Wake-Up Call: Thursday, July 31, 2008

With the PolitickerME.com Wake-Up Call e-mailed to your inbox, phone, Blackberry or PDA first thing in the morning, you can get a rundown of Maine's top political headlines. Sign up to get the Wake-Up Call delivered every morning.

With the PolitickerME.com Wake-Up Call e-mailed to your inbox, phone, Blackberry or PDA first thing in the morning, you can get a rundown of Maine's top political headlines. Sign up to get the Wake-Up Call delivered every morning.

PolitickerME's Powerlist 2008

We thought you might like to have an inside look at some of the folks behind the scenes who are not currently elected to any office, but still have tremendous influence in their work. (PolitickerME.com, Staff)

Link: http://www.politickerme.com/power-list-2008

NRSC pledges matching funds for ads in Maine

U.S. Sen. John Ensign, chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Campaign Committee, pledged today that his committee would match the amount of independent expenditures in advertising made by the National Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee. (PolitickerME.com, Jessica Alaimo)

Link: http://www.politickerme.com/jessicaalaimo/2086/nrsc-pledges-matching-fun...

Maine health board gets 4 nominees

AUGUSTA—Gov. John Baldacci says two former legislators are among those being nominated to the newly expanded board of directors for Dirigo Health. (Boston Globe, AP)

Link:  http://www.boston.com/news/local/maine/articles/2008/07/30/maine_health_...

Maine voter signups under way

AUGUSTA—Sen. Barack Obama's campaign in Maine will be heading to gas stations in several towns in the state Thursday to register voters.

The Democratic presidential candidate's campaign will hold registration drives Thursday in Brewer, Portland, Lewiston and Whiting. Volunteers will talk with motorists at the pumps. (Boston Globe, AP)

Link: http://www.boston.com/news/local/maine/articles/2008/07/30/maine_voter_s...

Maine islands to pursue wind project

VINALHAVEN—The cooperative that supplies electricity to Vinalhaven and North Haven is moving ahead with what it says will be the largest coastal wind turbine project in the Northeast. (Boston Globe, AP)

Link:  http://www.boston.com/news/local/maine/articles/2008/07/30/maine_islands...

Wells Selectmen approve committee to review ordinances

WELLS — There's a new committee getting started in Wells. Selectmen have created an ad hoc committee to review town ordinances. The purpose is to have the seven-member committee provide advice around proposed changes to ordinances that selectmen feel should be reviewed. (Seacoast Online, Jim Kanak)

Link: http://www.seacoastonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080731/NEWS/8...

Kennebunkport considers tax assistance program

KENNEBUNKPORT — Only a handful of towns in the state have local property tax assistance ordinances, but the Board of Selectmen at a July 24 meeting considered one proposed for Kennebunkport. (Seacoast Online, Steve Bodnar)

Link: http://www.seacoastonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080731/NEWS/8...

Baldacci family sells restaurant property

BANGOR- The Baldacci family, whose members include Gov. John Baldacci, announced Wednesday the sale of the property on which Baldacci’s Restaurant is located. (Bangor Daily News, Dawson Gagnon)

Link:  http://bangornews.com/news/t/news.aspx?articleid=167821&zoneid=500

Ballot design study: Ovals preferred over arrows

A study administered by the Brennan Center for Justice (PDF, page 30) took a look at the various ballot designs used in states.

The study favored a fill-in-the-oval method to the complete-the-arrow method, citing a lower rate of residual, or invalid, votes. Both are used in Maine. (PolitickerME.com, Jessica Alaimo)

Link: http://www.politickerme.com/jessicaalaimo/2084/ballot-design-study-ovals...

WANTED: Mental health care monitor

AUGUSTA -- The search is on for a mental-health programs expert who can tell whether the state can provide services to an estimated 12,000 severely mentally ill people despite recent budget cuts. (Morning Sentinel, Betty Adams)

Link: http://morningsentinel.mainetoday.com/news/local/5271888.html

With the PolitickerME.com Wake-Up Call e-mailed to your inbox, phone, Blackberry or PDA first thing in the morning, you can get a rundown of Maine's top political headlines. Sign up to get the Wake-Up Call delivered every morning.