had two goals and an assist, while freshman defenseman Jeremy Langlois, had a goal and two assists. Sully Scholle, whose goal started things for Maine at 6:29 of the first period, added an assist as well.
Maine
Service, not ideology, is why I’m running for the Maine House | Opinion
Corey Bouchard is a Democratic candidate for the Maine House of Representatives in District 88.
As an Army veteran, I was taught that effective leadership is defined not by how loudly you speak, but by the tangible results you achieve. Our community in Maine House District 88 deserves a representative who is focused on solutions, fiscal discipline and the hard work of lowering costs for working families — not advancing an extreme, divisive ideology.
That is why I am running for the Maine House, and why the current direction under my opponent, Rep. Quentin Chapman, must change.
We face serious challenges in Maine: a crippling workforce shortage, high energy costs and a community struggling with the opioid crisis. These problems demand sober, strategic action. Unfortunately, Rep. Chapman’s record demonstrates a troubling priority: consistently putting his personal ideological agenda ahead of pragmatic solutions.
Rep. Chapman has shown where his focus lies through his votes and the legislation he chooses to sponsor.
While working families desperately need relief, Rep. Chapman has spent his time supporting measures that divide our community and waste legislative energy. For example, in a vote that demonstrates a fundamental neglect for the safety of our most vulnerable, Rep. Chapman voted against the bill that increased punishment for doxxing a child. This type of action signals a clear failure to prioritize basic public safety.
Even more concerning is his dedication to advancing radical social positions. He actively sponsored LD 1230, “An Act to Abolish the 72-hour Waiting Period for a Gun Purchase,” demonstrating a commitment to eroding common-sense safety measures that are proven to reduce impulse violence and suicide. This divisive posturing does not make our streets safer or our economy stronger. It simply serves to alienate segments of our community and distract the Legislature from its core mission.
His record further underscores this ideological commitment. This is not the voice of service; it is the voice of exclusion. We need a representative committed to the constitutional principle that the rule of law applies equally to all Mainers, without exception.
My approach is rooted in discipline and facts, not chaos and rhetoric. I am running because I believe in a Maine where governance is about common sense and accountability. My policy agenda focuses on core principles that will benefit everyone in District 88:
- Workforce investment: I support universal voluntary pre-K for 3- and 4-year-olds as the smartest long-term economic investment to address our workforce crisis.
- Small business support: We need a Small Business Apprenticeship Tax Credit to reward local companies for closing the skills gap and creating jobs.
- Honoring veterans: We must cut bureaucratic red tape by implementing MOC reciprocity to ensure veterans and their spouses can work in Maine immediately upon moving here.
- Affordable energy: We must reduce heating bills through long-term infrastructure. I will expand weatherization tax rebates for low- and middle-income families, providing relief that pays for itself.
- Health care transparency: We need a competitive marketplace. I will fight for pharmacy benefit manager reform and a Prescription Drug Price Transparency Act to stop secretive price-gouging by middlemen.
- Smarter public safety: We must fund Mobile Crisis Response Teams (MCRTs) to free up our police officers to focus on violent crime, reducing unnecessary emergency room visits and incarceration costs.
- Taxpayer protection: I support the Government Contract Transparency Act to ensure public money is not subsidizing corporate negligence or low wages.
- Political accountability: I advocate for State House leadership term limits to prevent entrenchment and ensure a continuous influx of new ideas and better representation.
- Equality under the law: I will fight for a state constitutional amendment to explicitly secure non-discrimination protections for all Mainers because equality is a founding constitutional principle.
My campaign is a mission for common sense. We cannot afford another term of a representative who prioritizes national political theater over the pressing needs of our neighbors. The stakes are too high.
I urge the voters of District 88 to choose service and solutions over ideology and division. Send a representative to Augusta — like me — who will put the dignity of every Mainer and the health of our economy first.
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