Voting season is quickly approaching; on Nov. 2 the polls will open for elections on a number of state and local issues. College students who are currently residents in the state of Maine are eligible to vote in state elections and are encouraged to do so.
UMaine/Orono Voting Registration
Students are eligible to register to vote the same day they are heading to the polls. In order to register to vote, students may visit the Center for Student Involvement between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Students also have the option to register at the Orono Town Hall on Main Street and only need to provide an ID and proof of residency to register. Residency can be proved using one of the following: a lease, a piece of mail, a utility bill or a student’s MaineStreet account with their Maine address. Students may also use their UMaine ID card as proof of identity.
Absentee Ballot Requests
The town of Orono also has absentee ballot request options available. The deadline for requesting an absentee ballot has passed, however those students who have requested them before Oct. 28 may submit their absentee ballot to the town office on Main Street before 8 p.m. on election day. UMaine UVote’s website reminds students that the absentee ballots may not be submitted through the Center for Student Involvement or through Residence Halls.
Essential Voter Registration Requirements
Eligibility requirements in the state of Maine include having U.S. citizenship, being 18 years of age by the time of election day and having an established and maintained residence in the municipality you intend to vote in.
Local Voting Locations
On Election Day, UMaine will be hosting a location to vote at the New Balance Field House between 7 a.m. and 8 p.m. Old Town residents will be able to vote at the Elks Lodge at 37 Fourth Street in Old Town. For information on where to vote if you reside outside of Orono or Old Town, students may visit the Maine.gov voting information lookup service.
Ballot Content Resources
It is also important that students research the issues currently up for vote this season. The UMaine Fogler Library is providing a comprehensive database of candidates, issues and questions that will appear on the ballots on Nov. 2. This service also provides data from past election years, as well as resources for further information on voter registration.
