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Maine State Senate elections
State legislative elections, 2025 Poll opening and closing times |
This page displays election information for the Maine State Senate.
Elections
Maine state senators serve two-year terms, with all seats up for election every two years. Maine holds elections for its legislature in even years.
2026
- See also: Maine State Senate elections, 2026
Elections for the Maine State Senate will take place in 2026. The general election is on November 3, 2026.
2024
- See also: Maine State Senate elections, 2024
Elections for the Maine State Senate took place in 2024. The general election was on November 5, 2024. The primary was June 11, 2024. The filing deadline was March 15, 2024.
In the 2024 elections, Democrats lost two seats but maintained their majority in the Maine State Senate. The Democratic majority went from 22-13 to 20-15.
Maine State Senate | |||
---|---|---|---|
Party | As of November 5, 2024 | After November 6, 2024 | |
Democratic Party | 22 | 20 | |
Republican Party | 13 | 15 | |
Total | 35 | 35 |
2022
- See also: Maine State Senate elections, 2022
Elections for the Maine State Senate took place in 2022. The general election was on November 8, 2022. A primary was scheduled for June 14, 2022. The filing deadline was March 15, 2022.
In the 2022 elections, Democrats maintained their 22-13 majority in the Maine State Senate.
Maine State Senate | |||
---|---|---|---|
Party | As of November 8, 2022 | After November 9, 2022 | |
Democratic Party | 22 | 22 | |
Republican Party | 13 | 13 | |
Total | 35 | 35 |
2020
- See also: Maine State Senate elections, 2020
Elections for the office of Maine State Senate took place in 2020. All 35 seats were up for election. Twenty-one were held by Democrats and 14 were held by Republicans. The general election was held on November 3, 2020. A primary was scheduled for July 14, 2020. The filing deadline was March 16, 2020.
In the 2020 elections, Democrats gained one seat in the Maine State Senate and increased their majority to 22–13.
Maine State Senate | |||
---|---|---|---|
Party | As of November 3, 2020 | After November 4, 2020 | |
Democratic Party | 21 | 22 | |
Republican Party | 14 | 13 | |
Total | 35 | 35 |
2018
- See also: Maine State Senate elections, 2018
Elections for the Maine State Senate took place in 2018. The closed primary election took place on June 12, 2018, and the general election was held on November 6, 2018. The major party candidate filing deadline was March 15, 2018, and the third-party and independent candidate filing deadline was June 1, 2018.[1]
In the 2018 elections, Democrats flipped four seats and gained control of the Maine State Senate.
Maine State Senate | |||
---|---|---|---|
Party | As of November 6, 2018 | After November 7, 2018 | |
Democratic Party | 17 | 21 | |
Republican Party | 18 | 14 | |
Total | 35 | 35 |
2016
- See also: Maine State Senate elections, 2016
Elections for the Maine State Senate took place in 2016. The primary election took place on June 14, 2016, and the general election was held on November 8, 2016. The candidate filing deadline was March 15, 2016.[2] All 35 seats in the Maine State Senate were up for election in 2016.
Heading into the election, Republicans held a 20-15 majority. Republicans lost two seats in the election, giving them a 18-17 majority.
Maine State Senate | |||
---|---|---|---|
Party | As of November 7, 2016 | After November 8, 2016 | |
Democratic Party | 15 | 17 | |
Republican Party | 20 | 18 | |
Total | 35 | 35 |
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2014
Elections for the Maine State Senate took place in 2014. A primary election took place on June 10, 2014, and a general election was held on November 4, 2014. The signature filing deadline for party candidates wishing to run in this election was March 17, 2014. The deadline for write-in candidates to run in the primary election was April 28, 2014, and the deadline for non-party candidates to run in the general election was June 2, 2014. All 35 Senate seats were up for election in 2014. Heading into the election, Democrats held a 19-15 majority with one independent member. Democrats lost four seats in the election, giving Republicans a 20-15 majority.
2012
Elections for the office of Maine State Senate took place in 2012. The primary election was held on June 12, 2012, and the general election was held on November 6, 2012. The candidate filing deadline was March 15, 2012. All 35 Senate seats were up for election in 2012. Heading into the election, Republicans held a 19-15 majority with one independent member. Republicans lost six seats in the election, giving Democrats a 21-13 majority with one independent member.
The table below details the 10 districts with the smallest margin of victory in the November 6 general election in 2012.
2010
Elections for the office of Maine State Senate took place in 2010. The primary election was held on June 8, 2010, and the general election was held on November 2, 2010. The candidate filing deadline was March 15, 2010, for partisan candidates and June 1, 2010, for independent and unenrolled candidates. All 35 Senate seats were up for election in 2010. Heading into the election, Democrats held a 20-15 majority. Democrats lost six seats in the election, giving Republicans a 20-14 majority with one independent member.
In 2010, the candidates running for state Senate raised a total of $1,988,888 in campaign contributions. The top 10 donors were:[3]
2008
Elections for the office of Maine State Senate consisted of a primary election on June 10, 2008, and a general election on November 4, 2008. During the 2008 election, the total of contributions to Senate candidates was $1,854,105. The top 10 contributors were:[4]
2006
Elections for the office of Maine State Senate consisted of a primary election on June 13, 2006, and a general election on November 7, 2006. During the 2006 election, the total of contributions to Senate candidates was $1,990,662. The top 10 contributors were:[5]
2004
Elections for the office of Maine State Senate consisted of a primary election on June 8, 2004, and a general election on November 2, 2004. During the 2004 election, the total of contributions to Senate candidates was $2,095,278. The top 10 contributors were:[6]
2002
Elections for the office of Maine State Senate consisted of a primary election on June 11, 2002, and a general election on November 5, 2002. During the 2002 election, the total of contributions to Senate candidates was $1,323,033. The top 10 contributors were:[7]
2000
Elections for the office of Maine State Senate consisted of a primary election on June 13, 2000, and a general election on November 7, 2000. During the 2000 election, the total of contributions to Senate candidates was $1,368,281. The top 10 contributors were:[8]
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Historical party control
Democrats won control of the Maine State Senate in 2018. In 2024, they won a 20-15 majority.
The table below shows the partisan history of the Maine Senate following every general election from 1992 to 2024. All data from 2006 or earlier comes from Michael Dubin's Party Affiliations in the State Legislatures (McFarland Press, 2007). Data after 2006 was compiled by Ballotpedia staff.
Maine State Senate election results: 1992-2024
Year | '92 | '94 | '96 | '98 | '00 | '02 | '04 | '06 | '08 | '10 | '12 | '14 | '16 | '18 | '20 | '22 | '24 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Democrats | 20 | 16 | 19 | 20 | 17* | 18 | 18 | 18 | 20 | 14 | 21 | 15 | 17 | 21 | 22 | 22 | 20 |
Republicans | 15 | 18 | 15 | 14 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 15 | 20 | 13 | 20 | 18 | 14 | 13 | 13 | 15 |
Other | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
*Chamber controlled by power-sharing agreement
Trifecta history
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. Between 1992 and 2023, Maine was under the following types of trifecta control:
- Democratic trifecta: 2003-2010, 2019-2023
- Republican trifecta: 2011-2012
- Divided government: 1992-2002, 2013-2018
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 |
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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 |
Footnotes
- ↑ Maine.gov, "Upcoming Elections," accessed December 22, 2017
- ↑ Politics1.com, "Maine," archived December 31, 2015
- ↑ Follow the Money, "Maine 2010 - Candidates," accessed August 19, 2014
- ↑ Follow the Money, "Maine 2008 - Candidates," accessed August 23, 2013
- ↑ Follow the Money, "Maine 2006 - Candidates," accessed August 23, 2013
- ↑ Follow the Money, "Maine 2004 - Candidates," accessed August 23, 2013
- ↑ Follow the Money, "Maine 2002 - Candidates," accessed August 23, 2013
- ↑ Follow the Money, "Maine 2000 - Candidates," accessed August 23, 2013