AUBURN — City officials are expecting a rush of absentee voting in the June 11 school budget referendum.

City Clerk Sue Clements-Dallaire said 21 absentee ballots had been issued for the referendum as of Thursday morning, but she has many more waiting.

“I really hope we have enough,” she said. “Our normal order for school referendums is 1,000 ballots, but I went ahead and ordered 2,000 this year.”

Last year’s referendum drew 700 voters.

Residents can request absentee ballots until June 6 and can submit them via mail or by dropping them off at the City Clerk’s office until the polls close June 11. Voters can stop by Auburn Hall to request a ballot, can download an absentee ballot application from the city’s website, www.auburnmaine.gov, or request one by calling the City Clerk’s office at 333-6601, extension 1121.

Clements-Dallaire said she’s planning extended hours to register voters and distribute absentee ballots. Her office in Auburn Hall will be open from 8 a.m. to noon Saturday, June 1. She plans to keep the office open until 6:30 p.m. on June 6, the last day to request absentee ballots.

The City Council adopted a school budget Monday. It sets spending for the fiscal year beginning July 1 at $38.4 million, a 6.9 percent increase over the current budget. Combined with a $762,511 increase in state funding to the schools, the budget would increase property taxes by $1.7 million. That’s an 11 percent increase, from $15.4 million to $17.1 million.

Voting is scheduled for 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday, June 11, at Auburn Hall, the only polling place for the school referendum.

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