FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, Sept. 8, 2016
Contact: Kristen Schulze Muszynski
office: 207-626-8404/cell: 207-441-7638

Absentee ballots for General Election available by request via online service

AUGUSTA ? The Online Absentee Ballot Request Service is available for the Nov. 8, 2016 General Election, Secretary of State Matthew Dunlap reminded voters today.

Any registered Maine voter may choose to vote absentee, either via mail or in person at their town hall prior to Election Day. Voters do not need to provide a reason to vote absentee.

Voters can request an absentee ballot by completing and submitting their request form online at http://www.maine.gov/cgi-bin/online/AbsenteeBallot/index.pl.  The form can also be printed out and mailed or hand-delivered to their municipal clerk.

The November 2016 ballot will include five citizens? initiative questions and one bond issue, in addition to candidates for the offices of U.S. President/Vice President, Maine's Representatives to Congress, members of the Maine Legislature and certain county positions. The full proposed legislation of the referendum questions, which are listed below, is available on the Elections Division website.

Question 1: An Act to Legalize Marijuana
Question 2: An Act To Establish The Fund to Advance Public Kindergarten to Grade 12 Education
Question 3: An Act To Require Background Checks for Gun Sales
Question 4: An Act To Raise the Minimum Wage
Question 5: An Act To Establish Ranked-choice Voting
Question 6: An Act To Authorize a General Fund Bond Issue to Improve Highways, Bridges and Multimodal Facilities

Voters must submit absentee ballot requests at least three days prior to the Nov. 8 General Election. Ballots will be made available to civilian voters beginning 30 days before the election. (Ballots for uniformed service and overseas voters will be available at least 45 days before the election.) The online service provides an email notification with a confirmation number. When the request is processed and accepted by the municipal clerk, the voter will be sent an additional notification and the ballot will arrive by mail. All Maine municipalities are required to accept electronic requests for absentee ballots.

If you have questions about the absentee voting process, visit http://www.maine.gov/sos/cec/elec/voter-info/index.html or call the Division of Elections at 624-7650.