LEWISTON, Maine – Lewiston voters head to the polls Tuesday to decide the fate of a $129.71 million public school budget in a city already struggling with crime, shootings, litter and rising pressure on taxpayers.
The referendum vote, scheduled for Tuesday, May 12, 2026, will determine whether the Lewiston Public Schools budget for the upcoming school year moves forward or is sent back to local officials for another round of cuts and revisions.
All voting will take place at the Longley School gym, located at 145 Birch Street. Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Parking is available across the street at the Colisée parking lot.
For residents still holding absentee ballots, those ballots must be returned by 8 p.m. Tuesday. Ballots may be submitted through the drop box at City Hall’s Park Street entrance, mailed in time to arrive by the deadline, or hand-delivered directly to City Hall.
At the center of the vote is a school budget that officials have described as the product of a difficult and painful process. School leaders have said the proposal is less about expanding the district and more about maintaining current operations in the face of rising costs.
Even so, the budget represents a significant increase.
The $129.71 million proposal reflects an overall spending hike of roughly 8 to 10 percent over the current year. It was previously approved by the Lewiston City Council in a 6-1 vote before being sent to voters for final consideration.
The vote comes at a tense moment for Maine’s second-largest city.
Lewiston has been grappling with a series of public safety and quality-of-life concerns, including shootings involving young people, broader concerns about crime, and visible disorder in parts of the city. Against that backdrop, the school budget vote carries added weight for residents who are being asked to fund a growing school budget while also questioning whether city leaders are keeping neighborhoods safe, clean and affordable.
To reduce the impact on taxpayers, the proposed budget includes the elimination of 26 positions, 19 of which are currently staffed. The cuts include tech integration coaches, librarians, a social worker, and administrative positions.
Supporters of the budget argue the proposal is necessary to maintain school operations and avoid deeper disruptions. Critics are likely to focus on the size of the spending increase at a time when many Lewiston residents are already facing higher costs and increasing concerns about the direction of the city.
A “Yes” vote would adopt the budget for the upcoming school year.
A “No” vote would send the proposal back to the School Committee and City Council for further adjustments.
For Lewiston voters, Tuesday’s referendum is more than a routine school budget vote. It is a test of public confidence in a city where residents are being asked to invest more money into local government while demanding better results from the institutions responsible for educating children, protecting neighborhoods and maintaining public trust.
A lot of money for inferior results.