AudacityCAT supports democracy. As part of this work, we are gathering resources on voter registration, how elections work, becoming a poll worker or poll observer, and other information.
Voting Update – July 22, 2026
It’s been quite a busy election season in Maine these last few weeks, right?! As the dust starts to settle, we are tracking a number of organizations who are starting to line up trainings and info sessions for the Tuesday November 3rd election. Here’s what we’re seeing so far:
| League of Women Voters Voter Registration Trainings Trainings held in July, August, and September Interested in helping voters in your community register to vote? League staff will be holding monthly trainings leading up to the November election where we’ll review Maine voter registration laws, methods of voter registration and their deadlines, and how to help register community members to vote. Sign up for an upcoming training below! Voter Registration Training #1, Thursday July 23 at 4pm: Register here Voter Registration Training #2, Thursday August 20 at 4pm: Register here Voter Registration Training #3, Thursday September 17 at 4pm: Register here |
| Unite and Rise On August 8, the League of Women Voters will Unite and Rise for Voting Rights nationwide to honor the 61st anniversary of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 and demonstrate the power of communities working together to shape our future.And we want you to be a part of it.From the Bay Area to Brooklyn, hundreds of locally organized events will take place across the country for the Unite and Rise for Voting Rights Day of Action. We invite you to show up, learn, and commit to ongoing action in defense of the freedom to vote. Find an Event Near You |
Indivisible Election Protection
Sign up for Indivisible’s election protection program.“Hands Off Our Vote” is Indivisible’s biggest election protection program ever. We’re organizing in all 50 states to make sure every eligible voter is able to cast their ballot and that every vote is counted. We’ll be ready to respond to any dirty tricks by this regime — in numbers Trump can’t even imagine.
Start your election protection training with our kickoff call on July 30.Don’t wait until November to get into election protection formation — learn the strategy and find out how you can tap in regardless of where you live on our first training call (Thursday, July 30 at 8pm ET/5pm PT).
ABSENTEE VOTING
Absentee voting allows you to cast a ballot without going to a polling location on Election Day. Any registered voter in Maine may cast an absentee ballot. Absentee voting is anonymous and convenient.
- Step One: You can request your absentee ballot in-person, online, by phone, and by mail. Visit www.lwvme.org/absentee to learn more.
Tip: Don’t procrastinate. It’s better to get your absentee ballot sooner rather than later. - Step Two: When you have your ballot, follow the instructions and fill out the ballot. Don’t forget to sign the outside of the envelope!
- Step 3: You can return your ballot in-person at convenient absentee ballot dropboxes, usually located at your town hall. If you return your ballot by mail, make sure it has time to get to your town clerk. We recommend returning your absentee ballot in-person (to your town clerk’s office or a convenient dropbox) to avoid any USPS mailing delays.
- Step 4: You can track your ballot to make sure it’s received by your town clerk. For state and federal elections, track your absentee ballot through the Secretary of State’s website.
INFO Grab a copy of Audacity’s voting resource “Your vote is your voice!” and make sure everyone you know is registered to vote. The one-page flyer contains information from the Maine Secretary of State and the League of Women Voters about Maine’s specific voter registration requirements, absentee ballots, and more. It also includes links to the sources of our info, so you can double check if you have questions or want a second opinion.
INFO Confirm that you are registered to vote and learn what you need to do or bring with you in order to exercise your right to vote at rockthevote.org
INFO Know the difference between Election Workers and Election Observers See info below from Greg Marley (thank you Greg!) about the different roles it takes to give everyone the opportunity to vote in free and fair elections.
Election workers the folks you speak with every time you vote. They are selected by the municipal election clerk and anyone interested in becoming a poll worker can reach out to either the election clerk or the town/city clerk to express interest. Each polling site is responsible to maintain a balance of workers representing each party. Unenrolled voters can also become election workers. Election workers are provided with training for the role and may be paid a small amount for the time spent. They provide a range of services including checking in voters, monitoring the voting process and assisting in tallying the votes.
State law sets the requirements for election workers:
– Must be at least 18 years old
– Must be a registered Maine voter
– Must be a resident of the municipality or county where they will be serving
– Must not be a candidate or a member of a candidate’s immediate family
Election observers are typically organised and trained by a political party or a non-partisan orgs like the League of Women Voters of Maine. The LWVM is planning to conduct training for observers later this year. According to their website, ”If you choose to vote in person on any major election day, you may see a League nonpartisan election observer. We deploy these volunteers to polling locations to check on the conditions, help resolve any issues, talk to poll workers, and offer our gratitude. “ Check for training opportunities here: https://www.lwvme.org/ElectionProtection
INFO Learn about Ranked Choice Voting in Maine RANKED-CHOICE VOTING (RCV) The Primary Elections on June 9, 2026 for U.S. Senate, U.S. Congress, Governor, State Senate, and State Representative to the Legislature will be decided by a system of ranked-choice voting if three or more candidates qualify for the ballot, or if two candidates qualify for the ballot and there is a declared write-in candidate in the race, instead of by plurality.
The General Election on November 3, 2026 for U.S. Senate and U.S. Congress will also be decided by a system of ranked-choice voting if three or more candidates qualify for the office, or if two candidates qualify for the ballot and there is a declared write-in candidate in the race. However, the General Election on November 3, 2026 for Governor, State Senate, and State Representative to the Legislature will be decided by plurality, regardless of the number of candidates who qualify for the race. Elections determined by ranked-choice voting are defined in 21-A MRS §1(27-C).
For more info on Rank Choice Voting in Maine visit https://www.maine.gov/sos/elections-voting/resources-for-ranked-choice-voting