Voters turned out in large numbers across Aroostook County on Tuesday to cast their ballots in the Presidential, Congressional, State and local races.
Here’s a summary of the early voting at key locations:
Presque Isle
A line of voters about 50 deep overflowed into the lobby of the Sargent Family Community Center in Presque Isle on the morning of Election Day.
Both the center’s parking lot and one across the street were filled. Local food truck Smokey D’s was set up across the street near the playground, serving customers.
By 11 a.m., more than 800 residents had cast their ballots, Election Warden Jayne Farrin said. That’s nearly double the daylong total of 488 who turned out for primary elections in June.
In the community center lobby, people proceeded calmly through the lines.
The Bangor Daily News asked multiple voters who they supported for president and the 2nd Congressional District race between Democrat Jared Golden and Republican Austin Theriault. Most, particularly older voters, declined to share, but some offered their views.
“I was worried about losing my reproductive rights as a woman and a part of the LGBTQ community. I don’t want to lose any more reproductive rights,” Natasha McNaughton, 23, of Presque Isle said.
That concern is what drew her to the polls and what prompted her vote for Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris, she said.
The stay-at-home parent said she supported Jared Golden, D-Lewiston, in the 2nd Congressional District race because she felt he would better protect MaineCare and Medicare than his opponent, Austin Theriault, R-Fort Kent.
After researching all the candidates before coming to vote, resident Matthew Davis supported Theriault because he found more “pros” than “cons” with him, he said.
Davis, a truck driver, shared his presidential pick.
“Unfortunately, Trump,” he said. “I didn’t care for either candidate, but I chose him for the protection of the country. I feel like our country needs to be more protected and become safer.”
Caribou
Voter lines at Caribou Wellness & Recreation Center stretched well out the front doors throughout Tuesday morning and did not start letting up until after 12 p.m., said City Clerk Danielle Brissette.
Shortly after 10 a.m., Larry Thibodeau, 75, of Caribou said that he had voted for Democrat Jared Golden for Maine’s 2nd congressional district and for Kamala Harris in the presidential race.
When asked why he voted for both candidates, Thibodeau cited his enrollment in the Democratic party. But he elaborated more on his choice for Harris.
“I think she has a positive vision for the future. [Trump’s] vision is too dark for me,” Thibodeau said.
Retired nurses Daryl, 74, and Lori Bouchard, 62, of Caribou, said that they are both Republicans and voted for Austin Theriault and Donald Trump for those reasons.
Daryl Bouchard said that he supports Trump’s policies over those proposed by Harris.
“She has not done anything [as vice president], as far as I’m concerned,” Bouchard said. “I’m concerned that it would be more of the same with her.”
Around 2 p.m., the long lines had dwindled down to just several people waiting to vote inside the gymnasium.
At that time, 1,090 Caribou residents had cast ballots. That count did not include 1,415 absentee ballots that election clerks processed on Saturday. More absentee ballots were coming in Tuesday afternoon, Brissette noted.
Both the in-person and absentee voting numbers had already surpassed the totals from the 2020 presidential election, Brissette said.
“We’ve had a great turnout. Everything has been going smoothly,” Brissette said.
Houlton
They started voting early in Houlton on Tuesday and it was running steady with lines at the polling location throughout the morning and early afternoon, according to town clerk Khylee Wampler.
By noon 662 residents had voted, she said.
An early afternoon random exit poll mirrored previous national polls that showed an evenly divided electorate.
In Houlton, voters indicated a slight lead for Vice President Kamala Harris.
Nina Lipscombe, 37, said she voted for Kamala Harris for president for future generations.
“They deserve a leader who fights for the rights of all Americans and advocates for policies to protect our planet.”
Similarly Beverly Chapman who walked over to the Houlton Recreation Center to vote on Tuesday morning said that she has two daughters to protect and that’s why she voted for Vice President Kamala Harris.
“One lives in Texas with my granddaughter where their reproductive rights have been stripped away,” she said. “It wasn’t a hard decision, it’s way more important to me than high grocery or gas prices.”
Conversely, Ryan Sheldon, 37, who voted for former president Donald Trump for president, said they have got to get the Dems out of office.
“The lower middle class is suffering,” he said.
Kaylee Doak, 26, an Independent, voted for Trump, but did not really know why.
“I believe in what Kamala Harris believes in,” said Kim Larkins, 66.
Several voters in Linneus said that election workers demanded identification before voting.
Linneus residents Tessa Flannery and Jon McQuarrie, who bought their farm about four years ago, were asked for ID before voting at the town office.
Flannery said there are signs on the door that say have your ID ready, although Maine voting law does not require ID to vote.
“They asked for my ID before even opening the papers to look for my name,” Flannery said. “I think some folks would have left if asked and I am sure it would be intimidating to some people.”
Flannery said that she did show her ID but McQuarrie did not.
Town election clerk Nikki Siltz said they are not demanding the ID, but there are new registered people the ballot clerks do not recognize.
“If we don’t know who you are, the ballot clerks are asking for it,” Siltz said. “We are a small town and if we don’t recognize you we are asking for ID. If they don’t show it we are not stopping them from voting.”
Flannery said she has been in the town office on several occasions.
Van Buren
Van Buren saw a larger than average turnout for this year’s election, with about 20 people waiting by the door before the polls opened at 8 a.m.
Town Clerk Jessica Cyr said a small group of about four or five people was waiting outside the Van Buren Community Center when she and other officials started setting up an hour earlier.
“People were here at 7 a.m. in line waiting,” she said, “and within the first hour we had over 100 people.”
She said at approximately 11:30 a.m. that, counting absentee ballots, they had already gone through about a third of the town’s registered voters.
Cyr said that during the last presidential election, the town had significantly more absentee ballots. This year they had about 200 whereas in 2020 they received 350. Altogether, 900 people voted in Van Buren for the presidential election.
“Right now we have about 330 [votes], and it’s only 11:45,” she said.
And at that time, Cyr said there were no issues or disruptions at the polls.
Aside from the presidential election and revisions to the town’s charter, which include changes to term limits and an updated school board attendance policy, she said there was not much discussion of other issues on the ballot among voters on Tuesday.
