Maine State Senate elections, 2020

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2020 Maine Senate Elections
General	November 3, 2020
Primary	July 14, 2020

Past Election Results

2018・2016・2014 2012・2010・2008

2020 Elections
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Democrats expanded their existing majority in the 2020 Senate elections but fell short of winning a supermajority. All 35 seats were up for election in 2020. Heading into the election, Democrats held a 21-14 majority. Democrats gained a net one seat in 2020, expanding their majority to 22-13. A 24-seat majority is required to override a gubernatorial veto.

Ballotpedia identified seven of the races as battlegrounds.

Democrats held three battleground districts (2, 20, and 30), and the incumbent was seeking re-election in Districts 2 and 20. Incumbents in Districts 2 and 20 received less than 55 percent of the vote in the 2018 election, and Donald Trump (R) won Districts 2 and 20.

Republicans held four battleground districts (13, 16, 17, and 34), and the incumbent was seeking re-election in Districts 13, 16, and 17. Incumbents in Districts 13, 16, and 17 received less than 55% of the vote in the 2018 election, and Hillary Clinton (D) won District 13 and 34.

Heading into the election, Maine had been under a Democratic trifecta since the party took the governorship and state Senate in the 2018 elections. Republicans needed to flip four seats in the state Senate or 20 seats in the state House to return the state to divided government. Republicans cannot win a trifecta in 2020 because the governorship was not up for election in 2020. Heading into the 2020 elections, 15 states were Democratic trifectas, 21 states were Republican trifectas, and 14 were under divided government.

The Maine State Senate was one of 86 state legislative chambers with elections in 2020. In 2018, 87 out of 99 legislative chambers held elections. All 35 seats in the Maine State Senate were up for election in 2018. There are 99 chambers throughout the country.

Maine's 2020 state legislative elections affected partisan control of redistricting following the 2020 census. In Maine, the state legislature is responsible for both congressional and state legislative redistricting. District plans are subject to gubernatorial veto. An advisory redistricting commission is also involved in the process.

Heading into the 2020 general election, Democrats controlled 39 out of 99 state legislative chambers in the U.S., while Republicans controlled 59 chambers. The Alaska House was the sole chamber in which there was a power-sharing agreement between the parties. Democrats also had trifectas in 15 states. A party has a trifecta when it controls the governorship and majorities in both state legislative chambers.

This election was a battleground race. Other 2020 battlegrounds included:

United States Senate election in Alabama, 2020 (July 14 Republican primary runoff) United States Senate election in Minnesota, 2020 Washington's 10th Congressional District election, 2020 (August 4 top-two primary)

Election procedure changes in 2020

See also: Changes to election dates, procedures, and administration in response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, 2020

Ballotpedia provided comprehensive coverage of how election dates and procedures changed in 2020. While the majority of changes occurred as a result of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, some changes occurred for other reasons.

Maine modified its voter registration procedures for the November 3, 2020, general election as follows:

• Voter registration: The voter pre-registration deadline in the general election was extended to October 19, 2020.

For a full timeline about election modifications made in response to the COVID-19 outbreak, click here.

Party control

See also: Partisan composition of state senates and State government trifectas

Maine State Senate
Party		As of November 3, 2020	After November 4, 2020
	Democratic Party	21	22
	Republican Party	14	13
Total		35	35

General

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Primary
The candidate list below is based on candidate filing lists provided by the Maine Secretary of State on March 16, 2020. (I) denotes an incumbent.

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2020 battleground chamber

See also: State legislative battleground chambers, 2020

The Maine State Senate was among 24 state legislative chambers Ballotpedia identified as battleground chambers for the 2020 cycle. Click here for more information on state legislative battlegrounds.

What was at stake?

• Republicans needed to gain four seats to take control of the chamber in 2020.

• If Republicans had flipped the chamber, they would have broken the Democratic trifecta. If Democrats had maintained their majorities in the state House and Senate, they would have preserved their trifecta.

Why was it a battleground?

• Seats needed to flip: Republicans needed to flip four of the 35 seats up (11%) in order to win control of the chamber.

• Seats decided by 10% or less in 2018: In the 2018 elections, there were seven races (20% of the chamber) decided by a margin of 10% or smaller.

• Seats flipped in 2018: In the 2018 elections, four of the 35 seats up (11% of the chamber) changed partisan control.

• 2018 battleground chamber: The Maine State Senate was a battleground chamber in 2018. That year, Democrats gained control of four seats from Republicans to win control of the chamber. Read more about the 2018 elections here.

• History of recent flips: Control of the Maine State Senate flipped four times between 2010 and 2020. Republicans gained a majority in 2010, followed by a Democratic majority in 2012, a return to a Republican majority in 2014, and a return to a Democratic majority in 2018.

• Race ratings: The Cook Political Report rated the Maine State Senate a leans Democratic chamber in 2020, meaning that both parties had a good chance at winning control of the chamber but that Democrats were slightly favored to retain control.

Battleground races

Maine State Senate Battleground races
Republican seats
District 13
District 16
District 17
District 34
Democratic seats
District 2
District 20
District 30

Heading into the election, Ballotpedia identified seven battleground races in the Maine State Senate 2020 elections, four of which were Republican-held seats and three of which were Democratic-held seats. Based on analysis of these districts' electoral histories, these races had the potential to be more competitive than other races and could possibly have led to shifts in a chamber's partisan balance.

To determine state legislative battleground races in 2020, Ballotpedia looked for races that fit one or more of the four factors listed below:

1. In the last state legislative election, the winner received less than 55% of the vote.
2. The presidential candidate who won the district in 2016 is of a different party than the most recent state legislative election winner in the district, and the most recent state legislative election winner won by a margin of 10 percentage points or less.
3. The presidential candidate who won the district in 2016 is of a different party than the most recent state legislative election winner in the district, and the incumbent is not on the ballot this year.
4. The presidential candidate who won the district in 2016 is of a different party than the most recent state legislative election winner in the district, and that presidential candidate won the district by a margin of 20 percentage points or more.

District 2

What party controlled the seat heading into the election?

The Democratic Party

Who were the candidates running?

Harold Stewart Michael Carpenter (incumbent) Henry John Bear

What made this a battleground race?

This was a district where the winner received less than 55% of the vote in 2018. Michael Carpenter (D) was first elected in 2016 and was reelected in 2018, where he received 50.7 percent of the vote and defeated his Republican challenger by a margin of 1.4 percentage points. District 2 was one of 17 Maine Senate districts that Republican Donald Trump (R) won in the 2016 presidential election. Trump carried District 2 by a margin of 7.23 percentage points. Barack Obama (D) won the district in the 2012 presidential election by a margin of 21.52 percentage points.

District 13

What party controlled the seat heading into the election?

The Republican Party

Who were the candidates running?

Dana Dow (incumbent) Chloe Maxmin

What made this a battleground race?

This was a district where the winner received less than 55% of the vote in 2018. Dana Dow (R) was first elected in 2016 and was reelected in 2018, where he received 51.0 percent of the vote and defeated his Democratic challenger by a margin of 2 percentage points. District 13 was one of 18 Maine Senate districts that Democrat Hillary Clinton (D) won in the 2016 presidential election. Clinton carried District 13 by a margin of 0.26 percentage points. Barack Obama (D) won the district in the 2012 presidential election by a margin of 10.86 percentage points.

District 16

What party controlled the seat heading into the election?

The Republican Party

Who were the candidates running?

Scott Cyrway (incumbent) Hilary Koch

What made this a battleground race?

This was a district where the winner received less than 55% of the vote in 2018. Scott Cyrway (R) was first elected in 2014 and was reelected in 2018, where he received 49.5 percent of the vote and defeated his Democratic challenger by .8 points. District 16 was one of 17 Maine Senate districts that Republican Donald Trump (R) won in the 2016 presidential election. Trump carried District 16 by a margin of 0.75 percentage points. Barack Obama (D) won the district in the 2012 presidential election by a margin of 18.6 percentage points.

District 17

What party controlled the seat heading into the election?

The Republican Party

Who were the candidates running?

Russell Black (incumbent) Jan Collins

What made this a battleground race?

This was a district where the winner received less than 55% of the vote in 2018. Russell Black (R) was first elected in 2018, where he received 54.5 percent of the vote and defeated his Democratic challenger by 9 points. District 17 was one of 17 Maine Senate districts that Republican Donald Trump (R) won in the 2016 presidential election. Trump carried District 17 by a margin of 5.64 percentage points. Barack Obama (D) won the district in the 2012 presidential election by a margin of 16.89 percentage points.

District 20

What party controlled the seat heading into the election?

The Democratic Party

Who were the candidates running?

Matthew Leonard Ned Claxton (incumbent)

What made this a battleground race?

This was a district where the winner received less than 55% of the vote in 2018. Ned Claxton (D) was first elected in 2018, where he received 50.7 percent of the vote and defeated his Republican challenger by 1.4 points. District 20 was one of 17 Maine Senate districts that Republican Donald Trump (R) won in the 2016 presidential election. Trump carried District 20 by a margin of 7.15 percentage points. Barack Obama (D) won the district in the 2012 presidential election by a margin of 11.41 percentage points.

District 30

What party controlled the seat heading into the election?

The Democratic Party

Who were the candidates running?

Sara Rivard Stacy Brenner

What made this a battleground race?

This was a district where the winner received less than 55% of the vote in 2018. Linda Sanborn (D) was first elected in 2018, where he received 50.4 percent of the vote and defeated her Republican challenger by a margin of .8 percentage points. Sanborn did not file to run for re-election in 2020. District 30 was one of 18 Maine Senate districts that Democrat Hillary Clinton (D) won in the 2016 presidential election. Clinton carried District 30 by a margin 9.38 percentage points. Barack Obama (D) won the district in the 2012 presidential election by a margin of 11.71 percentage points.

District 34

What party controlled the seat heading into the election?

The Republican Party

Who were the candidates running?

Michael Pardue Joseph Rafferty

What made this a battleground race?

This was a district where the winner received less than 55% of the vote in 2018. Robert Foley (R) was first elected in 2018, where he received 51.7 percent of the vote and defeated his Democratic challenger by a margin of 3.4 percentage points. District 34 was one of 18 Maine Senate districts that Democrat Hillary Clinton (D) won in the 2016 presidential election. Clinton carried District 34 by a margin of .82 percentage points. Barack Obama (D) won the district in the 2012 presidential election by a margin of 7.28 percentage points.

Incumbents who were not re-elected

See also: Annual State Legislative Competitiveness Report: Vol. 10, 2020

Incumbents defeated in the general election

Two incumbents lost in the Nov. 3 general election. Those incumbents were:

Name	Party	Office
Michael Carpenter	Democratic	Senate District 2
Dana Dow	Republican	Senate District 13

Incumbents defeated in primary elections

No incumbents lost in the July 14 primaries.

Retiring incumbents

There were seven open seats where the incumbent legislator did not file for re-election in 2020. Those incumbents were:

Name	Party	Office
Geoffrey Gratwick	Democratic	Senate District 9
Erin Herbig	Democratic	Senate District 11
James Hamper	Republican	Senate District 19
Everett Brownie Carson	Democratic	Senate District 24
Rebecca Millett	Democratic	Senate District 29
Linda Sanborn	Democratic	Senate District 30
Robert Foley	Republican	Senate District 34

The seven seats left open in 2020 represented a decrease from the 12 left open in 2018. 2020 and 2016 share the lowest number of open seats within the preceding decade. The table below shows the number of open seats in each election held between 2010 and 2020.

Open Seats in Maine State Senate elections: 2010 - 2020
Year	Total seats	Open seats	Seats with incumbents running for re-election
2020	35	7 (20%)	28 (80%)
2018	35	12 (34%)	23 (66%)
2016	35	7 (20%)	28 (80%)
2014	35	8 (23%)	27 (77%)
2012	35	13 (37%)	22 (63%)
2010	35	10 (29%)	25 (71%)

Redistricting in Maine

See also: Redistricting in Maine

In Maine, both congressional and state legislative district boundaries are drawn by the state legislature. An advisory commission is also involved in the process. A two-thirds majority is required to approve new district maps, which are subject to veto by the governor.

The composition of the 15-member advisory redistricting commission is as follows:

1. The majority and minority leaders of the Maine State Senate each select two commissioners.
2. The majority and minority leaders of the Maine House of Representatives each appoint three commissioners.
3. The chairs of the state's two major political parties (i.e., the Republican and Democratic parties) each appoint one member.
4. The aforementioned 12 commissioners appoint two more members from the public, "with each party's representatives coordinating to choose one commissioner."
5. The two public commissioners appoint one additional member.

This commission may make recommendations to the state legislature regarding redistricting, but the legislature is not bound to abide by the commission's recommendations. If the state legislature is unable to pass a redistricting plan, the responsibility falls to the Maine Supreme Court.

State statutes require that congressional districts be compact and contiguous, In addition, state laws require that congressional districts "cross political subdivision lines as few times as possible."

The Maine Constitution mandates that state legislative districts be "compact and contiguous, and that they cross political subdivision lines as few times as possible."

Process to become a candidate

See also: Ballot access requirements for political candidates in Maine

For party candidates

See statutes: Title 21-A, Chapter 5, Subchapter 1, Article 4 of the Maine Revised Statutes

Political party candidates must petition for placement on the primary election ballot. Signature requirements vary according to the office being sought.

Signature requirements for party candidates
Office sought	Required signatures
Governor, United States Senator	At least 2,000 signatures, but no more than 3,000
United States Representative	At least 1,000 signatures, but no more than 1,500
State Senator	At least 100 signatures, but no more than 150
State Representative	At least 25 signatures, but no more than 40

Before petitions can be submitted to the Maine Secretary of State, signatures must be verified by the registrar of voters or municipal clerk in the municipality where the signatures were collected. For more information regarding specific petition requirements, see below.

A political party candidate must also submit a "Consent of Candidate" form. The form must contain a statement signed by the candidate indicating that he or she will accept the nomination of the primary election. The form must also include the candidate's address, party designation, and a statement indicating that the candidate meets the qualifications for the office being sought. The candidate must sign the form before a notary public. The "Consent of Candidate" form must be filed along with the candidate's petition paperwork.

The filing deadline is set by state statutes as 5 p.m. on March 15 in the year of the election. If March 15 falls on a non-business day, the deadline is extended to the next business day.

For independent candidates

See statutes: Title 21-A, Chapter 5, Subchapter 2 of the Maine Revised Statutes

Independent candidates must petition for placement on the general election ballot. Signature requirements vary according to the office being sought.

Signature requirements for independent candidates
Office sought	Required signatures
Governor, United States Senator	At least 4,000 signatures, but no more than 6,000
United States Representative	At least 2,000 signatures, but no more than 3,000
State Senator	At least 200 signatures, but no more than 300
State Representative	At least 50 signatures, but no more than 80

Before petitions can be submitted to the Maine Secretary of State, signatures must be verified by the registrar of voters or municipal clerk in the municipality where the signatures were collected. Petitions for independent candidates must be submitted for verification by 5 p.m. on May 25 (this date is set by state statutes; in the event that May 25 falls on a non-business day, the deadline is extended to the next business day). For more information regarding specific petition requirements, see below.

An independent candidate must also file a "Non-party Candidate's Consent" form. The form must include the candidate's address, a declaration that the candidate has not been enrolled in a qualified political party after March 1 of the election year, and a statement indicating that the candidate meets the qualifications for the office being sought. The candidate must sign the form before a notary public. The "Non-party Candidate's Consent" form must be filed along with the candidate's petition paperwork.

The filing deadline is set by statute as 5 p.m. on June 1 of the election year. If June 1 falls on a non-business day, the deadline is extended to the next business day.

For write-in candidates

See statutes: Title 21-A, Chapter 9, Subchapter 3, Article 1 of the Maine Revised Statutes

In order to have his or her votes tallied, a write-in candidate for either the primary or general election must file a declaration of write-in candidacy with the Maine Secretary of State by 5 p.m. on the 45th day prior to the election.

2020 ballot access requirements

The table below details filing requirements for Maine State Senate candidates in the 2020 election cycle.

Filing requirements for state legislative candidates, 2020
Chamber name	Party	Signatures required	Filing fee	Filing deadline	Source
Maine State Senate	Qualified party	100	N/A	3/16/2020	Source
Maine State Senate	Unaffiliated	200	N/A	6/1/2020	Source

Qualifications

See also: State legislature candidate requirements by state

Section 6 of Part 2 of Article 4 of the Maine Constitution states, "The Senators shall be 25 years of age at the commencement of the term, for which they are elected, and in all other respects their qualifications shall be the same as those of the Representatives."

Salaries and per diem

See also: Comparison of state legislative salaries

State legislative salaries, 2024
Salary	Per diem
$16,245.12 for the first regular session. $11,668.32 for the second regular session.	$70/day for lodging (or round-trip mileage up to $0.55/mile in lieu of housing, plus tolls). $50/day for meals.

When sworn in

See also: When state legislators assume office after a general election

Maine legislators assume office on the first Wednesday of December following the general election.

2020 battleground chamber

See also: State legislative battleground chambers, 2020

The Maine State Senate was among 24 state legislative chambers Ballotpedia identified as battleground chambers for the 2020 cycle. Click here for more information on state legislative battlegrounds.

What was at stake?

• Republicans needed to gain four seats to take control of the chamber in 2020.

• If Republicans had flipped the chamber, they would have broken the Democratic trifecta. If Democrats had maintained their majorities in the state House and Senate, they would have preserved their trifecta.

Why was it a battleground?

• Seats needed to flip: Republicans needed to flip four of the 35 seats up (11%) in order to win control of the chamber.

• Seats decided by 10% or less in 2018: In the 2018 elections, there were seven races (20% of the chamber) decided by a margin of 10% or smaller.

• Seats flipped in 2018: In the 2018 elections, four of the 35 seats up (11% of the chamber) changed partisan control.

• 2018 battleground chamber: The Maine State Senate was a battleground chamber in 2018. That year, Democrats gained control of four seats from Republicans to win control of the chamber. Read more about the 2018 elections here.

• History of recent flips: Control of the Maine State Senate flipped four times between 2010 and 2020. Republicans gained a majority in 2010, followed by a Democratic majority in 2012, a return to a Republican majority in 2014, and a return to a Democratic majority in 2018.

• Race ratings: The Cook Political Report rated the Maine State Senate a leans Democratic chamber in 2020, meaning that both parties had a good chance at winning control of the chamber but that Democrats were slightly favored to retain control.

Maine political history

Trifectas

A state government trifecta is a term that describes single-party government, when one political party holds the governor's office and has majorities in both chambers of the legislature in a state government.

Maine Party Control: 1992-2024
Fourteen years of Democratic trifectas  •  Two years of Republican trifectas
Scroll left and right on the table below to view more years.

Year	92	93	94	95	96	97	98	99	00	01	02	03	04	05	06	07	08	09	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	19	20	21	22	23	24
Governor	R	R	R	I	I	I	I	I	I	I	I	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	R	D	D	D	D	D	D
Senate	D	D	D	R	R	D	D	D	D	S	S	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	R	R	D	D	R	R	R	R	D	D	D	D	D	D
House	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	R	R	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D

Presidential politics in Maine

2016 Presidential election results

U.S. presidential election, Maine, 2016
Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes	Electoral votes
	Democratic	Hillary Clinton/Tim Kaine	47.8%	357,735	3
	Republican	Donald Trump/Mike Pence	44.9%	335,593	1
	Libertarian	Gary Johnson/Bill Weld	5.1%	38,105	0
	Green	Jill Stein/Ajamu Baraka	1.9%	14,251	0
	-	Other/Write-in	0.3%	2,243	0
Total Votes				747,927	4
Election results via: Federal Election Commission

Voter information

How the primary works

A primary election is an election in which registered voters select a candidate that they believe should be a political party's candidate for elected office to run in the general election. They are also used to choose convention delegates and party leaders. Primaries are state-level and local-level elections that take place prior to a general election. Maine utilizes a semi-closed primary process, in which both registered party members and unaffiliated voters may participate. Unaffiliated voters may vote in one partisan primary of their choosing in each election.

For information about which offices are nominated via primary election, see this article.

Poll times

In Maine, municipalities with a population of 500 or more open their polls between 6:00 a.m. and 8:00 a.m., while municipalities with a population of less than 500 open their polls between 6:00 a.m. and 10:00 a.m. All polls close at 8:00 p.m. An individual who is in line at the time polls close must be allowed to vote.

Registration requirements

Check your voter registration status here.

To register to vote in Maine, one must be "a United States citizen, at least 16 years of age to pre-register to vote, and have established a fixed principal home in Maine. To vote in a Referendum or General Election, you must be registered in the community where you reside, and be at least 18 years of age. A 17 year old may vote in a Primary Election, if that person will be 18 by the General Election."

Voters can return completed registration cards in person or by mail to their town office or city hall, any Motor Vehicle branch office, most state & federal social service agencies, or a voter registration drive. There is no deadline for voter registration if completed in person. If registering by mail, the deadline is 21 days prior to the election.

When registering for the first time in Maine, voters must provide documents verifying their identity and residence. The following documents are acceptable identification for the purpose of registering to vote:

• Government ID with a photo (i.e. driver’s license, State ID, valid U.S. Passport, military ID, ID card issued by a federally recognized Indian tribe)
• Government ID without photo (i.e. certified birth certificate or signed Social Security card)
• Other official document showing the name and address of voter (i.e. eligibility for public benefits, utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck)
• Student photo ID from a state-approved public or private school or institute of higher education in Maine
• Maine driver’s license number or last four digits of Social Security Number

Automatic registration

On June 19, 2019, Gov. Janet Mills signed an automatic voter registration bill into law that was scheduled for implementation in 2022. The law registers voters through the Department of Motor Vehicles.

Online registration

See also: Online voter registration

Maine has implemented an online voter registration system. Residents can register to vote by visiting this website.

Governor Janet T. Mills (D) signed L.D. 1126 into law on July 9, 2021, allowing online voter registration in Maine. This legislation went into effect on November 1, 2023.

Same-day registration

Maine allows same-day voter registration.

Residency requirements

To register to vote in Maine, you must be a resident of the state. State law does not specify a length of time for which you must have been a resident to be eligible.

Verification of citizenship

See also: Laws permitting noncitizens to vote in the United States

Maine does not require proof of citizenship for voter registration. An individual must attest that they are a U.S. citizen when registering to vote.

All 49 states with voter registration systems require applicants to declare that they are U.S. citizens in order to register to vote in state and federal elections, under penalty of perjury or other punishment. As of November 2024, five states — Alabama, Arizona, Georgia, Kansas, and New Hampshire — had passed laws requiring verification of citizenship at the time of voter registration. However, only two of those states' laws were in effect, in Arizona and New Hampshire. In three states — California, Maryland, and Vermont — at least one local jurisdiction allowed noncitizens to vote in some local elections as of November 2024. Noncitizens registering to vote in those elections must complete a voter registration application provided by the local jurisdiction and are not eligible to register as state or federal voters.

Verifying your registration

The Maine voter information lookup service allows residents to check their voter registration status online.

Voter ID requirements

Maine does not require voters to present identification while voting. If a voter registers to vote on Election Day, he or she must provide identification and proof of residence.

Early voting

Maine permits early voting. Learn more by visiting this website.

Early voting permits citizens to cast ballots in person at a polling place prior to an election. In states that permit no-excuse early voting, a voter does not have to provide an excuse for being unable to vote on Election Day. States that allow voters to cast no-excuse absentee/mail-in ballots in person are counted as no-excuse early voting states.

As of February 2024, 47 states and the District of Columbia permitted no-excuse early voting.

Absentee voting

All voters are eligible to vote absentee in Maine. There are no special eligibility requirements for voting absentee.

To vote absentee, an application must be received by election officials no earlier than three months prior to the election and no later than the third business day before the election. A returned absentee ballot must then be received by election officials by 8:00 p.m. on Election Day.

Ranked-choice voting

Ranked-choice voting in Maine

Maine uses ranked-choice voting for all federal and state-level (e.g., governor, state senator, and state representative) primary elections. Ranked-choice voting is used in general elections for federal offices only (i.e., U.S. Congress and the presidency).

Click here for information on the history of ranked-choice voting in Maine.

How ranked-choice voting works

Broadly speaking, the ranked-choice voting process unfolds as follows for single-winner elections:

1. Voters rank the candidates for a given office by preference on their ballots.
2. If a candidate wins an outright majority of first-preference votes (i.e., 50 percent plus one), he or she will be declared the winner.
3. If, on the other hand, no candidates win an outright majority of first-preference votes, the candidate with the fewest first-preference votes is eliminated.
4. All first-preference votes for the failed candidate are eliminated, lifting the second-preference choices indicated on those ballots.
5. A new tally is conducted to determine whether any candidate has won an outright majority of the adjusted voters.
6. The process is repeated until a candidate wins a majority of votes cast.

Example

Assume that there are four candidates for mayor in a hypothetical city. The table below presents the raw first-preference vote totals for each candidate.

Raw first-preference vote tallies in a hypothetical mayoral race
Candidate	First-preference votes	Percentage
Candidate A	475	46.34%
Candidate B	300	29.27%
Candidate C	175	17.07%
Candidate D	75	7.32%

In the above scenario, no candidate won an outright majority of first-preference votes. As a result, the candidate (Candidate D) with the smallest number of first-preference votes is eliminated. The ballots that listed candidate D as the first preference are adjusted, raising their second-preference candidates. Assume that, of the 75 first-preference votes for Candidate D, 50 listed Candidate A as their second preference and 25 listed Candidate B. The adjusted vote totals would be as follows:

Adjusted vote tallies in a hypothetical mayoral race
Candidate	Adjusted first-preference votes	Percentage
Candidate A	525	51.22%
Candidate B	325	31.71%
Candidate C	175	17.07%

On the second tally, Candidate A secured 51.22 percent of the vote, thereby winning the election.

Note: The above is a simplified example used for illustrative purposes. Specific procedures vary by jurisdiction and according to the nature of the election (i.e., whether it is a single-winner or multi-winner contest).

See also

• Maine State Senate
• Maine State Legislature
• State legislative elections, 2020

External links

Suggest a link

• Maine State Legislature

Footnotes

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Current members of the Maine State Senate

Leadership

Senate President:Troy Jackson

Senators

District 1

Troy Jackson (D)

District 2

Harold Stewart (R)

District 3

Bradlee Farrin (R)

District 4

Stacey Guerin (R)

District 5

Russell Black (R)

District 6

Marianne Moore (R)

District 7

Nicole Grohoski (D)

District 8

Mike Tipping (D)

District 9

Joe Baldacci (D)

District 10

Peter Lyford (R)

District 11

Glenn Curry (D)

District 12

Anne Beebe-Center (D)

District 13

Cameron Reny (D)

District 14

Craig Hickman (D)

District 15

Matthew Pouliot (R)

District 16

David LaFountain (D)

District 17

Jeffrey Timberlake (R)

District 18

Richard Bennett (R)

District 19

Lisa Keim (R)

District 20

Vacant

District 21

Margaret Rotundo (D)

District 22

James Libby (R)

District 23

Matthea Daughtry (D)

District 24

Eloise Vitelli (D)

District 25

Teresa Pierce (D)

District 26

Timothy Nangle (D)

District 27

Jill Duson (D)

District 28

Benjamin Chipman (D)

District 29

Anne Carney (D)

District 30

Stacy Brenner (D)

District 31

Donna Bailey (D)

District 32

Henry Ingwersen (D)

District 33

Matthew Harrington (R)

District 34

Joseph Rafferty (D)

District 35

Mark Lawrence (D)

Democratic Party (22)

Republican Party (12)

Vacancies (1)