Auburn and Lewiston have consolidated voting places for the Tuesday election.

City clerks in Lewiston and Auburn are hoping some changes to the polling places today will help trim the election budget without cutting into voter turnout.

Each city has consolidated its polling places for Tuesday’s special election. All voters in Lewiston should go to the Multi-Purpose Center at 145 Birch St. All Auburn voters should go to the Auburn City Building at 45 Spring St. to cast their ballots.

The polls are scheduled to be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Lewiston voters normally vote in 15 different polling places spread around the city’s seven wards. Auburn voters traditionally cast ballots in a different place for each of the city’s five wards.

The Legislature agreed in May to let cities and towns consolidate polling places to save money.

In today’s election, voters are being asked to approve a bond issue that seeks to raise $60 million for economic development around Maine. The bond is part of Gov. John Baldacci’s economic stimulus package.

If voters approve, $20 million of the bond would create a biomedical research fund and $17 million would fund other research and development initiatives.

Another $8 million would be earmarked for affordable housing, with $6 million going to a municipal investment trust fund.

A total of $4 million would go toward marine research, $3 million toward agriculture and $2 million for applied technology development centers in South Portland, Fairfield, Rumford and Greenville.

staylor@sunjournal.com

Copy the Story Link