Portland School Budget Vote May 15, 2012
By: Maryel Doyon

4/9/2012 - NEWS ADVISORY

City of Portland
389 Congress Street
Portland, Maine 04101
www.portlandmaine.gov
CONTACT: Nicole Clegg, 207-756-8173, 207-272-4477 (cell) nicoleclegg@portlandmaine.gov





FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 9, 2012

Portland School Budget Vote May 15th

As part of the state’s consolidation law, a citywide referendum must be held to approve school budget

What: Next month, Portland voters will be asked to approve the Portland Public School System's budget in a citywide referendum. Maine’s School Administrative Reorganization Law requires all school districts to hold elections for approval of their budgets. The budget must be approved by a majority of voters.

Voters will be asked:

1) Do you favor approving the Portland School Budget for the upcoming school year that was adopted at the latest City Council budget meeting?

Detailed information about the Portland school budget may be found on the Portland Public Schools Web site at www.portlandschools.org.

Who: All qualified residents of the City of Portland are encouraged to vote. Absentee ballots are available upon request and can be returned to the City Clerk’s office in City Hall from 9:00 AM to 4:30 PM after the City Council vote on the school budget, scheduled for May 7, 2012 during their regular City Council meeting. Pursuant to Maine law, there is no absentee voting three days before any election. For this election, May 10th will be the last day of absentee voting, the City Clerks office will remain open until 8:00 P.M. for residents to absentee vote and register to vote. Absentee ballots must be returned by May 15 at 8:00 PM. Residents can register to vote in person at the City Clerk’s office or on the day of election at their polling place.

All local polling places will be open from 7:00 AM to 8:00 PM. For more detailed information about where or how to vote, contact the City Clerk’s office at 874-8677 or visit their website. href="http://www.portlandmaine.gov/voter/pollplace.asp">
http://www.portlandmaine.gov/voter/pollplace.asp.

When: Tuesday, May 15, 2012

7:00 AM to 8:00 PM

Where: Local polling place; Voters can check online to locate their polling place, http://www.portlandmaine.gov/voter/pollplace.asp.

Interested in volunteering for the election? Two volunteer positions, Deputy Registrar and Election Clerk, are available at all Portland polling places. Deputy Registrars register voters and act as a liaison with the Registrar at City Hall. Election Clerks check voters in, give them their ballots and wrap up the election at the end of the day. You must be a registered voter in Maine to volunteer. For more information contact the City Clerk’s office.



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Nicole Clegg
Director of Communications
City of Portland
389 Congress Street, Room 208
Portland, ME 04101
office: 207-756-8173
cell: 207-272-4477