Gardiner clerk readies poll pads, ballot testing and vote-by-mail for fall elections; reminds residents about dog-license penalties

Margaret, the city clerk, told the Finance Committee on Aug. 27 that the clerk's office has trained poll workers on newly acquired electronic poll pads and is holding additional sessions before the September mayoral and Nov. 4 general elections. The clerk said about 75 of 95 poll workers attended mandatory training and that ballot testing is open to the public today and tomorrow. She described the poll pads as tablet devices that allow poll staff to search the voter list electronically, verify precincts, and print directions when a voter belongs to a different precinct. "It'll alleviate the paperwork, the phone calls... Where do I register, where do I vote," she said, adding that the devices were well received in training and should streamline election night procedures. The clerk said the city will not offer in-person early voting; residents who want to vote before Election Day must apply for a mail ballot. The deadline to apply for a vote-by-mail ballot is Sept. 9, she said. The clerk also announced additional poll-worker trainings, including a Sept. 10 session focused on tabulators and vote tallying for clerks. On animal licensing, the clerk reminded the committee that the city has a stepped enforcement process: a $10 late fee for dog-license renewals, followed by a $50 citation; citations not paid are sent to court. The clerk explained that, following the use of an online licensing system, OpenGov, online applications and rabies-certificate uploads have reduced the number of citations, but some owners remain unlicensed. The clerk encouraged residents to apply in person, online or by phone for mail ballots and noted the clerk's office is accepting vote-by-mail applications and will mail ballots to applicants. Other operational notes: the clerk said the office is implementing a new shared folder and tracking spreadsheet for council items, that a second census mailing was in progress for households that did not respond in January, and that the state rolled out a new online death-certificate system (from DIPS to Maverick) that the clerk's staff are learning. "We have a hospital and nursing home, so we deal a lot with the death certificate," she said, and hopes staff can attend a state conference in September to address remaining questions. The clerk also reminded the committee that dog-license citation cases go to court if unpaid and said staff are waiting for a building-commissioner approval for certificates that are on hold before they reach the clerk's office.