SANFORD — Election Day has dawned in America, and while all eyes will be on the presidential race, there are many more races on tap — including a slew of local ones.

In the Journal Tribune circulation area there are four Maine Senate races and many, many Maine House races. There are five state referendum questions, asking voters to approve everything from recreational use of marijuana to ranked choice voting. There are county government races to be decided, in some locales like Sanford, city council races, and local referendums, like the one in Biddeford that asks voters to cast ballots on charter questions.

On Monday, municipal clerks were preparing for a long Tuesday — one that in some cases will stretch into Wednesday.

In Sanford, City Clerk Sue Cote, Ward 3 Warden Carolyn Sweeney and a crew of helpers were setting up portable voting booths at Curtis Lake Church on Westview Drive. They’d already set up at Ward 2, St. Ignatius gym on Riverside Avenue, and were to repeat the process early this morning at Ward 1, Nasson Community Center in Springvale, before the opening of the polls at 8 a.m.

“I love being involved in the process and learning new things,” said Ward 3 Deputy Warden Robin Nielsen as she assembled a portable voting booth.

Sweeney has been an election warden for more than 25 years. She said she enjoys working with her crew and enjoys meeting the people who come in to vote.

And besides, she said, “It keeps the brain active.”

— Senior Staff Writer Tammy Wells can be contacted at 324-4444 (local call in Sanford) or 282-1535, ext. 327 or [email protected].