The municipal and state of Maine elections are held annually on the Tuesday following the first Monday in November. This year Election Day is on Tuesday, Nov. 5. Voting will take place on Election Day at the Scarborough High School from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Early voting by absentee ballot was available in person at the Public Safety Building from Oct. 7 to 31. Any mailed absentee ballots can be dropped off at the Public Safety Building between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday to Thursday, up through Monday, Nov. 4. Completed absentee ballots can also be deposited in our secure drop box 24/7 at the Town Hall entrance until 8 p.m. on Election Day.

There are four ballots: two town ballots (one candidate, one referendum) and two state ballots (one candidate, one referendum). The state candidate ballot and the town referendum ballot are both double-sided, so check that you’ve voted on both sides before returning your ballots. View sample ballots on the Town Clerk webpage for a look at the candidates and referendum questions ahead of time.

On the ballot for the municipal election, candidates are running for two seats on Town Council (three-year term), one seat for a two-year Town Council term, two seats on the Sanitary District board (three-year term), and one seat on the Board of Education (two-year term). The Scarborough Community Chamber of Commerce sponsored a Candidates Night on Sept. 25 as a way to meet the candidates. A recording is available on the Scarborough Maine Public Meetings YouTube channel.

In addition to filling the elected position vacancies, there are three local referendum questions for voter approval. Question 1 asks for approval on the order authorizing up to $996,707 in bonds to fund the cost of body-worn and cruiser cameras for the Police Department. The equipment will be used by sworn officers to record certain interactions while on duty and would bring the department up to industry standards, as possessing camera footage has become an expectation, especially in the prosecution of criminal cases in court. Scarborough is one of only a few departments in southern Maine that does not possess either body-worn or in-car camera system options.

The second local referendum question asks for approval to authorize up to $1 million in bonds to fund the replacement of a fire pumper truck. It would replace the department’s oldest fire engine, a 20-year-old model that has accrued maintenance costs of over $90,000 in the past five years. This purchase is in line with the department’s longstanding apparatus replacement plan to make purchases in a way that is fiscally responsible and ensures the safety of the crew as they respond to emergencies.

The last question on the local ballot requests the authorization of up to $6 million in bonds to fund the purchase of land throughout town for future property purchases. This land bond was established in 2000 and has since supported purchases of properties like Pleasant Hill Preserve, Frith Farm, the Higgins Beach parking lot, and Alger Hall. It indicates that potential purchases are “to provide or maintain public access; to allow passive or active recreation; to conserve water quality, natural resources, or other natural areas; to provide easements for walking or biking trails; to preserve significant historic sites; to preserve sites which can be considered part of the character to the community; and to add to existing conservation and public areas.” The Parks and Conservation Land Board is responsible for evaluating all applications for projects to receive funding and bringing recommendations to the Town Council.

Check the elections page of our town website for referendum details, what’s on the state ballot, sample ballots and more. For further information, please contact the Scarborough Town Clerk’s Office at 730-4020.

Allison Carrier is the marketing and communications manager for the town of Scarborough.

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