BRUNSWICK, Maine — Brunswick Town Councilor Corey Perreault used Monday night's council meeting, on the eve of Election Day, to remind residents that federal law bars Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents and other armed federal officers from polling places.

"Sending ICE or any other armed federal agent to the polls is illegal because federal law bans federal officers from interfering in elections," Perreault, who represents District 4, said during the Nov. 2 meeting, adding that federal law also bans "troops and armed federal agents from being deployed anywhere an election is held."

Perreault said the reminder was meant to prevent confusion "in case someone that is not part of Brunswick law enforcement shows up in a military or law enforcement garb."

"I don't want any of our residents to feel intimidated or to decide not to vote because there's a concern of that," Perreault said. Perreault also said the National Guard had been called up by the executive branch the previous week and argued that members of the Maine National Guard under federal direction "are not allowed to be a part of our local election."

The remarks followed a report from Town Manager Henzi on election security. Henzi said no federal monitors were expected in Brunswick, though South Portland, Portland and Lewiston would have them. Henzi said the town's chief election warden and deputies are responsible for running the election and can call on police special details if there is a disturbance or intimidation.

Henzi also said the town clerk's office had sent out 8,348 absentee ballots and 8,069 had been returned, which Henzi called "a very heavy use of absentee ballots this year." Polls at the Recreation Center were to be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Tuesday.