2026 Midterms State GuideMaine
Hold on to your lobster rolls and your L.L. Bean boots.
- PrimaryStatewideJune 9This date has passed.
- Election DayGeneralNov. 3
Updated
Hi! It’s me, Shadrach. Apparently, I’m your civic guide today. If you’ve been complaining about how things are going (and I’ve heard you, the walls are thin), this guide will help you feel informed and able to vote in this year’s midterms. Now, hold on to your lobster rolls and your L.L. Bean boots, and let’s get into it.
Maine at a glance
Maine votes on Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026, for governor, U.S. Senate and both U.S. House seats.
- Election Day
- Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026
- Voter registration
- Oct. 13: Voter registration deadline (online or by mail)
- Governor
- 5 candidates
- U.S. Senate
- 8 candidates
- U.S. House
- 2 seats
- Statewide ballot measures
- None
Your to-do list
0 of 3 doneImportant dates
- Sept. 19Overseas/military ballot transmission deadline (UOCAVA) This date has passed.
- Oct. 5 to Oct. 29In-person absentee (early) voting window
- Oct. 13Voter registration deadline (online or by mail)
- Oct. 27Voter registration deadline (DMV/state agencies)
- Oct. 29Absentee ballot request deadline
- Nov. 3Election Day
What’s at stake
Maine’s Senate race has been on the national stage. Democrat Graham Platner won the primary for U.S. Senate but a slew of scandals and allegations built up, leading to his withdrawal in July. Dems were forced to go back to the drawing board, nominating Troy Jackson as Graham’s replacement to face incumbent Susan Collins. Early polling has the candidates tied or Jackson up by a small margin and with Senate control on the line, Dems nationally will be watching this nail-biter closely. Voters are anxious about the economy, cost of living, and immigration, with 56% of respondents saying Trump's policies have hurt the economy. 17% said the economy would determine their Congressional vote in November, followed by control of Congress/support for party (12%) and character/competence of the candidate (10%).
Who’s on your ballot
Tap a race to see the candidates.
Maine is choosing a governor
See whose priorities line up with yours
Here are the top priorities each candidate lists, in their own words. Pick the 3 that matter most to you. Names stay hidden until you see your results.
0 of 3 picked
- Top priorities
Hannah PingreeDemocrat- Tackling climate change and building Maine's clean energy economy
- Making housing affordable and expanding access to education from early childhood through college
- Supporting Maine's working families through economic investment and healthcare access
- Top priorities
Bobby CharlesRepublican- Reforming Maine's education system and improving outcomes for students and families
- Strengthening Maine's economy through deregulation, energy affordability, and support for small businesses
- Addressing Maine's drug crisis and mental health challenges with practical, community-based solutions
- Top priorities
Rick BennettIndependent- Cutting costs by addressing the housing crisis, delivering a fairer tax system with real accountability on spending, lowering energy costs, reducing healthcare costs, and treating childcare as essential.
- Building strong schools by ensuring every child can read, write, and do math by fourth grade; keeping great teachers in Maine; connecting students to real careers; and making the state an easy place to come back to.
- Cleaning up corruption by ending insider deals, ending dark money, and making government transparent, modern, and measurable.
- Randy WilcoxRepublican
Write-in
- John GlowaIndependent
Write-in
- Get to know ’em
Troy JacksonDemocrat - Sigrid Ann OlsonDemocrat
Write-in
- Ashley WebbDemocrat
Write-in
- Joseph SteinbergerFaith in Humanity Party
Write-in
- Brent AndrewsUnaffiliated
Write-in
- Michael TurcotteUnenrolled
Write-in
- Gina OswaldIndependent
Write-in
All U.S. House of Representatives seats are up for election every two years. Find your district here.
- Shadrach’s Big Picture
Maine sends just 2 representatives to Congress. Both seats are currently held by Democrats. ME-2, which covers the vast rural northern half of the state, has historically been more competitive and was the first congressional district to split its electoral vote in modern history (2016 and 2020).
- Open seats
ME-2 is an open seat. Rep. Jared Golden (D) retired.
- Competitive Districts
ME-2 is rated as a more competitive district, likely but not solidly Republican, by most forecasters, while ME-1 is solidly Democratic. Candidates in both parties filed to run in both districts, so neither was guaranteed to either party.
Also on the ballot
Other races Maine voters will decide.
- State Senate
- State House
- Special state legislative
- Municipal government
Whose job is it?
Ten things government does. Tap the office that does each one.
Whose job is it to…
1 of 10
Declare a state of emergency after a hurricane or flood?
Pass it on
Know someone voting in Maine?
Send them the guide. It takes one tap, and it saves them an evening of arguing in a group chat.
From the newsroom
How TPO has covered Maine this cycle. Tap one to read it here.
- July 10Platner drops the race
Fresh allegations are rocking Maine’s Senate race. Last week, Marine turned oyster farmer turned Democratic candidate Graham Platner confirmed sending sexually explicit texts while married; then Thursday, a report from three past girlfriends described him as “toxic,” physically threatening, unfaithful, and a heavy drinker—which he denies. The controversies threaten Platner’s polling lead over incumbent moderate Republican Susan Collins in Dems’ must-win race.
One story from that day’s newsletter.
Read the full day’s news- June 3Platner scandals
- October 20, 2025Graham Platner faces backlash
A prayer for Maine
Father, all eyes have turned to the northeast. Steady the hearts of Mainers with Your steadfast care, which reaches as far as the east is from the west. Anchor voters so that they seek Your wisdom for “the way life should be.”
Keep candidates from performance, posturing, and contempt. Instead, help them campaign with transparency and integrity. May whoever wins steward the weight of this office well, leading with dignity and discernment.
For the many who will be disappointed by the result, comfort them in their grief and make Yourself known to them in their fear of tomorrow. Open doors for conversations about the good news that Your sovereignty is not suspended on election night, and your good purposes aren’t undone by any election cycle. Turn all Mainers’ hearts toward love of neighbor, humble service, and gracious speech this midterm season.
Amen.