RUMFORD — Interest in the midterm elections seems extraordinarily high, with Democrats running largely as a check on President Donald Trump’s power while Republicans tout economic successes and stoke fears about immigration. In states like Maine, there is a competitive race for governor, and dozens of House and Senate seats are up for grabs, not […]
election 2018
Posted inPerspective, sj-web
Election 2018: What you need to know
Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 6. Maine voters will go to the polls to choose a new governor, a U.S. Senator, two U.S. Representatives, legislators, and local and county officials. Also on the ballot will be a citizen initiative and four bond issues. How does ranked-choice voting affect my choices? Ranked-choice voting allows voters to […]
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Posted inPerspective, sj-web
What are the questions on the ballot?
There are five questions before Maine voters Nov. 6. One is a citizen intiative that proposes increasing taxes on higher incomes to pay for home health care workers, and the other four are bond issues. The five ballot questions are: Question 1: Citizen Initiative Do you want to create the Universal Home Care Program to […]
Posted inPerspective, sj-web
Question 1 asks Robin Hood to fund home health care
Whoever coined the phrase “the road to hell is paved with good intentions” must have had the Maine People’s Alliance in mind. The Alliance’s modus operandi is to identify a big socio-economic problem, then gather enough signatures to place a citizen’s initiative proposal on the ballot to solve the problem — typically via a program […]
Posted inMaine, sj-web
Question 4: UMF would get $8.5M for upgrades
FARMINGTON — The University of Maine at Farmington’s Olsen Student Center and Sweatt-Winter Childcare and Education Center could get millions of dollars in renovation and upgrades if voters approve a bond question as part of a statewide referendum Tuesday. Question 4 asks voters to approve a $49 million bond for the construction and remodeling of existing […]
Posted inMaine, sj-web
Fact or fiction: Checking claims from Maine’s 2nd District congressional race
Trying to find the truth among the cacophony of competing claims in advertisements and mailers in Maine’s 2nd District congressional race is a challenge for even the most well-informed voters. To lend a hand before Tuesday’s election, the Sun Journal is checking up on some of the assertions to find out which ones have merit […]
Posted inMaine, sj-web
Hotly contested 2nd District race may decide control of the U.S. House
Perhaps U.S. Rep. Bruce Poliquin put what’s at stake in his re-election bid as succinctly as anyone. Behind closed doors, the two-term Republican told a conservative gathering in 2017 there are “two dozen swing districts in the country” that will determine which party controls the U.S. House after the Nov. 6 election. The one he’s […]
Posted inBethel, Franklin, Lewiston-Auburn, Oxford Hills, River Valley, sj-web
When and where to vote on Election Day
Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 6. Polling places in some cities and towns open as early as 6 a.m. All polling places will close at 8 p.m. Here are the times and locations for voting in Androscoggin, Franklin and Oxford counties: Andover: 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., Town Hall Auburn: 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. […]
Posted inMaine, sj-web
Maine gubernatorial debate gets feisty
The three candidates for governor sparred over negative advertising Thursday, accusing each other or their supporters of making false and disingenuous statements in the final days of the campaign. The tense exchanges came during the final time the three contenders — Democrat Janet Mills, Republican Shawn Moody and independent Terry Hayes — shared a stage […]
Posted inMaine, sj-web
Question 5 would provide money for community college upgrades
Maine Community College System officials are hoping voters will support Question 5 on the Nov. 6 ballot, which proposes a $15 million bond to upgrade facilities at each of the state’s seven community colleges. “In the past, we’ve been successful with the voters,” Maine Community College System President Derek Langhauser said. “I think the voters […]