FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 7, 2010
Contact: Matthew Dunlap
207-626-8400

Secretary of State Matthew Dunlap Urges Mainers:
"Participate in our democracy by voting"

AUGUSTA, Maine — Secretary of State Matthew Dunlap is urging Mainers to make their voices heard by casting a ballot in tomorrow's Primary and Special Referendum Election.  “There is a lot at stake, and I strongly encourage Maine citizens to participate in our democracy by voting in this important election,” said Secretary Dunlap.

Tomorrow, primary voters will pick their party's gubernatorial nominees and legislative candidates, as well as nominees for a variety of county offices.  In addition, all voters, including those not enrolled in a party, will be able to vote in the Referendum Election to decide the outcome of a People's Veto question and four bond questions.

"We do everything we can in our State to maximize participation in the electoral process, and there is no reason for a person not to vote," Dunlap explained.  "In fact, the election is already well underway, with more than 21,000 Mainers having already cast an absentee ballot.” Dunlap added, "Even if you haven't registered yet, you can still take part, thanks to Election Day voter registration."

It is not necessary to be enrolled in one of Maine's three officially recognized parties in order to vote on the referendum questions; and those who are not enrolled in a party can still choose to enroll in a party and participate in the Primary Election.

Secretary Dunlap also reminds voters that every Maine polling location is equipped with an Accessible Voting System (AVS), designed to facilitate private and independent voting by those with a variety of disabilities.  For more information and an opportunity to practice using the AVS, voters system visit this link

To make sure voters can easily find out where to vote and what candidates will appear on their ballots, the Secretary of State has made available:

• Maine's Voter Information Lookup, where voters can locate their polling place and learn who will appear on the primary ballots in their districts, is available online at http://www.maine.gov/portal/government/edemocracy/lookup_voter_info.
  
• Maine Citizen's Guide to the Referendum, where voters can find detailed information about the questions that will appear on Referendum Election b allot, is available online at upcoming elections.

Secretary Dunlap will be visiting various polling locations throughout the state on Election Day, thanking both the municipal officials conducting the Election and the Maine residents who are making the time to participate in the process.