1. AT THE POLLS: Polling places open between 6 a.m. and 10 a.m. on Election Day, depending on the population of the town. All voting places close at 8 p.m.
2. SENATE RACE: Independent former Gov. Angus King had a comfortable lead in pre-election polls despite negative attacks against him that began in late July. Also battling for retiring Republican Sen. Olympia Snowe’s soon-to-be-empty seat are Republican Secretary of State Charlie Summers, Democratic state Sen. Cynthia Dill and two other independents, tea party activist Andrew Ian Dodge and retired civil servant Danny Dalton. Another independent, businessman Steve Woods, dropped out, but his name remains on the ballot.
3. GAY MARRIAGE: Three years after residents rejected a gay-marriage law passed by the Legislature, they are considering the issue again thanks to a successful petition drive by gay-marriage supporters. Measures to legalize gay marriage also are on the ballots in Maryland and Washington, and all three states stand to make history if they approve their ballot questions. No state has approved same-sex marriage by popular vote.
4. SPLIT DECISION: Maine is considered a safe win for Democratic President Barack Obama, but supporters of Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney hope to claim one of the state’s four electoral votes if they can eke out a win in the 2nd Congressional District. Maine law allows a split decision by dividing electoral votes by congressional district. The winner of the statewide vote gets two of the state’s four electoral votes, and one goes to the winner of each congressional district.
5. BOND: Four borrowing proposals adding up to nearly $76 million will appear on the ballot: $11.3 million for universities and colleges; $5 million to buy land and conservation easements; $51.5 million for transportation-related projects; and $7.9 million for public drinking water systems and for wastewater treatment facilities.
Send questions/comments to the editors.
