Town of Scarborough Voter Guide

April Sither of the Scarborough Town Council shares the many ways that Scarborough residents can vote in the November 5, 2024 election. Click Here to view.

Election Day is less than two weeks away. Are you ready to vote? Follow this simple guide to make a voting plan, including when and where you'll vote, what's on the ballot, and more.

If you've voted in a Scarborough election before, you are still registered. However, if you have had a name change or an address change within Scarborough, we ask that you update your information prior to voting.

Voter registration is available at Town Hall on or before Election Day for new voters or for existing Scarborough voters to change their address or name. The “closed period”, 21 days prior to the Election, started Wednesday, October 16. This means that residents who register to vote must do so in person in the Town Clerk's Office. When registering to vote, please be sure to bring a Government issued ID and something with your Scarborough address, if your ID does not have it.

Choose how you'll vote:

Early In-Person

Vote at the Public Safety Building (adjacent to Town Hall, shared parking lot), Mondays through Thursdays from 7:00am – 5:00pm, through Thursday, October 31. There will also be a weekend opportunity for early in-person voting, this Saturday, October 26 from 8:00am – Noon.

Early by Absentee Ballot

Request your absentee ballot by October 31. Any voter requesting an Absentee Ballot on Friday, November 1 and Monday, November 4 must complete a Special Circumstances Application.

Drop off your completed ballot anytime (24/7) in our secure Drop Box outside of the Town Hall entrance. Or, drop it off inside at the Public Safety Building during business hours, Monday to Thursday, 7:00am-5:00pm, up through Monday, November 4.

In-Person on Election Day

Voting will take place at the Scarborough High School, located at 11 Municipal Drive from 7:00am – 8:00pm on Election Day, Tuesday, November 5.

There are 4 ballots: 2 Municipal General/Referendum Election ballots and 2 State General/Referendum Election ballots. One Municipal ballot (referendum) and one State ballot (candidate) are double-sided, so be sure to double check when voting that you have voted on both sides of the ballots. Review the sample ballots on our Town Clerk webpage for a look at the candidates and referendum questions ahead of time.

Municipal General: Candidates

Elected Officials

One ballot will be for electing candidates for the Town Council*, Sanitary District, and Board of Education. The candidates are:

Town Council (2 Seats for 3-Year Term)

Doherty, Scott W.

Fellows, Cory E.

Maurer, Crescencia

Town Council (1 Seat for 2-Year Term)

Donovan, William J.

Board of Education (1 Seat for 2-Year Term)

Rockenstire, Mitchell T.

Sanitary District Trustees (2 Seats)

Rico, Nicola F.

Stein, Michael A.

*Due to an administrative oversight, the middle initial for a candidate running for Town Council is printed incorrectly on the Town Ballot. The first and last names of all candidates on the ballot are otherwise correct and no action is required from voters. Please direct any questions to the Town Clerk's Office at (207) 730-4020.

Candidates Night was held on September 25 to learn more about the candidates. Watch here.

There are also lines for write-in candidates.

Scott Doherty is a 1981 graduate of Scarborough High School and lifelong resident of Scarborough. He is a lobsterman and married with four kids. He has been on the Sanitary District and volunteered on the Maine Lobster Council. Scott also ran in 2008 as a write-in candidate and in 2023. (Running for 3-year term)

Cory Fellows is a 20-year Scarborough resident. He was on the Planning Board from 2007-2018 (4 years as chair) and a member of the Long Range Planning Committee from 2013-2021. He has also volunteered with Scarborough Little League, the Scarborough Marsh Audubon Center, and the Scarborough Land Trust. He holds a Bachelor's degree from Colgate University and a Master's in City Planning from MIT. He has worked in the affordable housing industry for over 25 years and as vice president for real estate development at the nonprofit Preservation of Affordable Housing. He and his wife have three sons who are recent SHS grads. (Running for 3-year term)

Crescencia Maurer is a 5-year Scarborough resident and works part time at Cabela's and the Scarborough Land Trust. She is an enthusiastic walker, gardener, and nature lover and has a diverse professional background including working as a Spanish language instructor, policy analyst, consultant, and project manager, some of which was in Brazil, Chile, and Peru. She has a dedication to community service, having served on two Town committees and the board of the former Friends of Scarborough Marsh, as well as volunteering as a beach monitor. She has a Master's in Environmental Management from Duke University, and undergraduate degree from Pomona College. She is married with three children. (Running for 3-year term)

William Donovan has a history of public service in Scarborough. He has served on Scarborough Public Library Board for over 5 years, and was president until recently. He is also on the Town of Scarborough Affordable Housing Alliance and previously served two terms on the Scarborough Town Council from 2013-2019 (two years as chair). Bill retired from practicing law in 2011 after a 40-year career specializing in municipal and healthcare law. He served on school boards, planning boards, and recreation commissions during this time. (Running for 2-year term)

Municipal Referendums: 3 Proposals Requiring Voter Approval

Police Cameras

The Police Department is requesting voter approval for nearly $997,000 towards a purchase agreement for body-worn and in-car cameras capable of providing quality audio and video recordings of police operational activities. The equipment will be used by sworn officers to record certain interactions while on duty. The cameras would bring the Scarborough Police Department up to industry standards as possessing camera footage has become an expectation, especially in the prosecution of criminal cases in court. Scarborough is one of only a few departments in Southern Maine who do not possess either body-worn or in-car camera system options. The camera implementation will be used for risk management and officer safety, courtroom proceedings, increased transparency, employee performance, evaluations and training. 

Watch

Read a full article provided by the Police department and see a cost breakdown.

Replacement Fire Truck

The Scarborough Fire Department is requesting the purchase of a new fire engine for nearly $1 million. It would replace its oldest fire engine, a 20-year old model. In the last five years alone, the maintenance costs for the 20-year old fire engine have exceeded $90,000, nearly 25% of the original purchase price of the vehicle, making it more costly over time. Fire engines are the backbone vehicle of the Fire Department, with one engine assigned to each of the six Neighborhood Fire Stations. The request to fund the purchase of a new fire engine this year represents a longstanding effort to be responsible stewards of the resources provided to us by the residents we serve, continuing to field the most operationally effective fleet of vehicles possible, and to provide for the safety of the public and our Firefighters with the most up-to-date equipment and safety systems possible as they respond to and mitigate emergencies.

Watch

Land Bond Funding

The Town’s Parks and Conservation Land Board requested $6 million in land bond funding for voter approval. It has also received a recommendation by the Town Council. The Board is responsible for evaluating applications for conservation projects to receive funding from the bond, and then recommending them to the Town Council. The Land Acquisition Fund was established in 2000 for the purpose of conservation of natural areas, providing public access and recreation, and the protection of wildlife habitat and scenic or environmentally sensitive areas. The Town has contributed $7.5 million to the fund through voter approval in four elections since 2000. Notable conservation projects include Warren Woods (2012) and Pleasant Hill Preserve (2014), as well as other projects like the Higgins Beach lot (2010) to secure beach access and agricultural easements to protect Frith Farm (2010), Broadturn Farm (2004), and Comstock (2013).

Watch

State Referendum Ballot

The State ballot includes a citizens' initiative, a few bond questions, and a State referendum. The questions on the ballot are:

Question 1: An Act to Limit Contributions to Political Action Committees That Make Independent Expenditures

Do you want to set a $5,000 limit for giving to political action committees that spend money independently to support or defeat candidates for office?

Question 2: An Act to Authorize a General Fund Bond Issue for Research and Development and Commercialization

Do you favor a bond issue of $25,000,000 to provide funds, to be awarded through a competitive process and to leverage matching private and federal funds on at least a one-to-one basis, for research and development and commercialization for Maine-based public and private institutions in support of technological innovation in the targeted sectors of life sciences and biomedical technology, environmental and renewable energy technology, information technology, advanced technologies for forestry and agriculture, aquaculture and marine technology, composites and advanced materials and precision manufacturing?

Question 3: An Act to Authorize a General Fund Bond Issue to Restore Historic Community Buildings

Do you favor a $10,000,000 bond issue to restore historic buildings owned by governmental and nonprofit organizations, with funds being issued contingent on a 25% local match requirement from either private or nonprofit sources?

Question 4: An Act to Authorize a General Fund Bond Issue to Promote the Design, Development and Maintenance of Trails for Outdoor Recreation and Active Transportation

Do you favor a $30,000,000 bond issue to invest in the design, development and maintenance for nonmotorized, motorized and multi-use trails statewide, to be matched by at least $3,000,000 in private and public contributions?

Question 5: An Act to Restore the Former State of Maine Flag

Do you favor making the former state flag, replaced as the official flag of the State in 1909 and commonly known as the Pine Tree Flag, the official flag of the State?

View a Maine Citizen's Guide to the Referendum Election, provided by the State of Maine. Click Here for more information on the State election, including a general candidate list.

You're ready to vote! If you're voting by absentee ballot, Click Here to track the status of your ballot. Next up, encourage your friends and family to vote. Be sure to stay informed on election results— your voice matters.

For further information on absentee voting and voter registration, please contact the Scarborough Town Clerk's Office at 730-4020.