Maine Civic Digest November 2025

Dear Educator,

Election day is November 4th! Use this Digest to review questions your students may have. Encourage them to both spread the word and support others to get to the polls, and send them home with this PDF with all the key information. Remember, teaching about elections and voting will affect significantly whether your students will vote. Educating them has also been shown to have broader impacts as they are more likely to encourage their family members to discuss issues, register and get out to vote (source).

Share this information below with your students and others using this pdf.

Will my vote matter anyway?

Yes! While millions vote in presidential elections, local races can be decided by just a handful of votes so every vote counts. In some cases, elections have come down to single digits! In Maine, the leaders we elect locally and the referendums we approve result in decisions and laws that directly impact you, your community, your school, public safety, town taxes and budgets, and more. 

Where can I get general information about registering and voting in Maine?

• See Maine.gov for the state’s voter information page.
• Check out these videos and their transcripts on registering to vote in Maine.
• Share the Make Your Vote Count brochure in 10 languages. 

How can I show I am eligible to vote?

• You must be able to present proof of residency in Maine, and have a legal form of identification such as a government issued ID, a license, a passport, a state ID, your birth certificate, your social security card or other official documents (such as a bank statement, utility bill or a government benefit check). That form of identification will usually have your address on it as proof of residency.
• If you do not have the above documentation, you may be able to sign an oath at the town office or polling station with your social security number. Check with your town office.

I haven’t registered, so is it too late?

• No, you can register on election day! You’ll need to bring your ID and a proof of residency to your polling location. See the above answer for more information.  

Where do I go to vote? 

• Use the Maine Voter Information LookUp Service to find your polling place. 

What do I need to bring to the polling place to be sure I can vote?

• If you haven’t registered yet, you must bring your ID and a proof of residency as described above.
• If you are registered and it’s your first time voting, you will need to bring proof of ID (driver’s license, school ID, social security card, etc.) to the polling place. This is to verify your registration. 
• If you have already registered and voted at least once, you do not need to bring specific material to be able to vote.

What is a state referendum? 

• Check out this short video (1:30 min).

How can I find out what’s on my ballot?

• Reach out to your town office to find out what and who is on your local ballot.  
• For the two state referendums, check out the non-partisan information from The League of Women Voters which includes the descriptions and pros and cons of both. 

What can I do to help others vote even if I’m not yet eligible to vote?

• Using Vote Tripling, ask people you know to get three people in their life to cast their ballots. Then ask those people to do the same, and so on!
• Start a conversation about why you are going to vote. 
• Share a ride to the polls! 
• Encourage friends and family members to join you in going to the polls.
• Share your plan to get out to vote on your social media and then post a selfie after voting.
• Speak up in class to encourage all to vote no matter whether their viewpoint is the same as yours or not.