EDITORIAL: Go vote

Nov. 1—The BDN Editorial Board operates independently from the newsroom, and does not set policies or contribute to reporting or editing articles elsewhere in the newspaper or on bangordailynews.com.

Tuesday is election day in Maine. There's no better way to reinvigorate the democratic spirit in you than to cast a vote for a worthy candidate or against one who didn't impress. The same is true for referendum campaigns. So, make sure you head to the polls.

Voting is simple but important. If you are registered, you just need to show up at your local polling place on Tuesday. Don't know where it is? Visit maine.gov/portal/government/edemocracy/voter_lookup.php, type in your home address, and you'll find out. It wouldn't hurt to bring identification, though you shouldn't need it.

Not registered? Bring identification — a photo ID works but so does a piece of mail that proves you live where you say you live — and head to the polls. Maine is one of 21 states that allows you to register on Election Day.

Even if there is a problem with your registration, you still can vote under Maine's challenged ballot law, so there's no reason to leave a polling place without having your say. If you make a mistake on a ballot, you can take it to a volunteer at the polling place and ask for another.

The big draw this election is likely to be Question 1, a citizen initiative regarding the New England Clean Energy Connect, a transmission line corridor across western Maine that is being built to bring hydroelectric power from Quebec to Massachusetts.

A yes vote on Question 1 aims to stop the corridor. A no vote would allow the project to go forward, pending legal challenges.

Question 2 on the statewide ballot is what has become an annual transportation bond. This year, voters are asked for their approval of $100 million in borrowing, which will bring in $253 million in federal funds. Most of the money will go toward road and bridge projects.

Question 3 is a constitutional amendment. It would add a "right to food" to the Maine Constitution.

If you need more information about these questions, the Secretary of State's voter guide is a good place to start. Bangor Daily News reporters have also compiled a helpful guide to statewide and local elections and written explanatory stories about Questions 1 and 3.

In many communities, there are elections for local offices as well. Voting for town council, selectboard or school committee members is important in determining the policies and priorities of your community.

Last year, the pandemic changed voting habits for many people. Absentee voting was heavily used as many people sought to avoid in-person contact. Requests for absentee ballots have dropped to a more typical level this year. In 2020, with a contentious presidential race and a closely watched U.S. Senate race, more than 514,000 Mainers voted using absentee ballots, which include early voting. This was 62 percent of the votes cast. In 2019, a little more than 29,000 voters — about 15 percent of the total — voted by absentee ballot, according to the Secretary of State's Office.

So far this year, over 87,000 Maine voters had already turned in their ballots as of Monday morning.

Many of your friends and neighbors likely already have had their say. Make sure your voice is heard, too, by heading to the polls on Tuesday.