Thursday is the last day for most voters in Maine to request an absentee ballot or cast an absentee ballot in person at their municipal office.

No-excuse absentee voting, which allows voters to cast ballots early for any reason, whether from home or in person at their town or city hall, ends at the close of business Thursday.

After the close of business Thursday, voters may still request and receive an absentee ballot when special circumstances exist, such as an unexpected hospitalization.

All absentee ballots must be returned to municipal clerks by 8 p.m. on Election Day to be counted.

Voters will be deciding the presidential election, races for U.S. Senate and the House of Representatives, five state referendums and all 186 seats in the Maine Legislature.

“With a week to go to Election Day, we are in full swing with absentee voting and final preparations for next Tuesday,” Deputy Maine Secretary of State Julie Flynn said in a written statement. “Many Maine voters have already cast their ballots, and local election administrators are poised and ready to ensure the remainder of Maine voters are able to cast their ballots by 8 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 5.”

As of 3 p.m. Monday, more than 243,000 Maine voters had already cast their ballots. The state has about 955,285 active registered voters.

Absentee ballots may be requested through the state’s online portal, by calling or visiting your town or city hall to request a ballot or by submitting a paper application.

Once a ballot request is submitted, voters can track the process of their request through an online tool provided by the Maine Department of the Secretary of State. The tracker also allows voters to check and see if their ballot has been accepted or rejected, and if a voter’s ballot is rejected they will be able to cast a different ballot on Election Day.

The U.S. Postal Service recommended that ballots being returned by mail be sent by Tuesday to ensure delivery.

Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows has also encouraged voters to use drop boxes or return their ballot to their municipal clerk in person in order to lighten the load on the Postal Service and give themselves greater certainty that their ballot is received on time.

Some town and city offices will have extended hours for in-person absentee voting Thursday. The Portland city clerk’s office will be open until 7 p.m. for voter registrations and in-person absentee voting.