Voter Information Page
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 Voting Information & Resources 


MAINE VOTER INFO             PORTLAND VOTER INFO 


We've gathered some information and links to help us all understand more about the voting process. There are two different sections of information: one for voting in Maine, and one that is specific to voting in Portland. While this is still a work in progress, so far we've gathered the following about:

Take a look!

And don't forget:
Election Day is Tuesday November 4, 2008

(Some files on this page are in PDF format & require the program Adobe Reader to open
- click HERE to download a free copy of Adobe Reader)


 Maine Voter Info 

 FIND YOUR HOUSE & SENATE DISTRICTS
Here are two ways you can look up your House & Senate districts.
(What's a district?)
(More about Portland districts here)
  1. www.vote-usa.org/Default.aspx -After you enter your street address, town/city, & state, you'll come up with what the site calls "sample ballot" - which will tell you your house & senate district, and the candidates running for these districts (doesn't show local candidates). This link appears to be especially helpful for those who live in an area with more than one house/senate district, because it looks up the info for your specific address.
(More about Portland districts here)
  1. www.maine.gov/local -After you type in your zipcode/town you'll come up with an info page for your town/city. Be sure to look ON THE RIGHT HAND COLUMN of this page, where you'll find:
    • Your town/city school department (linked to more info).
    • Your state senate district (info is linked to your currently elected state senator).
    • Your house district (also links to your currently elected state representative).
    • Your US congressional district (info is linked to your currently elected Congress member).
    • Address & contact info for your town office or city hall. 
    • Your town/city's website (if available)
(what's a district?)


 MAPS of MAINE's HOUSE & SENATE DISTRICTS
If you live in a town/city with multiple districts (for more about Portland districts, see below), here's how you can find your house & senate district out of all those listed for your town/city:

 FIND YOUR POLLING PLACE 
(What's a polling place?)
More on Portland polling places here
  1. Look up the polling places in your town/city:
    www.maine.gov/portal/government/edemocracy/lookup_polling_place.php
    After you type in your zipcode or town, you'll come up with a page that:
  • Tells you the location of your polling place. For areas with multiple polling places, see #2.
  • Shows the candidates who are currently running for election in your district this year, whose names will appear on your ballot when you vote in this year's election (more about looking up current candidates here) (doesn't show local candidates.
  • Tells you the location & contact info of your local city/town clerk.
  1. If you live in a city/town with more than one polling place, you'll need to find the one for your specific precinct:
  1. Or, you can also cast an absentee ballot instead of voting at your polling place. You can get an absentee ballot at your local town office or city hall, or you can have it mailed to you (check with your local town/city clerk on this). To learn about absentee ballots, click HERE.
( MAINE VOTER INFO )     ( TOP OF PAGE )     ( PORTLAND VOTER INFO )


FIND YOUR STATE CANDIDATES
Here are three ways you can look up state candidates:
  1. Look up the state candidates running in your district: www.vote-usa.org/Default.aspx
  2. Look up state candidates running in your town/city: www.maine.gov/local
  3. Look up the list of all of Maine's state candidates by visiting either:
    1. Vote-USA's Directory of Maine Offices & Candidates
    2. State of Maine General Election Candidate List (HTML) / (PDF version)
      Abbreviations used in above list:
      Candidates for US Senate= (US) / Candidates for Governor= (GV) / Candidates for US Congress, District 1= (CG1);  Dstrict 2= (CG2) / Candidates for state Senate in Augusta (SS) / Candidates for state House of Representatives in Augusta (SR)
       

( MAINE VOTER INFO )     ( TOP OF PAGE )     ( PORTLAND VOTER INFO )


 FIND YOUR CURRENT ELECTED OFFICIALS    -
  1. Find the elected officials currently representing your town/city:  www.maine.gov/portal/government/edemocracy/lookup_officials.php
    -shows the district each elected official represents & contact info. Also see #2 below.
  2. To find the elected officials currently representing your house/senate district: first, use this link www.vote-usa.org/Default.aspx to find your house & senate district. Then go back to the first link above & find the elected officials that match your district numbers. 
( MAINE VOTER INFO )     ( TOP OF PAGE )     ( PORTLAND VOTER INFO )


 FIND OUT IF YOU'RE REGISTERED TO VOTE
www.maine.gov/sos/cec/elec/votreg.htm

(For Portland see below)

If you're not sure whether or not you're registered to vote, or if you want to make sure your registration info is up to date (for example, if you've moved since you last voted), you should contact your local municipal (town/city) registrar or clerk.
  1. List of muncipal clerks, with location & contact info, sorted alphabetically by town/city.
  2. List of municipal registrarswith location & contact info, sorted alphabetically by town/city.
( MAINE VOTER INFO )     ( TOP OF PAGE )     ( PORTLAND VOTER INFO )


HOW TO REGISTER TO VOTE
In addition to the information listed below, here are some helpful links to the Maine state website:
Who can register to vote
Any U.S. citizen who is a Maine resident & is at least 17 years old can register to vote. 

How to register to vote
    1. You register to vote in the town/city where you live. This is the same town/city you where you'll be voting on Election Day. You can register in person, or by mail
    2. You'll fill out a voter registration card (see how to get a card below). Below is a copy of Maine's Voter Registration card, front & back. Click on each image to enlarge it.
       
        Voter Registration Card: front        Voter Registration Card: back
      Voter Registration Card - MAINE (front)  Voter Registration Card - MAINE (back)
      Click on the links below to see what a sample voter registration card looks like:
 Where to register:
In Maine you can register to vote in many places, including:
    • On Election Day you can register to vote at your polling place ;
    • At your local town office or city hall - usually in the municipal clerk's office. To find out where to contact your municipal clerk or registrar:
    • At any local branch of the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV).
    • At most of your local social service agencies, such as DHHS or Social Security office, etc.
    • At any voter registration drive.
    • By mail: see below.
 Registering to vote by mail 
    1. Where to get a voter registration card:
      • contact your city/town clerk or the Secretary of State's Division of Elections - who will mail youa card to your home address.
      • pick one up at most state & federal social service agencies such as DHHS
      • pick one up at a voter registration drive
      • pick one up at your local library (most libraries have them)
    1. You'll also need a copy of proof of residency - something that shows your current legal name and address, such as a state ID or driver's license, utility bill, check book, etc. 
    2. Mail your voter registration card & a copy of your proof of residency, either to:
When to register
IT'S NEVER TO LATE TO REGISTER TO VOTE IN MAINE!!!
You can even register at your polling place on Election Day (remember to bring proof of residency). However, if you plan to mail in your voter registration card (or have someone else bring it in for you), it needs to be mailed (or delivered on your behalf) to your local town office or city hall, or to the Secretary of State's Office, by Oct 17, 2006 (21 days before Election Day). 
If you have any questions, or need a voter registration card or anything else related to voting, don't hesitate to contact Maine's Office of the Secretary of State, Division of Elections:

 Division of Elections
101 State House Station
Augusta, ME 04333-0101
(207)624-7650
cec.elections(at)maine.gov
www.maine.gov/sos/cec/elec/


 MAINE VOTING RIGHTS
www.maine.gov/sos/cec/elec/right.htm  
Information about your voting rights in Maine. For example, did you know:
  • In Maine there is no deadline for in-person voter registration, including on Election Day. You can even register at your polling place on Election Day (remember to bring proof of residency). However, if you plan to mail in your voter registration card (or have someone else bring it in for you), it needs to be mailed (or delivered on your behalf) to your local town office or city hall, or to the Secretary of State's Office, by Oct 17, 2006 (21 days before Election Day). 
  • In Maine, while you need to be at least 18 years old to vote in the general election, you can register to vote at age 17. You can even vote that year's primary election at age 17, so long as you will be 18 on or after Election Day that year

 Portland Voter Info 

Here fellow Portland residents can find their election districts & polling places, look up their voter registration status, see a sample ballot, contact the city clerk, look at district maps, find out
who their city councilors are, see a list of local candidates, and more.


 City of Portland General Info 
 Portland City Hall  389 Congress Street
Portland, Maine 04101
City's website www.portlandmaine.gov


 FIND YOUR ELECTION DISTRICT
To find which district you live in (Portland only), see: www.portlandmaine.gov/voter/distlook.asp.
Type in your street address & you'll find out the following info:
  • "District" - This is your municipal district (for City Council, School Committee, etc). 
    • Note that on the city's web page this is only labeled "District." 
    • Note also that another name for municipal district is "ward." 
  • "Precinct" - This is your municipal precinct (this # corresponds to your polling place) 
  • "Polling Place" - This is your polling place location where you will go to vote. See below for the exact address of your polling place.
  • "House" - This is your house district (for Maine  State House of Representatives) 
  • "Senate" - This is your senate district (for Maine State Senate)
  • If you have any questions, contact the Portland City Clerk: 874-8677 cityclerk(at)portlandmaine.gov;

 FIND YOUR POLLING PLACE IN PORTLAND
For the exact address of polling places in Portland and/or to see a map of your Municipal (city-wide) district, go to: www.portlandmaine.gov/voter/pollplace.asp
  • Note: in left-hand column, polling locations are identifed by two numbers separated with a hyphen (for example, the first one listed is 1-1). The first number is your municipal district & the second one is your precinct. Click on this hyphenated number for a MAP.
  • If you have any questions, contact the Portland City Clerk: 874-8677 cityclerk(at)portlandmaine.gov
The list below is based on the list found on the City of Portland's website: www.portlandmaine.gov/voter/pollplace.asp

Precinct
Map
 Polling Place
Location & Map 
 Polling Place Address 
1-1 East End Elementary School 195 North Street
1-2 Merrill Auditorium Rehearsal Hall 20 Myrtle Street
1-3 Peaks Island Community Hall Peaks Island
1-4 Cliff Island Community Hall Cliff Island
1-5 Diamond Edge Restaurant Great Diamond Island
2-1 Reiche Elementary School 166 Brackett Street
2-2 Harbor Terrace 284 Danforth Street
2-3 Exposition Building 239 Park Avenue
3-1 Barron Center 1145 Brighton Avenue
3-2 Temple Beth El 400 Deering Avenue
3-3 St. Patrick's Church 1342 Congress Street
4-1 St. Pius Church 492 Ocean Avenue
4-2 First Baptist Church 360 Canco Road
4-3 Presumpscot School 69 Presumpscot Street
5-1 Central Square Baptist Church 466 Stevens Avenue
5-2 Riverton Community Center 1600 Forest Avenue
5-3 Unitarian Universalist Church 524 Allen Avenue


 CHECK YOUR VOTER REGISTRATION STATUS IN PORTLAND
If you're registered to vote in Portland, go to: www.portlandmaine.gov/voter/voterlook.asp, type in your name, & hit enter.Click on your name & it will take you to a page that shows you all sorts of helpful info about where you go to vote, a muncipal district map, a polling place map, etc. It's very handy!

 SAMPLE BALLOTS FOR PORTLAND
See what's on the ballot for the upcoming election, including all the candidates running for local positions such as city council, school board, etc: www.portlandmaine.gov/voter/sampleballot.pdf 
  • Note: this document includes different ballots for different districts - scroll down to find the one for your district.

 CONTACT PORTLAND'S CITY CLERK

Portland City Clerk
Current city clerk: Linda Cohen
Office: 389 Congress Street, Room 203,
Portland, Maine 04101
Hours: 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday
Phone: 874-8610, 874-8677
Email: cityclerk(at)portlandmaine.gov
City Clerk's Webpage: www.portlandmaine.gov/voter/cityclerk.asp

  • For general info about voting in Portland, Maine: click HERE.
  • To see the website for the city of Portland, Maine: click HERE.


 PORTLAND MAINE DISTRICT MAPS

These maps show muncipal districts & precincts, Senate districts, & House districts.
Also, when you enlarge the maps, they show the location of each polling place (where you go to cast your vote on Election Day). Your polling place is determined by your precinct.
For more about how to read these maps, see below.

              District 1                 District 2                 District 3                  District 4            District 5
   Portland District 1  Portland District 2  Portland District 3  Portland District 4  Portland District 5 
  Clicking on each map above will give you an enlarge-able image.


 Understanding Portland's District Maps 

Municipal Districts


Precincts



Polling Places


Portland has five muncipal districts (1,2,3,4,5) - they are shown on the map in black.

Each municipal district is divided into precincts. Most districts have three precincts, except District 1, which has five precincts. The city of Portland has a total of 17 precincts.

There is one polling place for each district (17 total polling places). Polling places are marked on the map with a small target-shaped circle.

Note: on the map (and elsewhere) your specific municipal district & precinct are combined into one hyphenated number, for example: 2-3. The1st # is the municipal district & the 2nd # is the precinct. For example,  "Municipal district 2, precinct 3" becomes "2-3". 
Senate Districts Portland has two Senate districts (8, 9). Senate districts are shown on the map in blue.
House Districts Portland has eight House districts (113, 114, 115, 116, 117, 118, 119, 120). House districts are shown on the map in red.
To zoom in on each map
Clicking on each map brings you to a page with just the map on it: click on the map again & you'll be able to zoom in. Then, once you're done with the enlarged map, click the "Back" button on your browser window to return to this page.


( MAINE VOTER INFO )     ( TOP OF PAGE )     ( PORTLAND VOTER INFO )


 PORTLAND CITY COUNCIL INFO
City of Portland's website: www.portlandmaine.gov

Portland City Council (2008)
 
District Seat up for re-election
in 2008?
Current Councilor Phone &
Email
Address Standing
Committees
District 1
Elected: 2006
Term expires: 2009
No
 
k donoghue
Kevin J. Donoghue

409-2807
kjdonoghue@
portlandmaine.gov
44 North Street, Apt# 1
Portland, Me 04101
CHAIR:
Transportation


Housing

Public Safety
District 2
Elected: 2006
Term expires: 2009
No
d marshall
David A. Marshall

409-6617
damarshall@
portlandmaine.gov
41 Pine
Street, Apt #1
Portland, Me 04102
CHAIR:
Public Safety


Energy & Environmental
Sustainability


Finance

Legislative
District 3
Elected: 2007
Term expires: 2010
 No
d skolnik
Dan S. Skolnik

831-7343
dskolnik@
portlandmaine.gov 
12 Motley St. 
Portland, Me 04102
CHAIR:
Health & Recreation

Legislative

Transportation
District 4
Elected: 2005
Term expires: 2008
 YES
c leeman
Cheryl A. Leeman
773-4161
cl@
portlandmaine.gov
37 Savoy Street
Portland, Me 04103
CHAIR:
Community
Development


Appointments &
Non-Union Personnel


Transportation
District 5
Elected: 2005
Term expires: 2008

YES
j cohen
James I. Cohen
797-9638
W: 253-4708
jcohen@
portlandmaine.gov

62 Deepwood Drive
Portland, Me 04103
CHAIR:
Finance


Energy & Environmental
Sustainability


Health & Recreation
At Large
Elected: 2007
Term expires: 2010
No
j duson
Jill C.
Duson

 878-0769
jduson@
portlandmaine.gov

101 Pennell Avenue
Portland, Me 04103

CHAIR:
Housing


Appointments &
Non-Union Personnel


Public Safety
At Large
Elected: 2007
Term expires: 2010
No

j anton
John M. Anton
650-8979
janton@
portlandmaine.gov


63 Spruce St
Portland, Me 04102
CHAIR:
Appointments &
Non-Union Personnel


Community
Development 


Finance
At Large
Elected: 2006
Term expires: 2009
No
n mavodones

Nicholas Mavodones, Jr.
774-5136
nmm@
portlandmaine.gov
79 Chenery Street
Portland, Me 04103
CHAIR:
Legislative

Health & Recreation
 
Housing
At Large
Elected: 2005
Term expires: 2008
YES

e suslovic
Edward J. Suslovic
653-4629
Mayor'sOffice 874-8941
esuslovic@
portlandmaine.gov
46 Kenwood St
Portland, Me 04102
MAYOR

Library Trustee


CHAIR:
Energy & Environmental
Sustainability



 

Portland City Council is made up of 9 councilors who are each elected to serve a 3-year term.
Each of the City’s five municipal districts elects one Council member, and
there are four at-large members who are elected by the voters of the entire city.

The 3 Portland City Council Seats up for re-election this year (2008) are:
- District 4 seat: currently held by: Councilor Cheryl A. Leeman
- District 5 seat: currently held by: Councilor James I. Cohen
- At Large seat: currently held by: Councilor Edward J. Suslovic


Portland City Council Meetings
www.portlandmaine.gov/citycou.htm
"Portland residents are cordially invited to attend & address the Council on matters of concern, in accordance with the Council Rules."
--from Portland City Council's webpage
 
Date FIRST & THIRD Mondays
of each month 
Time 7:00 p.m.
Location City Council Chambers
on the 2nd floor of
Portland City Hall
Meeting
Calendar
Portland City Council Meeting Calendar
About
Meetings
www.portlandmaine.gov/councilpacket.htm
City Council
webpage
www.portlandmaine.gov/citycou.htm

City Council Meeting Agendas
www.portlandmaine.gov/agenda.htm
Agendas are posted on the council's webpage before meetings. They are sometimes updated, so it's a good idea to check back periodically. 
Posted on the council's webpage: www.portlandmaine.gov/agenda.htm
Hard copies of the agenda are available
When: on the Friday before the next council meeting
Where:
City Manager's Office
Room 208, Portland City Hall
(ph: 874-8685)

 2008 Standing Committees
Portland City Council
For more info, see: www.portlandmaine.gov/citycou2.htm
Committee Members
Council Mayor Edward J. Suslovic
Appointments &
Non-Union Personnel
John Anton, Chair
Jill C. Duson
Cheryl A. Leeman
Community Development Cheryl A. Leeman, Chair
John Anton
James I. Cohen
Energy & Environmental Sustainability Edward Suslovic
James I. Cohen
David A. Marshall
Finance James I. Cohen, Chair
John Anton
David A. Marshall
Health & Recreation Dan Skolnik, Chair
James I. Cohen
Nick Mavodones
Housing Jill C. Duson, Chair
Kevin J. Donoghue
Nick Mavodones
Legislative Nick Mavodones, Chair
David A. Marshall
Dan Skolnik
Library Trustee Edward Suslovic
Public Safety Committee David A. Marshall, Chair
Kevin J. Donoghue
Jill C. Duson
Transportation Committee Kevin J. Donoghue, Chair
Cheryl A. Leeman
Dan Skolnik
Volunteer Boards & Committees
Positions filled by members of the public,
some committees also have councilor members
List of current boards & committees www.portlandmaine.gov/meetings.htm
List of current vacancies www.portlandmaine.gov/board.htm





( MAINE VOTER INFO )     ( TOP OF PAGE )     ( PORTLAND VOTER INFO )


 PORTLAND
2008 LOCAL CANDIDATES


2008 Candidates for
Portland City Council
(Three Year Term)
 District 4 District 5  At Large 
Cheryl A. Leeman
James I. Cohen Edward J. Suslovic
? ? ?
? ? ?

2008 Candidates for
Portland School Committee
(Three Year Term)
 District    District    At Large 
? ? ?
? ? ?
? ? ?


2008 Candidates for
Portland Water District Trustee
(Five Year Term)
?


( MAINE VOTER INFO )     ( TOP OF PAGE )     ( PORTLAND VOTER INFO )


MISCELLANEOUS INFO

 POLLING PLACES 
Polling places are where you go to vote on Election Day (and for primary elections & any special elections). Your polling place is determined by where you live.
Many towns & all cities have more than one polling place location. In this case, the town/city is divided into precincts. Each precinct has its own particular polling place location.

( MAINE VOTER INFO )     ( TOP OF PAGE )     ( PORTLAND VOTER INFO )


 DISTRICTS
The communities we live in are broken up into various districts.
This is so we can elect people from our communities to represent us at the local, state, and national levels of government. At first all the different districts can seem very confusing, but don't be discouraged! Each district relates to a different level of government, such as:

  • Municipal districts:  for the town/city level. Cities & towns are divided into municipal districts so that the citizens from each district can elect people from their community to represent them in their local town or city government. The municipal district you live in determines who you will  elect to represent you at your city/town council, school committee, etc. 
    • Note: Muncipal districts are also called "wards" or "city districts."
       
  • Senate districts: for the state senate level. The senate district you live in determines who you can elect to represent you in the Maine State Senate in Augusta. 

  • House districts: for state house level. The house district you live in determines who you can elect to represent you in the Maine State House of Representatives in Augusta.
     
  • Congressional districts: for the national congressional level. The congressional district you live in determines who you can elect to represent you in the United States House of Representatives in Washington D.C. 
( MAINE VOTER INFO )     ( TOP OF PAGE )     ( PORTLAND VOTER INFO )


PROOF OF RESIDENCY
When you register to vote you should bring some form of identification with you that shows proof of where you live. This is called proof of residency: something that shows both your current legal name and address (the address of where you actually live, not a p.o. box).

Here are some examples: