A Wiscasset resident has filed a complaint with the town clerk and the selectmen regarding ballot questions 1 and 2 on the town of Wiscasset’s special election ballot.

In an email to the town office Tuesday after noon, William Phinney wrote, “Please accept this as a complaint to you, the clerk of the town of Wiscasset against the Wiscasset Selectmen. This complaint demands performance and determination of Wiscasset voter rights.”

Questions 1 and 2 listed on the November 6 ballot do not include the statement that copies of the text of the ordinance are available from the town clerk, and according to Phinney, those words should have been added to the ballot.

According to Phinney’s email to the town clerk, “The ballot shows the selectmen have acted and held unreasonable preconceived judgments and convictions and disenfranchised the public at large.

“You state they have met the legal requirements by holding a public hearing. You may take this legal position but ethically they lack engagement of the voters produced no public comments at the hearing.”

Phinney also asked the town clerk to verify in writing that this oversight nullifies the Wiscasset vote of these ordinance changes.

Apparently the wording on the ballot will not nullify the vote; late Tuesday afternoon Wolfe received word from Richard Flewelling, Assistant Director of Legal Services at Maine Municipal Association telling her the wording on the ballot does not need any additional information.

Wolfe’s position is there was a public hearing on October 6, which was publicized in the local newspapers, the wording of the ordinances are not printed on the ballot as they are longer than 10 pages, and on the warrant announcing the town meeting under each question it is written, “Due to the length of this ordinance the full text is available in the Clerk’s office.”

Wolfe also indicated copies of the ordinances are on the town website and will be available at the polls on Election Day. According to Wolfe, about 100 absentee ballots have been given out, and in each of them has been an insert informing them the full text of the ordinances are available at the town office, and on the town website.

Megan Sanborn, the media contact for the Bureau of Election & Commissions in Augusta, was asked Tuesday morning about the wording on the ballot, and she said, the state doesn’t involve itself in municipal elections.

Question 1 wording on the ballot; “Shall an ordinance entitled ‘Subdivision Review’ be adopted?”

Question 2 wording on the ballot;   “Shall an ordinance entitled ‘Site Plan Review’ be adopted.”