Lewiston council issues election warrant for June 9 school budget validation vote

The Lewiston City Council voted unanimously to issue an election warrant setting a special municipal election for June 9, 2026, allowing voters to decide a school budget validation referendum, the city clerk said at a brief special meeting.

City Clerk: The clerk read the item and the clerk/registrar's recommendations on procedures to conduct the election, including in‑person registration hours and absentee‑ballot processing. The clerk said in‑person registrations will be accepted during business hours from May 20 through June 8, 2026, and that names of persons who register during the closed period will be recorded in accordance with the statute the clerk cited. The clerk also stated that absentee ballots will be processed centrally in conjunction with the state primary.

Motion, second and vote: The presiding official asked for a motion; Councilor Chittum moved to issue the election warrant as presented and Councilor Martel seconded. The clerk called the roll by ward and announced, "Motion passed by vote of 6 to 0." The recorded tally showed six votes in favor and none opposed.

Public comment and next steps: The council solicited public comment on the item; none was offered. The council took no further debate and adjourned the special meeting by unanimous consent. The action clears the procedural step of issuing the warrant so the election can proceed on the date set.

Context: Issuing an election warrant is the formal step that schedules a special municipal election and confirms the mechanics the clerk will use to accept registrations and process ballots. The clerk recited the referenced state statutory guidance while presenting the recommendations to the council.

The meeting concluded with the presiding official thanking the honorary counselor Mia and adjourning the session.