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Town of New Gloucester
385 Intervale Road, New Gloucester, ME 04260
(207) 926-4126 (phone) / (207) 926-4136 (fax)
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Town of Poland
1231 Maine Street, Poland, ME 04274
(207) 998-4601 (phone) / (207) 998-2002 (fax)
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Interactive Map for State Parks
From parks to beaches, to forests and mountains, the hardest part of exploring Maine’s park and recreation areas is deciding how many can fit in your itinerary.
A good place to start exploring one of the 32 State parks, covering a half million acres of public land, each with unique activities, is here. Many begin with the 205,000-acre Baxter State Park at the base of Mount Katahdin, or the 92 miles of lakes and rivers known as the Allagash Wilderness Waterway.
Maine national parks and forests are popular with millions of visitors annually, and for good reason. The view over the Atlantic Ocean and Acadia National Park from the top of Cadillac Mountain is one that will stay with you for a lifetime.
To the west, the White Mountain National Forest is beloved by skiers in the winter and by hikers in every season. The 45,000 acres of forest, along with the additional thousands of acres of ski resorts and hiking trails, makes this recreation area a true travel destination.
Some of the best recreation in the world can be found around Maine’s southern beaches. The seven miles of oceanfront sands at Old Orchard Beach invite all sorts of activity, whether you are on a weekend trip with friends or an annual adventure with the entire family.
Inland, Rangeley Lakes, Millinocket, Greenville, and many other areas offer canoeing and fishing in their rivers and lakes. Find Maine hospitality at the State’s many campgrounds, resorts, and wilderness lodges.
Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument is over 87,000 acres of mountains and forestland located on the eastern border of Maine's Baxter State Park. Created in 2016, Katahdin Woods and Waters is one of the country's newest monument experiences.
Start your Maine parks and recreation journey now with this interactive map, highlighting many of the State’s beautiful recreational areas.
Secretary of State Advises Voters on Pandemic Measures for General Election
In preparation for administering the general election on Tuesday, November 3, 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Secretary of State is issuing updated guidance to ensure that all voters can safely participate in casting their ballots.
As of October 8, 2020, more than 300,000 Maine voters have requested to vote by absentee ballot in this election, which is more than Maine has ever seen before at this point in the election season.
Voters can find detailed information about all the special provisions in place for voting during the pandemic by visiting the Upcoming Elections Web page.
Guidance on Absentee Voting
If you choose to vote in-person absentee by visiting your town office before Election Day, the State requirements for face coverings are in effect. If you do not have a face covering, the clerk may provide you with one, or provide you with an absentee ballot to vote at home.
Voters who have requested an absentee ballot by mail, will not be issued a second ballot if they seek to vote in-person absentee ahead of Election Day, except under special circumstances. The State does not print more than one ballot per voter, and an influx of double requests will result in ballot shortages. Voters who change their minds about voting with the absentee ballot they have already received are advised to either bring in their blank ballot to vote in the presence of the clerk, or complete their ballot at home and return it via mail or to the municipal clerk/dropbox directly. Read the full guidance document here.
If you plan to vote absentee by mail, please request your ballot as soon as possible, either directly from your municipal clerk or using the Online Absentee Ballot Request Service. Once you receive your ballot, please return it to your clerk as soon as you can to allow clerks to take advantage of early processing time.
If you are returning your ballot by mail, please allow at least seven days for mailing time. Otherwise, you can drop off your ballot to your municipal clerk as soon as you have completed voting. Many towns and cities in Maine are also offering the option for voters to deposit their ballot in an official ballot dropbox on the city or town hall property. However you choose to return your ballot, please remember that all ballots must be submitted to your municipal clerk no later than 8 p.m. on Election Day.
You can track your absentee ballot with the new online tracking service to see when your application is received, when your ballot is sent out, and when it is received by your clerk after you return it. If there are any issues with your absentee ballot, such as if you forgot to sign your outer envelope, your clerk will contact you to correct the error so your ballot can be cast as intended.
For more information about absentee voting, visit the Absentee Voting in Maine Web page.
Guidance for In-Person Voting on Election Day
Polling places for the general election will be open on Election Day, Tuesday, November 3, 2020. Voters should allow additional time to complete the voting process, as wait times are expected to be longer than usual due to capacity limits, social distancing, and sanitization measures in place at your polling site. You may have to wait outside due to the restrictions, so please be sure you are prepared for the weather.
The Department of the Secretary of State is providing personal protective equipment (PPE) for election workers courtesy of a donation from L.L. Bean and Flowfold. All election workers will be required to wear face coverings and use tabletop barriers at the check-in tables. Voting booths will be sanitized according to CDC guidelines, and pens will be single use. Candidates and petitioners will be permitted to set up outside and required to wear cloth face coverings while maintaining six feet of distance from voters.
All voters are strongly encouraged to wear a face covering when visiting the polls to vote, but no one will be turned away from voting on Election Day for not wearing a face covering.
Per Maine law, voters are advised to refrain from wearing face coverings or other clothing/accessories that display the name of a candidate on the ballot. Election workers, poll watchers, petitioners, and others stationed at the polling place will not be permitted to wear any apparel expressing support or opposition for any candidate or issue on the ballots. Read the full guidance document here.
Influencing, or attempting to influence, any voter’s decision about how to vote is prohibited by federal and State law. Any complaints about such activity should be directed to the election warden at the polling place. Read the full guidance document here.
Polling places may be consolidated or moved up to 10 days prior to Election Day, so voters are advised to check with the municipality or use the Voter Information Lookup Service for the latest updates prior to heading out to vote.
40th Year of Maine's Modern Moose Hunt
This is the 40th year of Maine’s modern moose hunt -- a hunt which resumed in 1980 after being closed since 1936.
The moose season continues through the fall and is divided into four segments, including the weeks of October 12-17 in the northern two thirds of the state, October 26-31 in northern and eastern Maine, and November 2-28 in central Maine. In all, 3,135 permits were issued to hunt moose in Maine this year.
Regulated hunting seasons are how the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife (DIFW) manages Maine’s moose population. The number of permits issued for each moose-hunting district varies depending on moose population density in the district, and publicly derived population objectives.
Last year, 1,948 hunters, or 69% of the permitted hunters, harvested a moose. The 69% success rate is in stark contrast to bear, turkey, or deer hunting, where success rates range historically from 18 to 30 percent. Moose hunting in Maine continues to be extremely popular, with over 59,000 hunters applying to the moose lottery for a chance to hunt moose.
All successful moose hunters are required to register their moose at the nearest tagging station. At these stations, Maine DIFW wildlife biologists collect data that provides insight into moose population health. A tooth is removed in order to determine the age of the moose. Antler spread (width) is measured on bulls. Ticks are counted on four different areas of the moose to compare numbers to years past. In later weeks, moose hunters who shoot a female moose are required to bring the ovaries, which are later examined to determine reproductive success.
This biological data is combined with data from the ongoing moose GPS collar study, as well as the aerial moose population and composition surveys, to give biologists a clearer picture of the health and status of Maine’s moose herd.
The Department is in the midst of the seventh year of a Maine moose study that is providing important insight into factors affecting moose reproduction and survival. The research focuses on moose calves and adult female moose in a study area in northern Maine east of the Allagash River and another study area located west of Moosehead Lake. A new adaptive study area was recently added in western Aroostook County. Over the past seven years, the Department has captured, collared, and tracked over 500 moose, providing unique insight into moose survival and reproduction.
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