Absentee voting in Maine is getting underway, with the state's four Electoral College votes up for grabs and a number of other national, statewide and local races on the ballot.Maine is one of two states in the U.

In-person absentee voting Monday got off to a robust start in several communities, with some Portland voters saying they were eager to cast a ballot in the presidential election.

As of Friday afternoon, more than 106,000 absentee ballots had been requested in Maine. A total of 5,145 ballots had already been returned. The deadline to request an absentee ballot in Maine is Oct. 31. In Scarborough, as of Monday, voters were only getting the state ballot, not the municipal ballot.

In-person absentee voting began on Monday in Maine. Under Maine law, you do not need a reason to vote early or absentee. Any absentee voter can vote in-person when available or request ballots online,

The State House is the people’s house,” Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows told a room filled with high school and college students this weekend at the Maine Students Vote annual Youth Voting Summit at Colby College in Waterville.

The number of races where Democrats and Republicans did not face off rose significantly in the pandemic election of 2020, and has stayed at almost the same level since.

All communities are required to offer In-person absentee voting starting Monday through Oct. 31. Municipalities are also starting to mail absentee ballots to people who have requested them.

Democratic Congressman Jared Golden and his Republican challenger, Austin Theriault, will square off in their first debate Thursday night.

The number of races where Democrats and Republicans did not face off rose significantly in the pandemic election of 2020, and has stayed at almost the same level.

It is just 29 days out until November 5. In Maine, in-person early absentee voting begins 30 days before Election Day.

Republican Austin Theriault is hoping to unseat Democratic incumbent Jared Golden in the November election to represent Maine in Washington, D.C.

The race in Maine’s Second District is one of the more hotly contested races this cycle. It’s expected to be close and could ultimately tip the balance of power in the U.S. House of Representatives. The incumbent, Democrat Jared Golden, has held the seat for six years.