Officials say casino question may be fueling boost
The ease of obtaining absentee ballots makes it
an attractive
way to vote.
OXFORD HILLS – Town voting officials said the casino referendum question is driving the increase in absentee ballots this year.
Paris Town Clerk and Registrar of Voters Betty Larson said there had been 149 turned in to her office as of noon Friday, which she said is high for a non-election year.
“It’s more than usual because of the casino issue and Question 1, but I think it’s mainly the casino,” Larson said. “I think Tuesday will be as busy as when we have an election with candidates.”
Chip Gavin, spokesman for the Department of the Secretary of State, said that historically turnout in referendum elections is driven by which issues are on the ballot.
He said since 1971 a turnout of a little more than 40 percent has indicated a strong voting year.
Gavin said this year his department has distributed a little more than 700,000 ballots.
There are 983,000 people of voting age in Maine.
Norway Registrar of Voters Shirley Boyce said the 137 ballots her town had received are more than usual in an non-election year.
She said the ease of obtaining absentee ballots makes it an attractive way to vote for Mainers heading south for the winter, and those who plan to be hunting on Tuesday.
Gavin said there was a change in the 1990s that switched Maine to an “any reason” absentee voting law.
“Prior to that, Maine had a slightly different law listing a number of reasons a voter could have for casting an absentee ballot,” Gavin said.
Judy Colburn, town clerk in Harrison, compared the 77 absentee ballots her town had received by the end of last week to the five ballots that were turned in last June and the 120 she gets for presidential elections.
“I expect that by Tuesday we will have 100,” Colburn said.
Ellen Morrison, Oxford town clerk and registrar of voters there, said her town has received 99 absentee ballots so far. She said about 30 were turned in for the June election.
“From the way people were reacting, it seems they voted because of the casino issue,” Morrison said. “They have been coming in here both pro and con.”
Greenwood Town Manager Carol Whitman said the number of absentee ballots in her town has doubled from the June election count.
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