About the same number of Gorham voters went to the polls this November as did in the last mid-term election, but many more voted absentee than had in 2018. A total of 9,350 residents voted this year as compared to 8,853 in 2018. However, 3,973 voted absentee, either mailing their ballots, voting at the Municipal Building, or putting them in the drop-box.

According to Town Clerk Laurie Nordfors, 60.3% of Gorham’s registered voters cast ballots. “We sent out about 1,000 more requested absentee ballots this year,” she said, “and only 133 were not returned.” Nordfors thanked the workers who spent long hours processing those ballots at the Municipal Building, as well as Public Works, the election workers at three polling places, and Gorham House of Pizza who donated dinner for the workers.

There were no incidents or major disruptions at the polls. Even though the number of voters this year was about the same as in 2018, lines to cast ballots were often longer. Each voter had to put two ballots in the local machine and one in the machine for state ballots. “Our lines resembled Disney on its busiest day,” said Marty Towle, warden for Ward 2. “Men at the ballot boxes mostly stood the whole day, but there were very few complaints about the hour wait to cast ballots,” she added. Ward 1-2 voters at the Great Falls Elementary School did not have to wait that long, but the twisting line to cast votes in the crowded room often looked like a conga line without the music.