How to Vote in Maine’s 2024 Elections
Important dates and election information
Key dates
- Deadline to register to vote by mail or online: Tuesday, Oct. 15
- Deadline to request an absentee ballot: Thursday, Oct. 31
- Deadline to vote an absentee ballot in person: Thursday, Oct. 31
- Deadline to return an absentee ballot received by mail: Tuesday, Nov. 5, at 8 p.m.
- General election: Tuesday, Nov. 5
Voting at a glance
- Voter registration: The deadline to register in advance is Tuesday, Oct. 15. You may also register on Election Day at your municipal clerk’s office and at many, but not all, polling places. To check your registration status, contact your local municipal election official.
- Absentee voting: All registered voters can request a no-excuse absentee ballot.
- In-person absentee voting: You can vote early in person by casting an absentee ballot at your local municipal clerk’s office.
- Voting in person on Election Day: Polls open between 6 and 10 a.m., depending on the location, and close at 8 p.m. Find your polling place using the state’s Voter Information Lookup Service.
Recent voting changes in Maine
Changes may impact how you vote in the 2024 general election:
- New this year, voters who will be 65 years or older by the next election, or who have a disability, may apply to be on a permanent list to automatically receive absentee ballots.
- As of January, you can now register to vote online.
How to register to vote
When you provide proof of citizenship when applying for, renewing or updating your driver’s license or ID card at a Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV) branch by Tuesday, Oct. 29, you’ll be automatically registered to vote, unless you opt out.
You can register:
- Online: Use the state’s Online Voter Registration Service portal. You must provide a Maine driver's license or state ID number or the last four digits of your Social Security number.
- By mail: Download and complete a voter registration application and mail it to your municipal clerk’s office, or contact your municipal clerk to request an application by mail.
- In person: Pick up an application at your municipal clerk’s office, city hall, a Bureau of Motor Vehicles branch office or at a voter registration drive. At some locations, including many state and federal social service agencies, you may register onsite. Otherwise, return the completed application by mail or in person to your municipal clerk.
You must provide proof of residence and an approved form of identification, such as a driver’s license, state ID, valid U.S. passport, military ID, ID issued by a federally recognized Indian tribe, certified birth certificate or a signed Social Security card.
Online applications must be received by midnight on Tuesday, Oct. 15. Applications delivered by mail or in person must be received by close of business on Tuesday, Oct. 15.
Registering to vote on Election Day
You may register on Election Day at your local municipal clerk’s office and at many, but not all, polling places. The deadline for registering to vote in person is 8 p.m. (when polls close) on Election Day.
Check your voter registration status
To check your registration status, contact your local municipal election official.
How to request an absentee ballot
Any registered voter can request an absentee ballot, starting Monday, Aug. 5. The deadline to apply is close of business on Thursday, Oct. 31. Request an absentee ballot:
- Online: Use the state’s Absentee Ballot Request portal to complete an application.
- By mail: Print an application from the state’s Absentee Ballot Request portal and mail it to your local municipal clerk’s office. Or call your clerk’s office and ask that an application be mailed to you. State officials recommend requesting your ballot at least 15 days prior to Election Day.
- In person: Visit your local municipal clerk’s office to vote an absentee ballot in person without needing to complete an absentee application. Ballots will be available by Monday, Oct. 7, and the deadline to vote in person is Thursday, Oct. 31, by close of business. Hours vary by municipality.
Returning your absentee ballot
Election officials must receive completed ballots by 8 p.m. on Election Day.
- By mail: Send your completed ballot to your local municipal clerk’s office. State officials recommend mailing your ballot at least seven days prior to Election Day.
- In person: Deliver your completed ballot to your local municipal clerk’s office, or deposit it in your local absentee drop box if your municipality has one.
Use the state’s Absentee Ballot Request portal to track the status of your absentee ballot.
Voting in person before Election Day
You can vote early and in person by casting an absentee ballot at your municipal clerk’s office. In-person absentee ballots will be available at municipal clerk offices by no later than Monday, Oct. 7. The deadline to vote absentee in person is close of business on Thursday, Oct. 31.
Voting at the polls on Election Day
Polls open between 6 and 10 a.m., depending on the location, and close at 8 p.m. Find your polling place using the state’s Voter Information Lookup Service.
Voter ID requirements on Election Day
You don’t need to provide an ID if you’re registered to vote.
If you’re registering to vote at the polls on Election Day and you don’t have an approved ID, such as a driver’s license or state ID, you’ll be allowed to cast a “challenged ballot.” This will be counted as a regular ballot, but if a race is close enough that challenged ballots affect the outcome, the state’s Supreme Judicial Court will decide whether challenged ballots are valid.
Voting with a disability
Any registered voter can designate someone to request and receive an absentee ballot on their behalf by completing a written absentee ballot application and having the assistant sign the application.
If assistance is needed to complete an absentee ballot, a voter may receive help, as long as the person providing assistance is not an employer or union official.
To request an accessible electronic ballot, voters can use the state’s Absentee Ballot Request portal. The accessible electronic ballot can be completed at home using screen-reader technology and is intended for voters with disabilities that make it difficult to fill out a ballot, such as vision impairment or learning disabilities. Accessible electronic ballots are received and returned by email. Find more information on the secretary of state’s website.
When voting in person, each polling place is equipped with an Accessible Voting System (AVS) for voters with disabilities. Voters who need assistance filling in their ballot can receive help from either an election official or a person of their choice, as long as that person is not an employer or union official.
Editor’s note: This guide was originally published Jan. 12, 2024, and has been updated with new information about voting in the 2024 elections.
Grace Dickinson is a writer for aarp.org who covers federal and state policy. She previously wrote for The Philadelphia Inquirer. Her work has also appeared on sites including HuffPost and Eater.
