CUMBERLAND COUNTY — Residents of Cumberland, Falmouth, Freeport, North Yarmouth and Yarmouth will take to the polls July 14, to decide on a handful of local and state questions, including school budget validation referendums.
Municipal and state officials have encouraged absentee voting given the coronavirus pandemic. Those who vote in person should expect longer wait times due to the 50-person gathering limit, 6-foot social distancing measures and extra sanitization practices, according to information posted at maine.gov. Election workers will wear face coverings or a face shield and be behind tabletop protective shields. Voters are highly encouraged to wear face coverings, although they will be allowed to vote without them.
The statewide referendum includes a $15 million bond issue to fund high-speed internet for areas that are underserved or not served at all, which would match up to $30 million in other funds. Another bond issue, for $105 million, would fund statewide highway and bridge improvements, as well as “facilities or equipment related to transit, freight and passenger railroads, aviation, ports, harbors, marine transportation and active transportation projects,” that would be matched with an estimated $275 million in other funds, according to the question.
Area ballots include the Democratic election primary for Maine’s second U.S. Senate District, with voting for Sara Gideon of Freeport, Bre Kidman of Saco and Elizabeth Sweet of Hallowell.
Cumberland-North Yarmouth
Voting in Cumberland will take place from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. at Greely High School and in North Yarmouth at the Wescustogo Hall & Community Center. Voters in both towns will decide on a $40.25 million School Administrative District 51 budget, and whether to transfer $375,000 from unallocated balances to SAD 51’s capital reserve fund to pay for renovations and minor capital costs.
In Cumberland, contested local elections include Carlton Albright and Thomas Gruber for an at-large Town Council seat, and Allison Foster, Jason Record and William Stiles for a Cumberland Center council seat. Both are three-year posts.
Contested elections in North Yarmouth include Alvin Ahlers, Austin Harrell and Brian Sites for two open three-year seats on the Select Board, and Steven Berry and Paul Hodgetts for a one-year seat.
With Town Meeting canceled this year, North Yarmouth residents will vote on a $3.39 million town budget at the polls.
Falmouth
Voting takes place at Falmouth High School from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Residents will vote on a $39.48 million school budget, and there are four candidates for three Town Council vacancies: Jennifer Libby (on the ballot), and write-ins Chris Hickey, Matthew Pines and Anne Rutherford.
Freeport
Polls are open at Freeport High School from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Residents will vote on a $34.88 million school budget for Regional School Unit 5, which includes Freeport, Durham and Pownal, along with a $209,000 RSU Adult Education program budget, a $3.02 million career and technical education budget, and a transfer of $200,000 from undesignated fund balances to the Region 10 Technical High School capital reserve fund.
Yarmouth
Five people are running for three open Town Council seats: incumbents Tim Shannon and April Humphrey, along with Tom Romano, former councilor Jim Macleod and Michelle Cromarty. Three are running for two School Committee seats: incumbent Sarah Day, along with Michael Wilbur and Allison Hodgkins.
Polls are open at Yarmouth High School from 6 a.m.-8 p.m.
House/Senate primaries
Contested state legislative primary elections, all Democrats, include Matthea Daughtry and Stanley Gerzofsky of Brunswick for Senate District 24 (Brunswick, Freeport, Harpswell, North Yarmouth and Pownal); Edward Crockett of Portland and Robert Mentzinger of Portland for House District 43 (North Deering, part of Falmouth); Heather Abbott, Arthur Bell and Peter Fromuth of Yarmouth for House District 47 (Yarmouth, Chebeague Island and Long Island); and Kathryn Biberstein and Melanie Sachs of Freeport for House District 48 (Freeport, part of Pownal).
Comments are not available on this story.
Send questions/comments to the editors.
