Absentee ballots provide for safe and informed voting

To the Editor;

Our individual right to vote is the most powerful tool we have in shaping the leadership of our national, state and local governments. Big money is always trying to influence our elections, but ultimately the outcome is decided by the voters. If we choose not to vote, then we are leaving these important decisions up to others and forfeiting our right to criticize the outcomes.

In this pandemic year, absentee voting offers us the opportunity to vote safely and allows us time to make informed decisions. We will receive the ballot ahead of Election Day, and we can research the candidate’s position on issues before we cast our vote. How many times have you been in the voting booth and found yourself selecting a little-known candidate based on the letter after their name? In the races where ranked choice voting is allowed, you may want to show support for an underdog candidate who more truly represents your values by ranking them first without the fear of splitting the vote.

You can obtain an application for your no-excuse absentee ballot now by requesting the form from your municipal clerk and returning it no later than Oct. 29, or you can request it electronically through the maine.gov website. Your completed ballot is due to your clerk by 8 p.m., Nov. 3. Request your ballot early, return your ballot early and don’t forget to sign the back of your return envelope.