Elections

There are approximately 19,000 registered voters in the Town of Scarborough. Annually on the second Tuesday in June, there is a School Budget Validation Referendum and Board of Education Election. General Elections are held nationally on the first Tuesday following the first Monday in November. Additionally, there is a Municipal Election on the same date for the Town Council, Scarborough Sanitary District Trustee Board, and to vote on any Citizen Initiatives, Bond Issues, or other referenda proposed by the Town Council.

Upcoming Elections

There are two elections slated for 2025:

June 10, 2025—Municipal Special Election and School Validation Referendum

November 4, 2025—General and Municipal Election

Polling Locations

The Scarborough High School located at 11 Municipal Drive is the sole polling location for all Scarborough voters. Each Election Day the polls are open from 7am to 8pm.

Scarborough Legislative Delegation 

Scarborough street list to determine your State Senate and House of Representatives Districts 

State Senate:
District 29 - Anne Carney 
District 30 - Stacy Brenner

House of Representatives: 
District 124 - Sophia Warren 
District 125 - Kelly Noonan Murphy 
District 126 - Drew Gattine

To register to vote in the Town of Scarborough, you must meet the following criteria:

• You must be a citizen of the United States
• You must be a resident of the Town of Scarborough
• You must be 18 years of age. A 17 year-old may register to vote and may participate in a primary election or municipal caucus if they will be 18 by the date of the General Election. A 16 year-old may pre-register to vote, but may not participate in any election.

You may register to vote online, in person at Town Hall, by mail, or at the polls on Election Day. You may be asked to provide proof of identity (such as your Maine Driver's License, State ID or the last four digits of your Social Security Number) and/or proof of your residency (such as your Maine Driver's License showing your current address, or a utility bill) to complete your voter registration record.

The employees in the Scarborough Town Clerk's Office cannot answer questions for citizens regarding the purposes and objectives of the various political parties in Maine; individuals with questions are encouraged to contact the parties directly.

Additional Information on registering to vote from the Secretary of State

Scarborough Nomination Papers

Nomination papers for the Board of Education become available the first Wednesday in March and must be returned to the Town Clerk's office by close of business (5:00pm) on the first Wednesday in April. 

Nomination papers for the Town Council and the Scarborough Sanitary Board of Trustees become available the first Wednesday in August and must be returned to the Town Clerk's office by close of business (5:00pm) on the first Wednesday of September.

A minimum of 25 and no more than 100 signatures of qualified registered voters are required for submitting Scarborough nomination papers. It is recommended to submit more than 25 in case some signatures are not valid.

Campaign Finances

Maine Election Law requires municipal candidates in cities and towns with a population of 15,000 or more to disclose their campaign contributions and expenditures, to comply with contribution limitations and prohibitions, and to meet other requirements of the law. These same requirements apply to gubernatorial, legislative, and county candidates running for office.

Every candidate must register with the Town Clerk before accepting any campaign contributions or making any campaign expenditures. Please review the Municipal Candidates Guide for more information. Registration forms are included in your nominations packet, and must be returned with your nominations paperwork even if you choose to be exempt from collecting or spending campaign finances. If you choose to accept or spend campaign funds, you must file reports with the Town Clerk's office. These reports are available for public inspection, but are not posted on the website.

Maine Ethics Commission

2025 Candidate Filing Schedule
2025 Candidate Campaign Finance Report 
2025 Candidate Registration 

Campaign Signs

Campaign signs are classified as "temporary signs".

Guidelines:

Temporary signs, which include campaign signs, to be placed in the right-of-way for up to 6 weeks from January 1st to June 30th and another 6 weeks between July 1st and December 31st. The law further states that individual signs bearing substantially the same message must be placed at least 30 feet from one another and requires that each sign be labeled with the owner’s name, address and the date on which the sign was erected.

Signs may not be placed within 250' feet of polling places on Election Day, including Town Hall and/or the Public Safety Building while absentee voting is ongoing (30 days before Election Day).

Temporary signs specified in this section shall not be attached to fences, trees, utility poles, light poles, traffic control devices or the like.

To protect ecologically sensitive areas and scenic views no temporary signs shall be placed in the right-of-way along:

• Route One between Dolloff Way and Southgate Road
• Black Point Road between Old County Road and Tide Mill Lane
• Black Point Road between Seal Rock Drive and Sanctuary Lane
• Pine Point Road between 67 Pine Point Road and the Eastern Trail
• Pine Point Road between Holly Street and Snow Canning Road
• Pleasant Hill Road from Minuteman Drive to Hackmatack Drive (Pleasant Hill Preserve Area)
• Bayview Avenue between Houghton Street and Morning Street

To promote public safety in and around intersections with high traffic volumes no temporary signs shall be placed in the right-of-way within 30 feet of the following intersections, as measure linearly from the point of tangent to the intersection, or the point of tangent where a dedicated turn lane is provided, whichever is furthest from the intersection:

• The Route One – Broadturn Road/Pine Point Road intersection
• The Route One – Payne Road intersection
• The Route One – Haigis Parkway intersection
• The Route One - Gorham Road/Black Point Road intersection
• The Route One - Pleasant Hill Road intersection
• The Payne Road - Haigis Parkway intersection
• The Payne Road - Gorham Road intersection
• The Payne Road - Gallery Boulevard intersection

The number of temporary signs permitted under this subsection is in addition to the maximum number of signs allowed on a lot or the maximum gross display area allowed on a wall:

Temporary Signs in the Right-of Way- Temporary signs in the right-of-way are permitted for a period not to exceed 12 weeks in a calendar year. All signs shall be removed by the deadlines established herein. All temporary signs in the right-of-way must include or be marked with name and address of the individual, entity or organization that placed the sign within the right-of-way and the date the sign was erected within the right-of-way. To control the proliferation of signs repeating the same or similar message, temporary signs in the right-of-way shall not be placed with 30 feet of another bearing the same message. This distance requirement applies to streets on a linear basis with a separate measurement done for every intersecting street. Temporary signs in the right-of-way may not be placed in a position that will obstruct or impair vision or traffic or in any manner create a hazard or disturbance to the health and welfare of the general public.

Temporary Signs on Private Property- Temporary signs on private property are permitted for no more than 6 consecutive months with not less than 30 days between displays of a sign bearing the same message. Temporary signs on private property may not be placed in a position that will obstruct or impair vision or traffic or in any manner create a hazard or a disturbance to the health and welfare of the general public.        

Temporary Sandwich Board Signs- One (1) Sandwich Board Sign may be displayed on the premises of a commercial or similar public entity for general commercial uses. Sandwich Board Signs shall be limited to a maximum gross area of eight (8) sq. ft. and a maximum height of 48”. The location of Sandwich Board Signs shall be limited to the sidewalk or walkway leading to the main entrance of the building in which the business is located and shall be located no greater than fifteen feet (15’) from the building’s main entrance. Sandwich Board Signs shall only be displayed during the hours the business or use is open for customers or visitors and shall not be counted toward calculating the maximum number of signs or the maximum gross display area of signs on the property. A Sandwich Board Sign shall require a sign permit, per subsection A.2., which will establish a business or uses ability to use such a sign and delineate the area in which it will be displayed. A Sandwich Board Sign shall be located on a sidewalk or walkway in a manner that it does not infringe on handicap accessibility or safe pedestrian movement and that safely secures the sign in one location.

Each year, the Town receives several complaints about signs that are improperly placed or do not contain the required information. Please ensure your signs are properly marked with the required information - the name, address and date of posting can be done in a small sticker placed on the back of the sign, while it is typical to have the campaign authorization and finance information printed in smaller print on the bottom front of the sign. Signs placed in the public right of way that violate the laws and/or do not contain the required information may be removed. Please make a plan to keep track of the signs you place, and be sure to collect them as soon as possible after the election. Signs that are left up 6 weeks after their posted date will be removed. Signs that are removed are done so by the Scarborough Volunteer Police and are returned to the Town Clerk’s Office. If you have missing signs, please contact the Town Clerk’s Office at (207) 730-4020 or by email.

Maine Department of Transportation letter to candidates regarding placement of temporary signs

Temporary Sign Regulations (Scarborough)

State Statues Governing Temporary Signage:
23 M.R.S. §1913-A. Categorical Signs
21-A M.R.S. §682. Political activities

 

June 5, 2025 Sample Ballot
June Election Candidates Night (Board of Education and Town Council)
June 5, 2025 Results 

November 5, 2024 State Results
November 5, 2024 Municipal Results

 

Request an Absentee Ballot

Voters may submit a request for an absentee ballot using one of the following methods:

• Online - State of Maine Absentee Ballot Request 
• By Phone - Scarborough residents may call the Town Clerk's Office at (207) 730-4020 to request an absentee ballot.
• By Mail - Complete the fillable PDF application and submit it to the Town Clerk’s Office to have an absentee ballot mailed to you. You may also use this form if an immediate family member wishes to submit the ballot order on your behalf, or if you wish to designate a third person to pick up a ballot for you. 
• In Person - Ballots are available at Town Hall approximately 30 days prior to each election. Once available, you may vote your absentee ballot here at Town Hall or you may take it home with you and return it by 8pm on Election Day. Absentee voting during Presidential and Gubernatorial Elections takes place at the Public Safety Building (next to Town Hall) due to space limitations at Town Hall.

Ongoing Absentee Ballot Requests

Beginning in 2024, The State of Maine introduced an on-going absentee ballot request option for voters who are at least 65 years of age, or for voters self-identifying with a disability.  Voters who enroll in this program will be automatically mailed an absentee ballot for each election, removing the requirement of having to request before each election.  To enroll, please follow the instructions below:

1. Print and complete the On-Going Absentee Ballot Request Form
2. Sign your form before sending into Town Hall 

Submission Deadline

Check back here for more information as the November 2025 Election information is announced. 

Track Your Absentee Ballot (State Elections only)

Ranked Choice Voting FAQ

Returning Your Ballot

Absentee ballots may be returned to the Town Clerk's Office as follows: 

• Secure Absentee Ballot Drop Box- Place the sealed ballot envelope in the secure official absentee ballot drop box located outside the front doors of Town Hall. This box is checked multiple times a day throughout the election season.
• In Person- Deliver the sealed ballot envelope directly to where absentee voting is being held at Town Hall.
• By mail- If returning your ballot by mail, we suggest mailing it no later than 1 week prior to the election to ensure that it is received by 8pm on Election Day.

Receiving Assistance from Another Person

If you require assistance in completing the Absentee Ballot, the Aide Certificate must be completed by whomever assisted you. 

If you require assistance in reading or marking the ballot, you may ask someone to aide you. In addition to the aide, one other person must be present as a witness. Before you mark your ballot, the witness must see that it is blank. While voting, you may not talk to anyone other than the aide. You, or your aide if you are unable, must sign the return envelope on the highlighted signature line. The aide must complete the “Aide Certificate,” and the witness must complete the “Witness Certificate”, both located on the back of the envelope.

Ballots Issued to a 3rd Person

At your request, your ballot may be issued to a 3rd person who is not a member of your immediate family, who may then carry the ballot to you. For this reason, you must mark your ballot in the presence of witnesses even if you choose to return the ballot by yourself. Witnesses can be: one person who is a Notary Public, a Municipal Clerk, a Clerk of the Courts, OR two other persons. There must be no communication between the voter and the witnesses regarding the ballot races. Mark the ballot so it is not possible for the witnesses to see how the ballot is voted. The “Witness Certificate” must be completed and signed by the witnesses.

Replacement Ballot

If you make a mistake when marking your ballot and need a replacement ballot, or if you have any questions, contact the Town Clerk’s Office at (207) 730-4020.

Additional Absentee Ballot Information from the Bureau of Corporations, Elections and Commissions

The Town of Scarborough is always looking for registered voters to help either during absentee voting or on Election Day.

What does an Election Worker do?

Election workers provide staffing for the Town during each election cycle including prior to election day and election day itself. There are a variety of job duties, all of which are crucial to running a smooth election.

Absentee Voting duties include: issuing ballots, ballot return, and auditing. Working during absentee voting does require a commitment which can range from 2-4 half day shifts per week for the month prior to Election Day.

Election Day duties include: checking in voters and issuing ballots, voter registration, machine workers, and absentee processing.

Election workers may also be asked to assist with absentee processing prior to election day.

Is this a paid position?

Yes, all of our election workers are eligible to be paid for the work they conduct for the Town or you can choose to volunteer. Standard forms, including the I-9, W-4 (state) and W-4 (federal) will need to be filled out prior to starting. 

What experience is needed?

None! The Town Clerk's office will equip you with all the tools you will need to be successful in this role.  We require all election workers to attend a training before each election to ensure all of our staff is receiving the most up-to-date information. 

What if I have more questions or want to help out? 

Please contact the Town Clerk's office at (207) 730-4020 or complete and return the following application.