LIVERMORE — For Town Clerk Renda Guild, months of planning prior to the Nov. 3 election were followed up by additional responsibilities once the last vote was cast.

Elections in prior years had been held at the Livermore Town Office/Fire Station complex but had to be moved to the Spruce Mountain Primary School this year because of the coronavirus pandemic. More elections were also needed this year because of COVID-19 restrictions on social gatherings and mistakes on the Regional School Unit 73 budget warrant articles.

“On Election day so many people reached out to help,” Guild said in an email Nov. 6. “An election is like a fine oiled machine, everyone doing their part to make sure it runs safe and on track.”

There were three people outside helping with parking and maintaining the required six-foot distancing. The booths were sanitized after each and every voter, she said. Others made sure the voting machine was working at it’s best, sanitized pens and doors, ensured voters had masks or directed lines, Guild noted.

Once the polls closed, the voting machine was checked to make sure all ballots were removed, counted and locked, and tallies run, Guild said.

“It’s only then the picture starts to come into play,” she added.

Upon returning to the Town Office, the warden’s returns are tabulated, the tally from the machine is checked, and numbers take place.

“After everything on that end is computed we then have to report to our reporters, our candidates and our own Secretary of State office so there is faxing, calling and online results being done,” Guild said. “Again, this could not be done without the wonderful poll workers, residents, Secretary of State all by our side and the RSU 73 District for allowing us to vote in the gymnasium.”

“We had lines out the door. For about an hour we had a pretty steady line. People have been awesome,” Deputy Clerk Jean Tardif said Tuesday.

Livermore was supposed to have had two voting machines for the election, but something happened and only one was available.

There were 89 new registrations on election day and 1,403 ballots cast. 759 were absentee and 644 in person, Guild said in her email.

Election results

President

Biden 573

De La Fuente 3

Hawkins 10

Trump 783

US Senate

Collins 502

Gideon 450

Linn 23

Savage 33

Note: There were 395 blank ballots in the US Senate race, Guild confirmed.

US Congress

Crafts 701

Golden 688

Maine Senate District 18

Keim 951

Perkins 384

Maine House District 74

Lyman 459

Riley 289

Maine House District 75

Morris 343

Nutting 283

Note: Livermore is divided, with part in District 74 and the rest in District 75.

Also helping on election day in Livermore were Aaron Miller, Tom Gould, Pam Manter, Bette Lamay, Scott Jackson, Jim Manter, Rich Ciarcia, Dave Lachappelle, Brad Buzzell, Susan Sylvester, Louise Castonguay, Gertrude Richards, Terry Pinkham and Alan Castonguay.

“The workers are the heartbeat of this whole thing,” Guild said. “People don’t know the time we put into these elections. This is the first election I’ve been at ease at all day.”

“Thank you to the employees and volunteers that created a safe environment for voting. I appreciate all of you!” Kobi Perry posted Wednesday morning on the Town of Livermore Facebook page.

“I am the lucky one. I am the one you will always see in motion but it’s the teamwork that makes it happen,” Guild said. “So glad the election is done, and so glad we all get to be a big part of it!”

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