Central Maine voters are going to the polls today to decide a handful of municipal elections, town-specific referendums and three statewide referendum questions.

State election officials and local clerks widely predicted a low turnout on an Election Day with no national offices or hotly debated referendum questions.

Polls are open in most communities until 8 p.m., but voters are urged to check with their city or town office, or check the website, for polling times and places if they aren’t certain.

In Waterville, the only contested races are two City Council contests. Incumbent Ward 1 councilor and board chairman Fred Stubbert faced off against Stephen Soule, and Ward 7 incumbent Karen Rancourt-Thomas was challenged by Jacqueline Dupont and Anthony George Thomas.

In Augusta, voters will decide between April Cusick and Ray Dostie for the school board as well as consider a $1.7 million bond for street and sidewalk improvements to be paid back with proceeds collected in a tax increment financing fund from taxes on natural gas infrastructure.

Anson voters are considering whether to make the position of tax collector appointed, or keep it an elected position and whether to approve a recall ordinance that would allow residents to recall elected officials after tax collector Claudia Viles was indicted on 13 counts of fraud related to more than $400,000 in missing tax excise money. Viles resigned after the indictment.

Oakland residents will decide on a new $1.5 million police station to replace the aging, small station in use now.

In Cambridge, voters are considering whether to fix an error in an earlier liquor ordinance that allows wine to only be sold on Sundays.

Fairfield voters were to decide whether to form a charter commission, and also were choosing between three candidates for two town council seats. Incumbents John Picchiotti and Michael Taylor, and former councilor Harold Murray vied for seats.

Hallowell, Winthrop, China and Winslow have contested elections as well.

Clinton voters are considering a zoning change to allow a day care center downtown,and Monmouth, Readfield and Windsor voters all have money requests to consider.

A guide prepared by the Department of the Secretary of State and others seeks to provide Maine residents with detailed, unbiased and non-partisan information about the issues voters will consider at the polls. The 2015 Maine Citizens Guide to the Referendum Election is available on the Secretary of State’s website.

Question 1 on the state ballot is a citizen initiated proposal to change Maine law to allow publicly financed candidates to qualify for additional funds under certain rules and limits in the Maine Clean Election Act, increase funding for the Maine Clean Elections Fund, improve the disclosure of who pays for political ads and increase penalties for violations of campaign finance law.

Question 2 would raise $15,000,000 in bond money for the construction of energy-efficient affordable homes for low-income seniors, as well as help with energy-efficient repairs to their homes.

Question 3 is for an $85 million bond issue for construction and maintenance of highways and roads, bridges and other transit facilities.

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