Area city and town clerks are gearing up for what they expect to be a steady stream of voters into and out of the polls Tuesday, casting ballots for governor, legislators, local councilors and other public offices.

In Waterville, three City Council races and a three-way mayoral race between City Councilor Karen A. Rancourt-Thomas, a Democrat running with no party affiliation, Republican Nicholas S. Isgro and Democratic candidate Stephen R. Aucoin is expected to draw about as many voters as the gubernatorial election did four years ago.

City Clerk Patti Dubois said late Monday afternoon that she predicts about 5,500 people will cast ballots Tuesday, and that includes people who already have voted by absentee ballot. She said 5,446 residents voted in 2010.

“I would guess it will be about 50 percent — 5,500 is about half of the registered voters,” Dubois said. “That’s what you would expect. It will be busy all day. It will be steady.”

In Waterville, Republican Zachary Bickford, Democrat Nathanial White and Normand Veilleux, running with no party affiliation, are vying for the Ward 2 council seat being vacated by Edward Lachowicz; incumbent Erik Thomas, a Democrat, faces opposition from Republican Sydney Mayhew for Thomas’ Ward 4 council seat; and incumbent Dana Bushee, a Democrat, is being challenged for her council seat in Ward 6 by Jibryne E. Karter III, who is running with no party affiliation.

Voters also will consider approving revisions to the city charter. Last November, voters approved the proposed changes by a wide margin, but not enough people voted in the election. The state requires a charter revision to be approved in an election that draws voters equal to 30 percent of the number that voted in the previous gubernatorial election. In 2010, 5,446 people voted, so last year 1,634 voters would have had to cast ballots for the charter revisions to be approved and put into effect. Only 1,403 people voted, however.

Also in Waterville, Democrat Susan Reisert is running unopposed for a seat on the Board of Education in Ward 2, and incumbents Maryanne Bernier and Elizabeth Bickford, both Democrats, are unopposed for their seats on the board in wards 4 and 6, respectively.

Democrats Patricia Gorman and Joan Sanzenbacher are running for two seats on the Kennebec Water District board of trustees.

In Winslow, where four candidates are seeking two seats on the Town Council, voter turnout also is expected to be on a par with that of the 2010 gubernatorial election.

“I’m expecting it to be very busy. It was during the last governor’s race,” said Town Clerk Pam Smiley. “We’ve had 1,000 absentees. That’s about what we had last time.”

In that election, 2010, 3,646 people voted in Winslow, representing about 60 percent of the town’s 5,851 registered voters, according to Smiley.

Vying for the District 3 seat on the Winslow Town Council are incumbent Jerry Quirion and Gary Owen. Patricia Ayer and Jackson Benson are running for the District 1 seat being vacated by Catherine Nadeau, who has served on the council for 12 years but chose not to seek re-election. Nadeau is running for a second term in the state House of Representatives.

In Oakland, incumbent Town Councilor Mark Fisher faces opposition from Harold Buzzell Jr. for the seat that Fisher has held since 2002.

Also in Oakland, police Captain Rick Stubbert and Althea Holz are vying for a seat on the Regional School Unit 18 board of directors being vacated by Laura Tracy, the board’s chairwoman. RSU 18 includes schools in Oakland, Belgrade, China, Rome and Sidney.

In Fairfield, meanwhile, seven people are vying for two seats on the Town Council, including incumbents Robert Sezak and Harold Murray. Sezak is being challenged for his three-year seat by former Town Councilor Ernest Canelli III and Mark Cooper. In the race for a two-year term, Murray faces former Town Clerk and Councilor Tracey Stevens, as well as Terry Michaud and Stephanie Thibodeau.

Amy Calder — 861-9247

acalder@centralmaine.com

Twitter: @AmyCalder17

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