Early voting remained light as the deadline neared for picking up an absentee ballot in Wiscasset’s school committee election.

As of December 27, 44 absentee ballots had been given out, Town Clerk Christine Wolfe said. Twenty-six of those had already been turned in, although they can still be accepted until polls close on election day, January 7, Wolfe said.

Voters may still pick up an absentee ballot at the town office until 5 p.m., Thursday, January 2.

Polls will be open at the Wiscasset Community Center from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on election day. Voters will be seating Wiscasset’s first school committee since the town’s November decision to leave Regional School Unit 12.

Colleen Bennett and Wenonah Wirick are in a two-way race for a term that runs out in June 2014. Sharon Nichols, Douglas Smith and Steven Smith are in a three-way race for a pair of terms ending in June 2016.

Two other terms expire in June 2015. Eugene Stover and Glen T. Craig are on the ballot for those.