November 2017 Elections, Referendums, Ballots: What you need to know before voting

The margin for passage of Question 1, Citizen Initiative: An Act To Allow Slot Machines or a Casino in York County have been slim to none so far in all of the municipalities of Knox and Waldo counties. Here are the individual returns as they are rolling in.

Do you want to allow a certain company to operate table games and/or slot machines in York County, subject to state and local approval, with part of the profits going to the specific programs…

Rockport voters, 1,166 of them, turned out in a steady stream Nov. 7 to address state and local ballot questions. By 8:40 p.m., the tallies were counted, and Rockport voted to prohibit marijuana retail stores and social clubs in the town. 

They also Rockport will approved charter amendment that designates the Select Board to appoint town auditors, and to manage the town’s reserve funds.

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Just four Knox County municipalities will be deciding local issues on Nov. 7 when voters go to the polls, but everyone will be faced with four ballot items for the state of Maine. Camden, Rockport and St. George have individual measures for their citizens to consider, and in Rockland, voters will be considering three candidates for two open Rockland City Council seats. Below are the municipalities, links to their websites, and their voting information. 

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It is with pleasure that I endorse Samantha Paradis for Mayor of Belfast. Samantha is a gifted nurse at Waldo County General Hospital and a leader in Waldo County.

I met Samantha when she started the group Aging Well in Waldo County. I found it odd that a young woman would have such passion for the needs of the aging. Her strong, intelligent leadership has brought together a diverse group of dedicated elders. The monthly meetings are notable in that they begin and end on time, with…

Mainers will see at the polls on Nov. 7 a citizens’ initiative to expand Medicaid (MaineCare) by a certain formula. It appears on the state ballot as Question 2, and asks: Do you want Maine to expand Medicaid to provide healthcare coverage for qualified adults under age 65 with incomes at or below 138 percent of the federal poverty level, which in 2017 means $16,643 for a single person and $22,412 for a family of two?

Supporters of the campaign, which required the effort of…

I am Lisa Westkaemper, a candidate for Rockland City Council.

I have experience as a municipal leader, having served a full term as a City Councilor in my prior city of residence. I have the ability to research complex issues and make balanced decisions by collecting ideas, facts, and approaches - gathered through investigation and by listening to community members.

Rockland faces many complex problems. Property taxes are high, combined with increasing demands for city services…

Every once in a while I try to be a responsible citizen. Most of the time I find out what’s going on after the fact and have to Google a subject in order to participate in any conversation. That’s not the case with Question 1.

First off, I didn’t know there were questions already and had no idea what Question 1 was about, but I got flyer in the mail encouraging me to vote YES on Question 1.

Almost all of the time, I do what I’m told, but since nobody had told me to vote NO on…

Samantha Paradis would be a fantastic choice as the next Mayor of Belfast. She is a lifelong Mainer and cares deeply about her community. As a Registered Nurse she has cared for young and old, and has helped drug abusers recover to turn their lives around. She listens to people, is passionate, has fresh ideas and brings diversity to the office of the Mayor, which makes a community stronger.

When you listen to Samantha talk about Belfast, you can hear the love in her voice. She has…

AUGUSTA — Once again, special interest groups are not being honest and upfront about a ballot initiative.

Hello, this is Governor Paul LePage.

Question 1 on the ballot this November is not a referendum on funding our schools. It is not about creating new jobs or lowering taxes. Make no mistake: it is about putting a third Maine casino in York County. It's about gambling, plain and simple.

Gambling and casinos are controversial, so ad campaigns focus on other things,…

ROCKLAND — Three candidates, Valli Geiger, Gregory Mason and Lisa Westkaemper, are competing for two seats on the Rockland City Council. In an effort to better understand their goals and philosophies, Penobscot Bay Pilot sent them all a list of the same questions via email. What follows are their individual responses, as they have returned them. 

ROCKLAND — Three candidates, Valli Geiger, Gregory Mason and Lisa Westkaemper, are competing for two seats on the Rockland City Council. In an effort to better understand their goals and philosophies, Penobscot Bay Pilot sent them all a list of the same questions via email. What follows are their individual responses, as they have returned them. 

My name is Valli Geiger, I have lived in Rockland for 20 years and in the Midcoast for 39 years.

On November 7, Maine voters will be asked whether to allow a "certain company" to operate table games and/or slot machines in York County. If passed, a portion of the proceeds from this venture would fund specific programs including education programs, college scholarships, drug education, agriculture and more. The language of the citizen’s initiative is as follows:

Question 1: Citizen Initiative: An Act To Allow Slot Machines or a Casino in York County
Do you want…

On November 7 we will be voting for Samantha Paradis to be mayor of Belfast.

We have worked with Samantha for a year and a half on the Aging Well in Waldo County committee which she initiated and facilitates. She has led the development and distribution of a countywide survey to assess the needs of citizens. After a highly successful response she is now directing work on responding to the findings.

She has demonstrated leadership qualities: solicits input from everyone, listens…

Rockland has changed enough over the past 20 years to make some long-time residents feel as though they do not recognize their own city, no longer belong, and miss lost places where they felt comfortable. Many new arrivals to Rockland search for ways to contribute, feel comfortable, participate, offer ideas, join committees, start businesses, but worry that they are rejected as newcomers that just don't understand Rockland or know how to fit in. This is quite a gap between people.

How…

The League of Women Voters of Maine Education Fund has released its 10th Easy-to-Read Voter Guide for the 2017 election. This year's guide covers four statewide referendum questions that will be decided by voters on November 7th.

Written in easy-to-understand language, the 2017 Easy-to-Read Voter Guide is nonpartisan and does not promote any candidate, platform, or position on the ballot. This year, there are no statewide candidate elections, and the state ballot…

Citizens have successfully crafted and placed two referendums on the state’s Nov. 7 ballot.  The Online Absentee Ballot Request Service is now available for the Nov. 7, 2017 General Election, Secretary of State Matthew Dunlap notified voters today. Any registered Maine voter may choose to vote absentee, either via mail or in person at their town hall prior to Election Day. Voters do not need to provide a reason to vote absentee.

Voters can request an absentee ballot by completing and…