Towns in the Oxford Hills School District were split on the two state referendum questions posed to voters during Tuesday, Nov. 4, elections.

A majority of Oxford (751-612) and West Paris (296-269) citizens voted to pass Question 1, which would have required voters to provide photo ID when casting ballots and curtailed absentee voting.

Hebron narrowly supported Question 1, 255-252.

But other towns in the region rejected the measure. In Otisfield, Question 1 was defeated 342-429. In Paris it was 723-746; in Waterford, 277-345; and in Harrison, the vote was 450-572. In Norway 1,179 of 1,864 voters voted no.

Question 2, the red flag law to restrict some people from possessing dangerous weapons, passed statewide.

The majority of Oxford voters (613-749) were against the measure, as were West Paris voters (275-291) and Hebron (241-266).

Question 2 passed in Harrison, 562-460; Otisfield, 420-350; Norway, 1,157-695; Paris, 895-746; and Waterford, 329-293.

One Norway resident who works in the mental health field explained they voted for the red flag law based on what they see on a daily basis.

“We don’t always see the same thing that families experience when someone is having issues,” the resident said. “They know more about them than we or law enforcement do. This law will empower families to take care of their loved ones and be involved (with helping them).”

On Tuesday afternoon, election officials in Harrison, Oxford, Norway and Paris told the Advertiser Democrat that in-person voting was busy throughout the day.

“It’s been steady since we opened,” Oxford Town Clerk Kathleen Dillingham said midafternoon. “We’ve had about 750 voters and more than 200 absentee ballots.”

In Paris, voter turnout at the Fire Department was so heavy that one poll worker had to retrieve more ballots from the Town Office.