National Voter Registration Day: Home

Maine will hold a Referendum Election on November 2nd, 2021.

Per the Maine Bureau of Corporations, Elections, and Commissions:

Referendum Elections are held to provide Maine's citizens an opportunity to vote on People's Veto Referenda, Direct Initiatives of Legislation (i.e. Citizen Initiatives), Bond Issues, other referenda proposed by the Legislature, and Constitutional Amendments.  Referendum elections are an important part of the heritage of public participation in Maine.

The following 3 questions will appear on the ballot:

Question 1 – Citizen Initiative
Do you want to ban the construction of high-impact electric transmission lines in the Upper Kennebec Region and to require the Legislature to approve all other such projects anywhere in Maine, both retroactively to 2020, and to require the Legislature, retroactively to 2014, to approve by a two-thirds vote such projects using public land?

Question 2 – Bond Issue
Do you favor a $100,000,000 bond issue to build or improve roads, bridges, railroads, airports, transit facilities and ports and make other transportation investments, to be used to leverage an estimated $253,000,000 in federal and other funds?

Question 3 – Constitutional Amendment
Do you favor amending the Constitution of Maine to declare that all individuals have a natural, inherent and unalienable right to grow, raise, harvest, produce and consume the food of their own choosing for their own nourishment, sustenance, bodily health and well-being?

You can learn more about the legislation related to each referendum question on the State of Maine website and at Maine 2021 Ballotpedia.org

It's important to research the issues yourself before going the the polls. Below are a few helpful nonpartisan links to help you get started.

Office of the Secretary of State
Division of Elections
101 State House Station
Augusta, ME 04333-0101
(207) 624-7650
CEC.Elections@maine.gov

Voting is one of the best ways to participate in our democracy and make sure your voice is heard. There are a few steps you will need to take in order to become a registered voter.

You can register to vote if:

• You are a U.S. citizen

• You will be over the age of 18 by November 2, 2021

Maine offers same-day voter registration. If you wish to register to vote on Election Day, bring a valid form of ID to and look for the registration table at your polling location.
Fillable Sample of Voter Registration Card
Instructions for filing out Maine Voter Registration Application

You might also choose to register before Election Day at your municipal clerk's office.
Find my municipal clerk's office

If you are a student living away from home, you can register at either your college residence hall address or your family's home address. If you are registering in a different state, make sure to check your state's requirements for registering.

Maine Voting Resident Fact Sheet

Already registered? It's always worth double-checking using this quick, free tool at Vote.org:
Check My Registration Status

Still have questions? Ask us at usmlib-voter-registration-group@maine.edu

Once you are registered to vote, you can cast your ballot either in-person or absentee. You may use any of the following methods to vote, but you may only vote once.
 

IN-PERSON VOTING

You may choose instead to vote in person. If you are registering to vote in-person on election day, you may cast your ballot right after registering.
 

Early Voting

Maine generally opens an early voting period in October. Check back for early voting dates for the 2021 Referendum Election. You may go to your Municipal Clerk's office if you wish to vote early in person.
 

Voting on Election Day

If you plan to cast your ballot at the polls on November 2nd 2021, make sure you know where you're supposed to go and come prepared with everything you need. Find your election day polling location using the Maine Voter Information Lookup Service.

What to bring:

• Government ID and piece of utility mail showing your name and address (if this is your first time voting)

• Face mask, hand sanitizer, and other PPE you might need to be safe during the pandemic
   

Still have questions? Ask us at usmlib-voter-registration-group@maine.edu

ABSENTEE VOTING

Maine allows for absentee voting, which is a method of voting that does not require you to physically go to the polls on election day.  You only need to request your absentee ballot once, and should place your requests at least 2 weeks in advance before Election Day. Registered voters may request a ballot using the online form below:

Maine Absentee Ballot request form
Instructions for requesting an Accessible Absentee Ballot
 

Returning your ballot

You can return your absentee ballot by mail. USPS recommends mailing your absentee ballot no later that one week before the election. More information about election mail can be found at the USPS site.

If you prefer to drop your absentee ballot off in person, you may do so by bringing it directly to your town clerk's office and placing it in the provided ballot box. The last day to drop your ballot off in person is Election Day, November 2nd, 2021.

Maine absentee voting FAQ
Track my absentee ballot request
Instructions for Uniformed Service and Overseas Voters
Early Voting Guidelines for all 50 States