Maine Voting Requirements & Information
U.S. Vote Foundation’s Maine Voting Requirements and Information directory informs you of Maine voting rules and options. It focuses on Maine-specific voting guidelines and information for all voters, including domestic, overseas, and military voters. Here you can find out about Maine voter eligibility, voter ID requirements, registration, absentee and early voting options, ways to transmit voting documents and links to specific-Maine voting tools. It's an all-in-one Maine voting resource.
General Information
Registration
You can register to vote or update your registration information:
- by mail
- in person at your elections office
- at the polls on Election Day
- at social service agencies
- at DMV
- online starting in 2023
Election Day Voting
Polling places open between 6am and 10am and remain open until 8pm on Election Day.
Find my polling place
Early Voting
A registered voter may vote early by absentee ballot at a municipal clerk's office beginning at least 30 days before the election. The voter will not need to complete an absentee application if voting in person. Contact your local clerk's office to inquire about early voting hours.
Absentee Voting
Any registered voter may request an absentee ballot and vote by mail.
Please visit the US Vote Disability Voting Guide to see accommodations for the registration and voting process.
Eligibility Requirements
You are eligible to vote in Maine if you:
- Are a U.S. citizen
- Are a resident of Maine
- Live in the precinct in which you want to vote
- at 17 years of age provided you will be 18 by the next general election.
Voters must establish and maintain a voting residence in the municipality to be eligible to vote. People who are incarcerated for any reason can always vote in Maine.
You are not eligible to vote in Maine if:
- A judge has specifically ruled that you are not able to vote.
You may preregister to vote in Maine
- At the age 16
You must be at least 18 years of age to vote, except that in primary elections you may vote if you are 17 but will be 18 by the general election
If you are a student, you are eligible to vote in Maine if:
- You reside in another state but attend college in Maine
- You reside in Maine but are attending college in another state
Identification Requirements
Voter Registration
To register to vote in Maine you should provide one of the following:
- Your Maine Driver's License Number
- Your Maine ID Number
- Valid US Passport
- Last Four Digits of your Social Security Number
- Public Assistance ID
- Social Security Card
- Valid Student ID from State School
- Certified Copy of US Birth Certificate
- Utility Bill, Bank Statement, Government Check, or Paycheck that Shows your current name and address
- Valid Military ID
Voting In-Person
If you registered to vote in Maine, you may be required to present valid ID if you are voting for the first time or your registration is incomplete. You can use any ID from this list:
- Document showing Proof of Address
- Current and Valid Photo ID
Voter Materials Transmission Options
Domestic Voter |
In-Person |
|
Fax |
|
Online |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Voter Registration | |||||
| Absentee Ballot Request | |||||
| Blank Ballot To Voter | |||||
| Voted-Absentee Ballot Return |
State Lookup Tools – Am I Registered?
State Elections Website
Where is my Polling Place?
Am I Registered?
State Voter Registration FAQ
Overseas / Military Voter Information
Vote in Honor of a Veteran
Where is my Ballot?
Can I Register to Vote Online?
Has my Ballot Been Counted?
Where is my Overseas or Military Ballot?
Eligibility Requirements
Overseas Voters
U.S. citizens living abroad have the right to vote as absentee voters, provided they are eligible to vote in their state. If you are living outside of the U.S. permanently, indefinitely, or temporarily, your voting rights stay with you, even if you never voted when you lived in the U.S. To vote from overseas:
- Complete and send an overseas voter registration/ballot request form to your election office in the U.S. This is one specific form that will register you as an overseas voter and request your absentee ballot – simultaneously.
Many states allow children who were born overseas, but never lived in the U.S., to use their U.S. parents’ last residence address to register.
Military Voters
Service members and their eligible family members living outside their voting jurisdiction (within or outside the U.S.) are able to vote as absentee voters.
- If you are a service member, or an eligible family member, there is a single form to file for both voter registration and ballot request. It is often called the “Federal Post Card Application” or the FPCA form. This form must be re-filed with your election office each time you change location.
To vote as a service member or eligible family member:
- Complete and send a voter registration/ballot request form “FPCA” to your election office in the U.S. It is the same form in all states.
Identification Requirements
Voting Overseas
U.S. citizens living overseas may register and request a ballot using the overseas voter registration/ballot request form. You will have the following identification options when completing the form:
- U.S. State or Territory or District Issued ID
- Option to Indicate that you do not have the Requested ID
- Last 4 Digits of your Social Security Number
Voting Military
Service members and their dependents may register and request a ballot using the federal voter registration/ballot request form ("FPCA"). You will have the following identification options when completing the form:
- U.S. State or Territory or District Issued ID
- Option to Indicate that you do not have the Requested ID
- Last 4 Digits of your Social Security Number
Voter Materials Transmission Options
Overseas Voter |
In-Person |
|
Fax |
|
Online |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Voter Registration | |||||
| Absentee Ballot Request | |||||
| Blank Ballot To Voter | |||||
| Voted-Absentee Ballot Return |
Military Voter |
In-Person |
|
Fax |
|
Online |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Voter Registration | |||||
| Absentee Ballot Request | |||||
| Blank Ballot To Voter | |||||
| Voted-Absentee Ballot Return |