LEWISTON, Maine (NEWS CENTER) -- Election Day may be two weeks away, but City Clerks across Maine are already busy with ballots.

Thousands of voters are choosing to go absentee -- whether it's through the mail, or in-person.

In Portland, 7,472 absentee ballots have been issued. In Bangor, there have been 3,186 and in Lewiston, the count is up to 3,188.

Lewiston City Clerk Kathy Montejo said 2,420 absentee ballots have been issued in the last 12 days.

She said those numbers are on par with a typical Presidential Election year, but the city is seeing growth in the in-person absentee voting option.

In-person absentee voting allows people to fill out absentee ballots at the city or town clerk's office before Election Day.

Their ballots are held with the rest of the absentee ballots and counted on Election Day.

In Lewiston, this process is not new, but the set-up is.

It's the first Presidential Election Year the city has assembled an early voting polling place.

There are 13 booths and four hired workers at Lewiston City Hall to accomodate early voters.

They will be open for Saturday hours on Oct. 27 from 8 a.m. until noon, and evening hours on Thursday, Nov. 1 until 7 p.m.

Montejo said there has been between 50 and 75 in-person absentee voters each day since last Thursday, and more people come each day that's closer to Election Day.

She said for many voters, in-person absentee voting is more convenient and time efficient.

The downside, she said, is not having the option of changing your vote before the election.

Some voters said they are tired of hearing negative political ads, and just want the election to be over with.

 

NEWS CENTER