By Dawn DeBusk

Staff Writer
CASCO — Following the 2014 Gubernatorial and local elections, Casco’s public officials are reviewing ways to make the polling experience better.
Selectman Holly Hancock suggested that the town add an election coordinator to the municipal budget in the future.
She said the Casco Community Center is bristling with activity during Election Day. Not only do people come to vote, but they attend a Business Showcase in the town’s gymnasium.
“We have lots of people working hard to make sure that we have a good election,” she said.
“We have no one looking at the bigger picture. Since our objective is to have a good election with accurate results,” this is something the town should pursue, Hancock said.
Town Manager Dave Morton said he and staff have been “talking about ways to make polling faster for next time.”
The polling process was slowed down since many residents registered as voters on Election Day, he said.
Also, this year, the Town of Casco was divided into two voting districts — based on where people lived, Morton said. That meant Election Day workers had to make certain that people received the ballot that corresponded to their district.
Lastly, the ballot counting machine was malfunctioning, Morton said. It happened during a high-traffic time for voting around 6 p.m.
The machine “is the one the state requires us to use,” he said.
Basically, the town cannot quit using the state-mandated equipment; but there are steps that can be taken to expedite the polling process for residents, he said.