Maine elections, 2016
- ️Sat Mar 05 2016
From Ballotpedia
Welcome to the Maine elections portal for 2016. Scroll down for information about what was on the ballot, election dates, voting, and more. Maine saw elections for the offices listed below in 2016. Click the links to navigate to Ballotpedia's overview pages for each of these elections, where you will find background, candidate lists, dates, analysis, and more.
As a result of the 2016 election, the state government of Maine maintained divided partisan control. With a Republican governor, Republicans maintained control of the state Senate with 18 seats to Democrats' 17 seats. The Democrats maintained control of the state House with 76 seats to Republicans' 72 seats.
Both the state Senate and state House were rated 2016 battleground chambers by Ballotpedia. The Republican Legislative Campaign Committee (RLCC) identified the Maine State Senate as a target in the 2016 elections.
Maine has two U.S. Senate seats and two U.S. House seats. Both of the U.S. House seats were up for election in November. Maine's 2nd U.S. House district election was a battleground race, but the seat was retained by Republican incumbent Bruce Poliquin. Maine's first congressional district was also won by its incumbent, Chellie Pingree (D).
Maine is one of 26 states, as well as Washington, D.C., that offer initiative and/or veto referendum rights for its citizens. Six statewide ballot measures were certified for the ballot in 2016. Five questions, including a measure to raise the state minimum wage to $12 per hour by 2020, passed. One measure failed.
Hillary Clinton won three of Maine's four split electoral votes while Donald Trump won one in the 2016 general election for president. The 2016 presidential election marked the first time in Maine's history that its electoral votes were split. Barack Obama carried Maine in both the 2008 and 2012 presidential elections. See also: Presidential election in Maine, 2016.
Voting
| Dates | |
|---|---|
| Presidential primary dates | |
| Maine election dates | |
| 3/5/2016 | Presidential caucus (Republican) |
| 3/6/2016 | Presidential caucus (Democratic) |
| 6/14/2016 | State primary |
| 11/8/2016 | General election (nationwide) |
| Ballot access dates | |
| 3/15/2016 | Filing deadline for primary candidates (signatures must be verified by local registrars prior to final filing) |
| 5/25/2016 | Non-party candidates must file petition signatures with local registrars for verification prior to final filing |
| 6/1/2016 | Filing deadline for non-party candidates |
Find answers to common questions about voting in Maine below.
- How do I register to vote?
- Is there an early voting period?
- Who is eligible for absentee voting?
- What are the voter ID laws in Maine?
- What time were the polls open?
General information about voting or getting on the ballot is provided at the following links.
Official elections page: Maine Bureau of Corporations, Elections & Commissions - Elections & Voting
Primary election
See Primary elections in Maine.
Elections to watch
Below is a selection of high-profile Maine elections in 2016.- Maine's 2nd Congressional District election, 2016
- Maine House of Representatives elections, 2016
- Maine State Senate elections, 2016
What makes an election notable?
History
Presidential Voting Pattern
The percentages below show Maine voter preference in general election presidential races from 2000 to 2012.[1]
For more information, see: Presidential voting trends in Maine.
Maine vote percentages
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U.S. vote percentages
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See also
Footnotes
Ballotpedia uses these criteria to identify notable elections:
- Incumbents facing more conservative or liberal challengers
- Rematches between candidates
- Elections that receive considerable media attention
- Elections that could significantly affect the state's partisan balance
- Noteworthy elections involving party leaders
- Open, competitive elections with Republican and Democratic primaries
- Elections that capture money and attention from outside groups, including key endorsements