Democratic Party primaries in Maine, 2018
- General election: Nov. 6
- Voter registration deadline: Oct. 16, or Nov. 6 (in-person)
- Early voting: When ballots become available through Nov. 1
- Absentee voting deadline: Nov. 6
- Online registration: No
- Same-day registration: Yes
- Voter ID: No
- Poll times: 6:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
| Democratic Party primaries, 2018 |
 |
| Primary Date |
| June 12, 2018 |
| Federal elections |
| Democratic primary for U.S. Senate |
| Democratic primaries for U.S. House |
| State elections |
| Democratic primaries for Maine legislature |
| Democratic primary for governor |
| State party |
| Democratic Party of Maine |
| State political party revenue |
Primary elections—in which registered voters select a candidate whom they believe should run on their party's ticket in the general election—can reflect internal conflict over the direction of a party.
Heading into the 2018 election, the Democratic Party sought to increase its power at the state and federal levels under the Trump administration. Its membership, however, disagreed on several major policy areas, including healthcare, free trade, education funding, a federal job guarantee, and a proposal to abolish U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).[1][2]
Candidates endorsed by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee won 31 of 33 primaries in 2018.[3] Democratic Socialists of America member Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's (D) primary victory over incumbent Joseph Crowley (D) in New York's 14th Congressional District was a notable victory for progressive activists.[4][5][6]
Democrats also won a U.S. Senate seat in Alabama for the first time in 30 years and flipped longtime Republican seats in the Wisconsin state Senate and Pennsylvania's 18th Congressional District. A record number of Republican congressional retirements also led to large Democratic fields for typically non-competitive seats.[7]
This page focuses on the Democratic primaries that took place in Maine on June 12, 2018. In addition, the page provides context for understanding the state party apparatus.
Battleground primaries
Battleground elections are those that Ballotpedia expected would either be more competitive than other races or attract significant national attention.
Federal elections
U.S. Senate
U.S. House
District 1
- Chellie Pingree (Incumbent) ✔
District 2
State elections
Maine Party Control: 1992-2025
Fifteen 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 | 25 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | 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 | 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 | D |
Gubernatorial election
Democratic primary candidates
Did not make the ballot:
State legislative elections
Ballotpedia identified battleground races in the 2018 Maine state legislative Democratic primary elections. These primaries had the potential to be more competitive than other races and could have led to changes in the membership of the Democratic caucus or had an impact on general election races.
To determine the Maine state legislative Democratic primary battleground races in 2018, Ballotpedia examined races that fit one or more of the three factors listed below:
- Identified by the media as a notable primary election.
- One or more of the candidates received a notable endorsement.
- The primary was known to be competitive based on past results or because it was a rematch of a primary that was competitive in the past.
State party overview
- See also: Democratic Party of Maine
State political party revenue
State political parties typically deposit revenue in separate state and federal accounts in order to comply with state and federal campaign finance laws. The following table displays the Democratic Party of Maine's revenue over a six-year period from 2011 to 2016. Revenue totals are broken down by account type and year. The data was compiled through publicly available state and federal campaign finance reports.
| Democratic Party of Maine revenue, 2011 to 2016[9][10] | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Federal account | State account(s) | Total |
| 2011 | $411,392.81 | $263,711.99 | $675,104.80 |
| 2012 | $990,070.40 | $2,649,252.92 | $3,639,323.32 |
| 2013 | $398,222.88 | $508,092.34 | $906,315.22 |
| 2014 | $1,135,549.53 | $3,430,866.24 | $4,566,415.77 |
| 2015 | $364,078.36 | $426,344.01 | $790,422.37 |
| 2016 | $5,265,691.52 | $2,799,693.14 | $8,065,384.66 |
Maine compared to other states
The Democratic Party and the Republican Party maintain state affiliates in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and select U.S. territories. The following maps display total state political party revenue per capita for the Democratic and Republican state party affiliates from 2011 to 2016. The blue map displays Democratic state parties and the red map displays Republican state parties. Click on a state below to view the state party's revenue per capita totals:
Total Democratic and Republican state political party revenue per capita in the United States, 2011-2016
Primary election scheduling
Maine was one of five states to hold a primary election on June 12, 2018.
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.[11][12]
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.[13]
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."[14]
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.[14]
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[14]
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.[15]
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.[16]
Same-day registration
Maine allows same-day voter registration.[14][17]
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
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.[18]
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.[19] As of January 2025, six states — Alabama, Arizona, Georgia, Kansas, Louisiana, 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.[20]
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.[21]
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.[21]
See also
| Federal primaries in Maine | State primaries in Maine | Maine state party apparatus | Maine voter information |
|---|---|---|---|
 |
 |
 |
 |
Footnotes
- ↑ CNN, "Why a 'federal jobs guarantee' is gaining steam with Democrats," April 26, 2018
- ↑ The Atlantic, "What ‘Abolish ICE’ Actually Means," July 11, 2018
- ↑ CNBC, "Despite Ocasio-Cortez upset, Democratic primaries have not gone as far left as some argue," June 28, 2018
- ↑ New York Times, "There Is a Revolution on the Left. Democrats Are Bracing." July 21, 2018
- ↑ New York Times, "Democrats Are Moving Left. Don’t Panic," July 23, 2018
- ↑ Time, "How Democrats in Congress Responded to Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's Surprise Win," June 28, 2018
- ↑ CNN, "9 Democratic primaries to watch in 2018," October 26, 2017
- ↑ The Hill, "DNC votes down resolution demanding Sanders, King join Dem Party," October 20, 2017
- ↑ Maine Commission on Governmental Ethics & Election Practices, "Maine Ethics Commission Public Disclosure Site," accessed May 2016 (Search terms Maine Republican Party and Maine Democratic State Committee)
- ↑ Federal Election Commission, "Candidate and Committee Viewer," accessed May 2016 (Search terms Maine Republican Party and Maine Democratic State Committee)
- ↑ NCSL, "State Primary Election Types," accessed June 12, 2024
- ↑ Main Legislature Revised Statutes, "§341. Unenrolled voter participation in primary elections allowed," accessed June 12, 2024
- ↑ Maine Revised Statutes, "Title 21-A, Chapter 9, Section 626," accessed April 14, 2023
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 14.2 14.3 Maine Bureau of Corporations, Elections & Commissions, "State of Maine Voter Guide," accessed April 14, 2023
- ↑ WMTW 8, “Maine governor signs automatic voter registration bill into law,” June 21, 2019
- ↑ Maine Legislature, "H.P. 804 - L.D. 1126: An Act To Update the Voter Registration Process," accessed June 8, 2023
- ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "Same Day Voter Registration," accessed January 31, 2023
- ↑ Department of the Secretary of State, "Maine Voter Registration Application," accessed November 1, 2024
- ↑ Under federal law, the national mail voter registration application (a version of which is in use in all states with voter registration systems) requires applicants to indicate that they are U.S. citizens in order to complete an application to vote in state or federal elections, but does not require voters to provide documentary proof of citizenship. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, the application "may require only the minimum amount of information necessary to prevent duplicate voter registrations and permit State officials both to determine the eligibility of the applicant to vote and to administer the voting process."
- ↑ Maine Secretary of State, "Your Right to Vote in Maine," accessed April 15, 2023
- ↑ 21.0 21.1 Maine.gov, "Absentee Voting Guide," April 15, 2023
