The Maine Primary Election for several state and local offices is now on Tuesday, July 14, 2020. This election—originally scheduled for June 9, but delayed due to the COVID-19 crisis—is about choosing nominees for U.S. Senate and U.S. House seats, as well as seats in the Maine state legislature and local offices. If you don’t vote, you are leaving it up to others to make these choices for you.
Tuesday is also the day that Maine voters will decide whether or not to expand high-speed internet within our rural state. The Island Institute has been championing the broadband issue for years, and Tuesday is our opportunity to Vote Yes on 1 for Better Internet.
Better internet means better jobs, better access to telehealth, better remote learning, and a better sense of community and connectedness for isolated areas. While there is little opposition to the idea that Maine needs better internet connectivity for education, business, and health care, we cannot assume that a bond question will pass. Your vote will make a difference in improving internet access for the more rural parts of our state, where jobs, education, and health care now depend on broadband. Over 100 organizations, businesses, groups, and communities are joining together to express their support for the bond!
VOTING IS EASY!
VOTING IS EASY!If you haven’t registered to vote yet, you can do so at your local polling place leading up to and even on Election Day. Polls are open from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. on Tuesday, July 14th and welcome new registrations prior to voting. Remember to bring a proof of identification and a proof of address. Once you’re registered, Maine doesn’t require any documentation from you in order to cast your ballot.
Additionally, there are options for when and where to vote:
Vote at a polling place on Election Day, Tuesday, July 14th. If you are voting in person, be prepared and be safe. While mail-in voting is by far the safest option, there are still many people who need to vote in person for one reason or another. If you need to vote in person, make sure you’re prepared. Check the location of your polling place, and see if early voting is an option, because crowding and lines are less likely in the days before Election Day. And of course, please wear a mask and practice social distancing when you do actually go to the polls to vote.
Vote by returning your absentee ballot to your town office before 8:00 p.m. on Tuesday, July 14th (if you have not mailed it yet). We applaud the efforts of many voters who’ve requested an absentee ballot. Please be sure to return it on time so that your vote counts. Many towns now have secure drop boxes to return absentee ballots which saves you postage and keeps everyone safe, so ask your municipal clerk for details about dropping off your ballot.
Please vote. And please Vote Yes on 1 for Better Internet, like so many others will on Tuesday.
To learn more about voting in Maine, for Tuesday or for November, visit https://www.voteinmaine.com/.
