A year’s worth of work culminates on the first Monday in May. For the Boothbay’s elected officials, the annual town meeting is the biggest day of the year. 

On May 5, Boothbay voters will choose from nine candidates and four questions at the Boothbay Town Office from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., followed by the remaining articles at the Boothbay Town Hall at 7:30 p.m. at the Boothbay Railway Village. 

In this year's election, two seats are open for Boothbay selectmen. Incumbents Stephen Ham and Douglas Burnham will be defending their positions on the board, while Michael Pander and Kenneth Chances are vying for their seats.

For the Boothbay-Boothbay Harbor Community School District, incumbent Tyler Hodgdon is running for the board of trustees, but challenging him for that chair is Jennifer Greenleaf. For the Boothbay-Boothbay Harbor School Committee, Brian Blethen is running unopposed.

The remaining candidates are Chris Higgins, who is running unopposed as a trustee for the Boothbay Region Water District, and Lorraine Hodgdon, running as an incumbent for the Cemetery District.

Of the 37 warrant articles, a few issues have taken center stage in Boothbay this past year, and have been designated for written referendum, or secret ballot. The articles include tax increment financing, commonly called “the TIF,” (article 3) and the Cross River property, (article 4). 

The last question for the polls is article 5. With voter approval, all voting at town meetings could be changed entirely to secret ballot.

According to the selectmen, a secret ballot ensures higher turnout, and a flexible schedule to vote throughout the day. At last year's town meeting, 564 voters visited the polls, but less than 100 people showed up for the open forum at the Town Hall at the Boothbay Railway Museum.

Article 5 is listed as non-binding, meaning that even if passed, the selectmen have the ultimate authority to decide if the town meeting goes to secret ballot, which would likely not happen if the outcome is close.

This year, however, the remaining articles will be voted in an open forum starting at 7:30 p.m. in the Town Hall.

The majority of the warrant articles 6-37 include appropriations to local entities and 11 amendment changes proposed by the Boothbay planning board.

All registered voters are urged to attend this year's town meeting, but for those who cannot, absentee ballots are available at the Boothbay Town Office. Anyone wanting to cast an absentee ballot can do so in person at the office, or have one mailed to their residence. All absentee ballots must be returned by May 5 before the polls close at 6 p.m.