Voter Primer for the 2020 Primary Election
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
VOTER PRIMERfor the 2020 Primary Election Voting by absentee ballot Any registered voter may cast a primary election ballot by July 14 as an absentee ballot. Absentee ballots are available at town offices, or by mail, requested atmaine. gov/cgi-bin/online/AbsenteeBallot/index.pl. No application is required if voting by absentee ballot in person, and no specific reason is needed to cast an absentee ballot. The deadline for requesting an absentee ballot is July 9, unless special circumstances exist. (See maine.gov/sos/ cec/elec/voter-info/absenteeguide.html.) A person other than the voter or his or her immediate family may pick up an absentee ballot if the voter submits a written request for that specific person to do so and hand-deliver it to the voter. If a ballot is cast this way, it must be witnessed by a notary public, a municipal clerk, a clerk of courts, or two other witnesses. To be counted, completed absentee ballots must be received by the municipal clerk of the town the voter Poll locations COVID-19 precautions resides in by 8 p.m. on Election Day, July 14. Polls are open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. in all towns Citizens voting in person in the July 14 state pri- Registering to vote except in Isle au Haut, where polls open an hour later, mary will cast their ballot under social distancing, Haven’t registered to vote yet? Don’t worry. Citizens at 9 a.m. crowd limits of 50 people, plastic tabletop shields, can register on any day, including Election Day, in ♦ Blue Hill: Blue Hill Consolidated and sanitized pens, vote tabulation machines and the town they reside in, if they are at least 18 years old School gym, 60 High St. tables. by the day of the election and a United States citizen. ♦ Brooklin: Town Office, 23 Bay Rd. The Office of the Secretary of State has issued When registering in person, you must show proof of ♦ Brooksville: Public service those safety measures during voting to protect identity and residency. building, 1 Townhouse Rd. against the spread of COVID-19, with the state sup- ♦ Castine: Emerson Hall, 67 Court St. plying face coverings and gloves for election work- ♦ Deer Isle: Town Hall, 70 Church St. ers, shields and sanitizers. 2020 Primary ♦ Isle au Haut: Revere Memorial Hall. Voters are “strongly urged” to wear face coverings ♦ Penobscot: Fire station, N. Penobscot Rd. but no one will be turned away without one, accord- Election Archive ♦ Sedgwick: Town House, 574 N. Sedgwick Rd. ing to information posted by the Bureau of Corpora- Visit our 2020 Primary Election Archive at penobscot- ♦ Stonington: Town Hall, 32 Main St. tions, Elections & Commissions, at maine.gov/sos/cec/ baypress.com/news/archives/2020/primary-election-2020-ar- ♦ Surry: Fire House, 741 N. Bend Rd. elec/upcoming/covid19.html. chive/ for all of our coverage of the state primary and town elections. REFERENDUM QUESTIONS Questions 1 and 2 seek broadband, transportation bonds Voters will weigh in on two bond issues on initiatives. If both bonds are approved by voters Would open state to $305 million the 2020 July 14 primary ballot, one seeking and issued for the full statutory period, the total in federal funds $15,000,000 to improve internet service and the interest and principal that may reasonably be other a $105,000,000 transportation bond. Gov- expected to be paid is estimated at $153,000,000 BY ANNE BERLEANT ernor Janet Mills had announced a supplemental representing $120,000,000 in principal and budget in February that included bonds for both $33,000,000 in interest. Bond Bond 1 Issue 2 Issue An Act to Authorize a General Fund Bond An Act to Authorize a General Issue for Infrastructure to Improve Fund Bond Issue for Infrastructure Internet Connections to Improve Transportation “Do you favor a $15,000,000 bond issue to invest in high-speed internet “Do you favor a $105,000,000 bond issue for infrastructure for unserved and underserved areas, to be used to improvement of highways and bridges statewide match up to $30,000,000 in federal, private, local or other funds?” and for multimodal facilities or equipment related to While a similar bond did not receive the two-thirds majority vote needed in the state transit, freight and passenger railroads, aviation, legislature to appear on the 2019 General Election ballot, voters will decide the question ports, harbors, marine transportation and active July 14. If approved, the funds would be disbursed to Connect ME Authority, created to transportation projects, to be used to match an expand broadband access in those areas that traditional internet providers decline to serve because of low, rural populations, through grants, direct investments, or loans estimated $275,000,000 in federal and other funds?” made on behalf of, in partnership with, or in support of, one or more communications service providers. ConnectME defines unserved areas as places where broadband service Maine Department of Transportation has built those funds is not offered and underserved areas as places where less than 20 percent of households into its 2020 work plan, banking on voter approval. Voters have have access to broadband service. Local citizen organization Peninsula Utility For Broad- approved transportation bond referendums since 2015. Currently, band (peninsulautility4broadband.org), representing Blue Hill, Brooklin, Brooksville, Castine, the state holds $543,500,000 in Highway Fund bonds ($9,820,000) Deer Isle, Penobscot, Sedgwick and Stonington, supports a “Yes” vote and states: “Ques- and General Fund bonds ($533,580,000) that, with interest tion 1 gives voters a chance to take action NOW to strengthen the economy, create jobs ($98,067,103), totals $641,467,103. and build access to high speed internet, particularly in rural Maine.” VOTER PRIMER DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATES United States Senate Maine Senate District 8 Maine House District 133 (Includes: Castine, Penobscot and 19 other towns in (Includes: Blue Hill, Brooklin, Brooksville, Castine, Sara Gideon, Freeport Hancock and Penobscot counties.) Sedgwick and Surry.) Political: 2020 U.S. Senate candidate; 2012-present, state representative, House District 48. Trudy Scee, Brewer Sarah Pebworth, Blue Hill Professional: 2014-16, assistant majority leader; Political: 2020 candidate for state Senate District 8. Political: 2018-present, state representative, House 2016-present, speaker of the House; vice-chairman Professional: Author of 17 books, mostly on Maine- District 133. Freeport Town Council; former intern, U.S. Senator based histories; part-time education employment, Professional: Former innkeeper. Claiborne Pell; advertising account executive, USA primarily Bangor public schools. Education: MA, education, University of Massachu- Today. Education: PhD, History, University of Maine; BA, setts-Amherst. Education: BA, International Affairs, George Wash- MA, American History, University of Montana. Personal: 2011, participant Leadership Hancock ington University Personal: One child. County member; 2012-present, board member, Blue Personal: Member, Freeport Community Services Hill Public Library; member, former board member, Board, Freeport Economic Development Corporation; Beverly Uhlenhake, Brewer Blue Hill Peninsula Chamber of Commerce; steering married, three children. Political: 2018 candidate, state Senate District 8; committee chairman, Blue Hill Word festival. 2015-2016, Mayor, City of Brewer; 2014-2015, Deputy Bre Kidman, Saco Mayor, City of Brewer; 2013-present, member, City Political: 2020 U.S. Senate candidate; 2015, Ameri- Council, Brewer; 2009-2013, Planning Board, City of Corps JD Fellow, Equal Justice Works. Brewer, 2012-2013 vice-chairman; 2013-2015, Compre- Maine House District 134 Professional: 2016-present, associate attorney, Law hensive Planning Committee, Brewer. (Includes: Deer Isle, Stonington, Isle au Haut, six Office Robert J. Ruffner; 2015, Andrew S. Cray Law Professional: 2004-present, broker, Epstein Com- other towns in Hancock County and two other towns Fellow National Center for Transgender Equality. mercial Real Estate; 2003-2004, Director of Devel- in Knox County.) Education: JD, University of Maine School of Law; opment, OHI; 2000-2004, adjunct faculty, University BA, Loyola University. of Maine; past development coordinator, Bangor Julie Eaton, Deer Isle Personal: Member, RAD Remedy Board, 2015-pres- Humane Society. Political: 2020 candidate for state representative, ent. Education: Professional Studies in Education House District 134; 2014-present, chairman, Maine (Administration), Iowa State University-Ames; BA in Lobstering Union Legislative Committee Elizabeth (Betsy) Sweet, Hallowell German, minor Women’s Studies, Ohio State Universi- Professional: Commercial lobsterman, former com- Political: 2020 U.S. Senate candidate; 2018 guberna- ty-Columbus; MS. mercial scallop diver. torial candidate. Personal: 2002-2007, Board of Directors, American Education: Studied aeronautical science/airport Professional: 1994-present, founder and principal, Red Cross, Eastern Maine Chapter; 2001-present, management, Westminster College, Utah. Moose Ridge Associates; 1990, Tom Andrews congres- member Rotary Club of Bangor, president 2017-2018, Personal: Member, Stonington Rockbound Rebek- sional campaign co-manager. board of directors 2003-2009, 2015-present; Bangor/ kahs; charter member Maine Lobstering Union; mar- Education: MA, Spiritual Psychology, University of Brewer Citizen Advisory Panel, 2010; Equality Maine ried, 21 grandchildren. Santa Monica, attended Colgate University. Pioneer Award, 2016; Emerge Maine Advisory Board, Personal: