Voting

You can register to vote in Maine if you:

• Are a citizen of the United States;
• Are a resident of Maine and the county where you plan to register; and
• Are at least 16 years old at the time you register.

Your disability does not affect your right to vote.

You can register to vote online, by mail, or in-person at your Town/City Clerk’s Office. You can also register to vote at your polling place on election day.

Online Voter Registration:

• Visit the Secretary of State’s online registration portal to sign up.
• To register to vote online, you must know your driver’s license number, state ID number, OR the last four digits of your social security number.
• Online voter registration will close three weeks before every election and reopen the day after an election.
• Online voter registration is not automatic. Your application must be approved by your Town Clerk before you become a registered voter. To ask how long it will take for your voter registration application to be successfully processed, please ask your Town/City Clerk’s Office.

In-Person Voter Registration at Your Town/City Clerk’s Office:

• Locate your Town/City Clerk’s Office.
• Show your Maine driver’s license, Maine State ID OR provide your Social Security Number at the Town/City Clerk’s Office.
• If you prefer, you may instead use your birth certificate, signed social security card, student ID, utility bill, bank statement, or paycheck.
• Complete the voter registration card.

By Mail:

• You can contact your Town/City Clerk to have a voter registration card mailed to you. You can also print out a voter registration application and complete it at home.
• Provide copies of documents that verify your identity and prove you are a Maine resident. Accepted documents include: your driver’s license, State ID, birth certificate, signed social security card, student ID, utility bill, bank statement, or paycheck.
• Mail your application and identity verification documents to your Town/City Clerk.
• Note: If you choose to register by mail, you must register by the close of business 21 days before Election Day.

To learn more about how to register to vote, visit the Secretary of State’s website.

What Is Absentee Voting and How Does It Work?

• Absentee voting allows you to cast your ballot without going to your polling place on Election Day.
• Any registered voter can cast an absentee ballot.
• You do not need a reason to request an absentee ballot.
• Note: If voting absentee by mail, plan ahead to make sure your ballot is received in time to be counted. The Secretary of State’s Office recommends you request your ballot more than 14 days before an election and you place your completed ballot in the mail 7 days before the election.

How Do I Get an Absentee Ballot?

There are four ways to request an absentee ballot in Maine. If you are a person with a disability or will be 65 years or older by the next election, you are eligible for Ongoing Absentee Voter Status.

• Request a ballot online .
• Call your Town/City Clerk and ask them to mail a ballot to you.
• Go to your Town/City Clerk’s Office and pick up a ballot.
  • Visit the Listing of Municipal Clerks & Registrars to learn how to contact your city or town clerk.
• Apply for Ongoing Absentee Voter Status .

Ongoing Absentee Voter Status

As of February 1, 2024, if you have a disability or you will be 65 years or older by the next election, you can request “Ongoing Absentee Voter Status.”

• Once approved, an absentee ballot will automatically be mailed to you for each election.
• To enroll, you must first be a registered voter. Next, complete the form and send or hand deliver it to your Town/City Clerk’s Office.

Please note: If a voter with ongoing absentee ballot status moves out of a municipality, the voter’s ongoing status is also terminated. The voter must submit a new application to the voter’s new residence municipality.

Status as an “Ongoing Absentee Voter” will only be terminated by:

• The written request of the voter;
• The death or disqualification of the voter;
• The cancellation of the voter’s registration in the Central Voter Registration System;
• The return of an absentee ballot by the postal service as undeliverable; or
• The designation of the voter as “inactive” in the Central Voter Registration System.

When Can I Request an Absentee Ballot?

• You can request an absentee ballot starting three months before Election Day. Please note: absentee voting does not start until 30 days before each election.
• The deadline to request an absentee ballot is the Thursday before each election at 5:00pm.

What Is In-Person Absentee Voting?

• This is when you go to your Town/City Clerk’s office and complete your ballot in the office.
• In-person absentee voting begins 30 days before the election

What Is the Deadline for Returning My Absentee Ballot?

• Absentee ballots must be received by your Town/City Clerk by 8:00pm on Election Day.

Absentee ballots received after 8:00pm on Election Day will not be counted.

You have the right under federal law to vote privately and independently.

• You can request an electronic accessible absentee ballot.
• You can use the Accessible Voting System (AVS) at your polling place on election day.

What Is an Electronic Accessible Absentee Ballot?

• If you have a disability that prevents you from voting privately and independently, you can vote by electronic accessible absentee ballot.
• The electronic accessible absentee ballot is compatible with JAWS, NVDA, and VoiceOver.
• The ballot is requested and completed from an electronic device.
• You must be registered to vote before you request the ballot.
• The instructions on how to receive, complete, and submit your ballot will be emailed to you.
• You can request an electronic accessible absentee ballot online.

What Is Maine’s Accessible Voting System?

Maine uses ExpressVote as its Accessible Voting System (AVS). The ExpressVote:

• Is a ballot-marking device that allows individuals with disabilities to vote with privacy and independence;
• Allows you to choose between a touch screen and a keyboard with audio;
• Marks your selected choices and prints the completed ballot; and
• Is not connected to the internet. The machine does not store your choices.

Learn more about the accessibility features of ExpressVote!

Where Do I Go to Vote?

• On Election Day, you must go to your polling place to vote.
• Your polling place depends on where you live.
• If you do not know where your polling place is, call your Town/CityClerk’s Office or check online .

Do I Need to Bring Anything with Me When I Go Vote?

• If you are a registered voter, you do not need to bring anything with you to the polling place.
• If you are not registered to vote on Election Day, you must bring a form of identification with you that proves you are a Maine resident.
• If you do not bring identity verification documents, you can cast a provisional ballot. You may be asked to show documents after the election to make sure your vote counts.

How Do I Mark my Paper Ballot?

• You will be provided a pen to mark your ballot.
• Each ballot will explain how to mark your choices.
• If you make a mistake, you may fold your ballot, give it to an election official and ask for a new ballot.

How Do I Ask for Help?

• The people who work at the polling location are called “poll workers.”
• When you check in, ask the poll workers for help.
• You can ask for a poll worker to read the ballot to you. You can also ask for a poll worker to mark your choices on your ballot for you.
• Poll workers can only tell you the instructions on the ballot. They cannot explain the candidates or the ballot items to you.

• You have the right to vote if you are under a guardianship.
• Your guardian cannot force you to vote a certain way.
• Your guardian cannot vote for you.
• Your vote is your decision.
• If you are told that you cannot vote, or that you are not allowed to vote alone, or if you are pressured to vote a certain way, contact Disability Rights Maine at 800.452.1948.

Check out this video to learn more about guardianship and voting.

• If you know you will be in a facility on the day of an election, vote by absentee ballot. Request the ballot from the Town/City Clerk’s Office where you live.
• If you are unexpectedly in a facility within four days of an election, you can vote utilizing the “Special Circumstances Ballot.” To retrieve a Special Circumstances Ballot, call your Town/City Clerk .

Yes. If you don’t have a permanent address or are unhoused, you can still vote.

• If you don’t have documents proving your identity or residence, you can register to vote by providing the last four digits of your social security number.
  • If you don’t have any of these forms of documentation, please contact DRM’s Voting Access Advocate for assistance at 800.452.1948.
• For your address, document the location where you have been sleeping, whether that is a shelter or a specific area outside.

If you believe your voting rights were violated, contact DRM! You can call 800.452.1948 or complete our online intake form.

If you believe your right to vote independently and privately at your polling place was violated, you can file a complaint with the Secretary of State’s Office. The Voting Access Advocate from DRM can assist you with this process.