Gorham voters will receive three ballots when they go to the polls on November 6, or when they vote absentee at the municipal center before Election Day.
On the local ballot are candidates for Town Council, School Committee and one referendum question. Running for the two three-year terms on the Town Council are Claude “Fred” Daigle III, Lee Pratt and Virginia Wilder-Cross. Two candidates, Anne Schools and Darryl Wright, are running for two positions on the School Committee. As in all races, there are spaces on the ballot to write-in candidates, but only votes for declared write-in candidates are counted.
Voters will also be asked to approve the Gorham School District joining the Greater Sebago Educational Alliance Regional Service Center (SEARSC), which will “more effectively provide goods and services” by accessing state funds for some joint programing and purchasing.
There are two state ballots: one for state and federal positions and the other for state referendum questions. One side of the candidate ballot has races for U.S. Senator and
Congressional District 1 Representative. These will be determined by ranked-choice voting. Voters will have an opportunity to rank first, second, and third choices if they desire.
On the reverse side of this ballot are candidates for governor, state senator, state representative, and Cumberland County positions. Voters will not use ranked-choice voting for these positions. For example, voters will mark only one choice for governor.
Gorham residents living in all wards will chose between Linda Sanborn and Amy Volk for state senator. Ward 1-1 and Ward 1-2 voters will chose between Roger Densmore III and Andrew McLean for state representative. Maureen Terry is running unopposed for state representative in Ward 2.
There is a separate ballot for state referendum questions. Question 1 asks, “Do you want to create the Universal Home Care Program to provide home-based assistance to people with disabilities and senior citizens, regardless of income, funded by a new 3.8% tax on individuals and families with Maine wage and adjusted gross income above the amount subject to Social Security taxes, which is $128,400 in 2018?”
According to pages 15-16 of the Maine Citizens Guide to the Referendum Election which is available on the Maine Secretary of State website, this applies to adjusted gross income exceeding $128,400 reported on tax returns not only for individuals but also on joint returns. This is why the question references “individuals and families.”
Questions 2, 3, 4 and 5 on the state referendum ballot ask voters to approve bond issues. Question 2 aims to invest $30 million to improve wastewater treatment facilities and other needed infrastructure. Some funds would go to help homeowners with aging septic or sewer systems.
Question 3 asks for approval of a $106 million transportation bond that would be used to match federal funds for roads and bridges, and for upgrading “municipal culverts at stream crossings.” Question 4 is an educational bond of $49 million that would be matched by at least the same amount from public and private funds to be used to modernize and improve university campus facilities.
Question 5 asks voters to approve a $15 million bond for Maine’s community college system. If passed, Southern Maine Community College (SMCC) would receive $4.2 million to make repairs, improve energy efficiency, and upgrade its information technology system.
Gorham residents can register to vote at the Municipal Center during regular business hours and at their designated polling place on November 6 by showing an ID with a Gorham address. Voters may request absentee ballots at the Municipal Center until 7 p.m. on November 1. Absentee ballots must be received by 8 p.m. on Election Day.
On November 6, residents living in Ward 1-1 vote at the Gorham Middle School; Ward 1-2 residents vote at Little Falls Activity Center; and Ward 2 residents vote at the Municipal Center. Ward boundaries can be found on the Town of Gorham website. The polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. For any voting or ballot questions, contact the Town Clerk’s Office at 222-1670.