West Poland, Maine Public Records

Maine residents can register to vote online at www.maine.gov/sos/cec/elec/voter-info/voterguide.html through the Maine Online Voter Registration system. Registration is also available in person at the town office, by mail, or on Election Day at the polling place. The deadline to register by mail or online is 21 days before an election, while in-person registration at the town clerk's office is available until close of business on the business day before Election Day. The state does not require voters to register by party and has semi-closed primaries where unenrolled voters may choose which party primary to vote in. Acceptable forms of identification for registration include Maine driver's license or state ID, current utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck, or other government document showing name and address. The Town of Poland holds annual town meetings, typically in May or June, where residents vote on the municipal budget, local ordinances, and elected town positions. Poland operates under a town meeting form of government with a Board of Selectmen and does not have a mayor. Residents elect selectmen, school board members, and other local officials. Information about upcoming town meetings, warrant articles, and candidates is posted at the Town Office and on the town website. West Poland voters cast ballots at the Poland Community School gymnasium, located at 138 Tripp Road, Poland, ME 04274, which is the town's polling place for all precincts. Voters can confirm their polling location and registration status at www.maine.gov/portal/government/edemocracy/voter_lookup. Polls are open from 7:00 AM to 8:00 PM on Election Day. Maine's public election records include voter registration lists (available for purchase for political purposes), campaign finance reports filed with the Maine Ethics Commission (searchable at www.maine.gov/ethics), candidate filings and nomination papers, and precinct-level election results. The Maine Secretary of State publishes official election results at www.maine.gov/sos/cec/elec. Maine does not have a U.S.Current federal, state, and local election schedules, ballot contests, candidate filings, and certified results for West voters are published by the Maine Secretary of State Bureau of Corporations, Elections and Commissions (https://www.maine.gov/sos/cec/elec/). County positions that may be up for election include County Commissioner seats, Register of Deeds, and Sheriff, depending on the election cycle. Local races may include town selectmen and school board members if scheduled concurrently with state elections. Voters should check with the Poland Town Clerk and the Secretary of State website for a complete list of candidates and ballot questions as the election approaches. Maine offers absentee voting (also called mail-in voting) to all registered voters without requiring an excuse. Voters may request an absentee ballot online at www.maine.gov/cgi-bin/online/AbsenteeBallot/index.pl, by phone or in writing to the Poland Town Clerk, or in person at the town office. Absentee ballot requests must be received by the Thursday before Election Day for regular processing, though ballots requested in person can be issued up through Election Day. Completed ballots must be received by the town clerk by 8:00 PM on Election Day to be counted. Maine also allows early in-person voting during the 30 days before Election Day at the town clerk's office during regular business hours.