AUGUSTA — Hundreds of absentee ballots were reportedly mishandled in two Maine communities last week, but state officials say voters should still feel confident as absentee voting begins.

Monday marked the first day of in-person absentee voting across the state. During her annual press briefing, Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows addressed the incident and reassured voters that Maine’s elections remain secure.

“On the first day of absentee voting, every year we hold a media availability to walk through the process to remind voters that they can vote right now,” Bellows said.

Bellows said the City of Ellsworth received two boxes of absentee ballots as planned last Tuesday, but one of those boxes was missing five packets of ballots — a total of 250.

That same day, an unnamed woman

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