On Tuesday, Nov. 3, several people registered to vote in Farmington. There was a line outside the lower level of the community center for them and a separate line at the Middle Street entrance for those already registered. Pam Harnden/Livermore Falls Advertiser

FARMINGTON — Absentee balloting was favored by many taking part in the 2020 Presidential election on Tuesday, Nov. 3.

Of the 3,963 votes cast, 2,308 were by absentee ballot. 1,655 voters turned out, many waiting in line outside and then inside the community center to cast their ballot in-person. It was a cold, windy day that also saw early morning snow and snow squalls later. Most of those waiting wore face coverings and stood six feet apart.

Significantly more absentee ballots were also requested for the July 14 election. Prior to that election, voters had been warned that wait times could be longer because of protocols put in place because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Tuesday just after noon, about two dozen voters waited in line to mark their ballots. Several more inside the community center had obtained their ballots but had to wait for a voting booth to become available.

In Farmington a line of voters wait to cast their ballots in the Presidential election on Nov. 3. Other voters were in a voting booth or obtaining their ballots from the ballot clerks seen seated at right Pam Harnden/Livermore Falls Advertiser

A short time later only a few people waited outside the community center.

“The line isn’t as long as I thought it would be,” one voter was heard to say.

A volunteer noted there was a one-hour wait about 9 a.m.

In Farmington Tuesday, Nov. 3, from left ballot clerks Richard Morton and Richard Jacques watch as Cindy Williamson feeds her ballot into a voting machine. Pam Harnden/Livermore Falls Advertiser

Farmington voters had two ballots to complete. One included all the federal, state and local races, the other was seeking approval to lease part of the former landfill for a solar project.

By a vote of 2,992 to 788, approval was given for the lease. 106 voters did not cast a vote.

The electrical power generation and transmission project, known as the Farmington Landfill DG Solar Energy Center, will lease 25 acres of the closed landfill at 152 Dump Road for $1,250 per acre for 20 years. Boulevard Associates will own, build and operate the solar array.

Revenue to Farmington will be about $31,250 per year based on the lease. The project is also taxable.

Power generated will go into the electric grid and not be earmarked specifically for Farmington.

“Boulevard Associates is an affiliate of NextEra Energy Resources,” Town Manager Richard Davis said in an email last month. “The landfill project, however, is completely separate from NextEra’s Farmington Solar project currently under construction.”

Farmington was one of the few towns in Franklin County that saw more voters choosing former Vice-President Joseph Biden over President Donald J. Trump as the next President. 2,225 voted for Biden while 1,541 were for Trump. According to figures as of noon Wednesday, 7,981 voters in Franklin County had voted for Biden while 8,651 voted for Trump.

Farmington did follow the rest of the county in casting more votes for Senator Susan Collins and Congressman Jared Golden than for their opponents. Collins received 1,830 and Sarah Gideon received 1,752. Golden received 2,524 votes and Dale Crafts 1,367.

In state and local races, incumbents received more votes than their challengers. Senator Russell Black received 1,997 votes to Jan Collins’ 1,863. Representative Scott Landry had 2,303 votes to Stephan Bunker’s 1,543 and Sheriff Scott Nichols Sr. received 1,927 while Edward Hastings IV received 1,866.

In the Franklin County Commissioner District 2 race, Farmington voters chose Fenwick Fowler over Lance Harvell, 2,012 to 1,800. Franklin County as a whole elected Harvell to the position, 2,888 to 2,643.

Several people also registered to vote in Farmington on Tuesday.

There are 6,699 registered voters, Town Clerk Leanne Dickey said in an email Wednesday. In a phone call on Oct. 20, she had indicated there were 6,573.

“I am sorry I do not have a count yet regarding the (new) registered voters nor do I dare estimate that,” Dickey said in her email.