Lebanon, Maine Public Records

Residents can register to vote online through the Maine Secretary of State's website at www.maine.gov/sos/cec/elec/voter-info/votereg.html, or by completing an application in person at the town office, at the Bureau of Motor Vehicles when obtaining or renewing a driver's license, or by mail. Maine allows same-day voter registration, meaning eligible citizens can register and vote on Election Day at their polling place. To register, applicants must be U.S. Citizens, at least 17 years old (though they cannot vote until age 18), and residents of the town. No documentary proof of residency is required, though voters must provide their name, address, date of birth, and affirm citizenship under penalty of perjury. The town operates as a town meeting municipality without a mayor or city council. Instead, Lebanon uses the traditional New England open town meeting form of government, where registered voters gather annually to vote on the budget, elect town officers, and decide local policy questions. The annual town meeting typically convenes in June each year. Town officers elected by residents include selectmen (typically three members serving staggered three-year terms), the town clerk, tax collector, and various board members. Warrant articles serve a similar function to municipal ballot measures in cities, allowing voters to directly decide spending and policy questions. Residents cast ballots at the Lebanon Community Building, located at 1002 Milton Mills Road, adjacent to the town office. The building is the single polling place for all state and federal elections. Voters can confirm their polling location and view sample ballots through the Maine Secretary of State's voter information lookup at www.maine.gov/portal/government/edemocracy/voter_lookup.php by entering their name and date of birth. Maine is a leader in public election records access. Voter registration lists, sometimes called the voter file or checklist, are public records available through the town clerk's office, though they cannot be used for commercial purposes. Campaign finance reports for candidates and political action committees are filed with the Maine Ethics Commission and are searchable online at www.maine.gov/ethics. Candidate filings for state and county offices are available through the Secretary of State's office. Election results by municipality and precinct are published by the Secretary of State at www.maine.gov/sos/cec/elec. The ballot will also include all four of Maine's state senators, representing multi-town districts with Lebanon in Senate District 33, and all 151 state representatives, with Lebanon in House District 141. One of Maine's two U.S. York County voters will also elect county officers including County Commissioner, Sheriff, Treasurer, Register of Deeds, and Register of Probate, all four-year terms. Town officers including selectmen may also appear on the June 2026 town meeting ballot depending on term expirations. Maine offers no-excuse absentee voting. Any registered voter may request an absentee ballot without providing a reason. Applications can be submitted online through the Secretary of State's website, by contacting the Lebanon Town Clerk's office, or by downloading and mailing a paper application. Absentee ballots are typically available 30 days before an election and must be received by the town clerk by 8:00 PM on Election Day to be counted. Maine also allows in-person absentee voting at the town office during the weeks leading up to Election Day.