Maine Encourages Absentee Voting In July Primary Election

Click here for the latest coronavirus news, which the BDN has made free for the public. You can support our critical reporting on the coronavirus by purchasing a digital subscription or donating directly to the newsroom. PORTLAND, Maine — Maine’s top election official is encouraging people to vote via absentee ballot during the July primary election to limit the exposure voters and polling workers have to the coronavirus. The state will still hold in-person balloting July 14 with new social distancing protocols, but it’s easier — and safer — to vote via absentee ballot, Secretary of State Matt Dunlap said this week. “It’s a simple way to cast your vote from the safety of your own home,” Dunlap said in a video posted on social media. [Our COVID-19 tracker contains the most recent information on Maine cases by county] The primary elections, originally scheduled for June 8, were delayed by Democractic Gov.