View town clerk's report regarding primary, referendum election set for June 8, 2010 (Word format)

A complicated set of primary and referendum ballots, and associated costs, has prompted some members of the Town Council to encourage voters to come to the polls on June 8, 2010, rather than to vote absentee.

In a report to the council at their April 12 meeting, Town Clerk Debra Lane outlined the challenges Town staff will be facing as they hold a primary election for governor; a state referendum election; an advisory municipal referendum on pay/display parking fees at Fort Williams Park; and, a school budget validation this spring.

"The logistics are very challenging and confusing, because you are actually going to be having four elections being held at the same time," Lane told members of the council.

Cape Elizabeth will have nine ballots to offer, she said. Six of them are for the gubernatorial primary, covering three political parties in two Legislative districts. The three remaining are separate ballots for the state referendum, local advisory referendum and school budget validation.

The need for separate ballots, and a separate voting list for the school budget vote, will make absentee voting especially complicated, Lane said. Absentee ballots will be available for the primary, state and local referendum election on May 10, as required by state law, but ballots for the school budget validation will not be ready until after the Town Council adopts the budget on May 25. This necessitates two different applications and separate mailings for those requesting absentee ballots.

After hearing Lane's presentation, two councilors said they would encourage voters to make it to the polls if they can. "That would minimize the extra work generated by the absentee voting system," said Councilor David Sherman. "Obviously people have the right to do that, there are good reasons why people do that, but if you can possibly vote at the high school that would be preferable," he said.

Anne Swift-Kayatta, council chair, said she echoed Sherman's recommendation. "Of course if they can't vote at the polls, they certainly have a right to absentee vote, but it would be really helpful, if at all possible, to vote at the High School on Election Day," she said.

Maine has had "no-reason" absentee voting since 2000. Voters may have absentee ballots sent to them, or they may vote absentee at the Town Hall. Either way will require the voter to fill out a separate application to vote on the school budget.

This year's school budget validation will include a question on whether Cape Elizabeth should continue with the validation process. The state law which established annual validation requires the question for continuance every third year.

Town staff is taking measures to serve voters on June 8. These include closing the town clerk's and tax office at Town Hall so that staff may assist at the polls at Cape Elizabeth High School. "In the past, there are many other communities that have done this for years," Lane said. "That's not unusual at all and we'd like to use this as an opportunity to do that as well," she said. Staff from the assessing, codes and planning departments may also be called on to help.

The Town is also looking into getting a third ballot box to help with the counting, Town Manager Michael McGovern said. "We will gear up as much as we can to serve everyone best on Election Day," he said.