LEWISTON — Voting begins Friday in Maine as absentee ballots for the Nov. 3 election become available.

In Lewiston and Auburn, voters can visit their city clerk’s office in person or online to register for an absentee ballot. The ballots must be returned to the city by the time polls close on Nov. 3.

All elected seats in both cities are up for election. In Lewiston, that includes seats for the mayor, all seven city councilors and eight School Committee members. In Auburn, it includes seats for the mayor, seven councilors and seven School Committee members.

Profiles of all the candidates are available on Sun Journal.com.

Lewiston City Clerk Kathy Montejo said a voting booth will be available near her office for people who want to come in to City Hall and vote right away. A full early-voting area will be set up on the bottom floor of Lewiston City Hall between Oct. 26 and 29.

According to state law, Oct. 29 is the last day city clerks can issue absentee ballots. They can be returned to the polling places right up until polls close on Election Day.

Auburn City Clerk Sue Clements-Dallaire said her voters will have to wait a few more days for absentee ballots for the School Department. School officials will ask voters to let the department spend an additional $488,404 made available by the state of Maine.

City councilors are scheduled to vote to put the matter on the Nov. 3 ballot at the Oct. 5 meeting. If they do so, Clements-Dallaire said the absentee ballots will be available in her office on Oct. 6.

staylor@sunjournal.com

L-A Candidates in their own words

Candidates for all open seats — mayoral,  City Council and School Committee — in both cities were asked by the Sun Journal to fill out a short questionnaire about their views on a few topics.

The results are available in the Sun Journal’s Election 2015 guide, available at www.sunjournal.com/election/2015. You’ll also find recent stories about the local races and coverage of upcoming events and forums.