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Maine State Senate elections, 2024
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| 2024 Maine Senate Elections | |
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| Primary | June 11, 2024 |
| General | November 5, 2024 |
| Past Election Results |
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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.
All 35 Maine State Senate seats were up for election in 2024. Republicans won two seats in the election, giving Democrats a 20 seat majority to Republicans’ 15 seats. Before the election, Democrats controlled 22 seats to Republicans' 13.
According to the Maine Morning Star on November 7, 2024, Democrats were "poised to maintain their trifecta of power between the governor’s office and both chambers in the 132nd Maine Legislature."[1] This page will be updated with final results once recounts and election certifications are complete.
The Maine State Senate was one of 85 state legislative chambers with elections in 2024. There are 99 chambers throughout the country.
Party control
| Maine State Senate | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Party | As of November 5, 2024 | After November 6, 2024 | |
| Democratic Party | 22 | 20 | |
| Republican Party | 13 | 15 | |
| Total | 35 | 35 | |
Candidates
General election
Democratic
RepublicanPrimary
Voting information
- See also: Voting in Maine
General election race ratings
The table below displays race ratings for each race in this chamber from CNalysis.
Incumbents who were not re-elected
Incumbents defeated in general elections
No incumbents lost in general elections. This tied with 2022 as the fewest defeated incumbents since Ballotpedia started tracking in 2010. Between 2010 and 2022, the average number of incumbents defeated in the general elections was 2.1.
Incumbents defeated in primaries
One incumbent lost in primaries. This was tied as the highest number of defeated incumbents since Ballotpedia began tracking this data in 2010. The other year with one incumbent defeated was 2016.
| Name | Party | Office |
|---|---|---|
| Peter Lyford |  Republican |
Senate District 10 |
Retiring incumbents
Six incumbents did not file for re-election in 2024.[2] The average number of retirements each cycle from 2010 to 2022 was 10. Those incumbents were:
Primary election competitiveness
This section contains data on state legislative primary election competitiveness in Maine. These totals include data from all regularly-scheduled House and Senate elections. For more information about Ballotpedia's competitiveness analysis of state legislative elections, please click here.
Post-filing deadline analysis
The following analysis covers all state legislative districts up for election in Maine in 2024. Information below was calculated on June 5, 2024, and may differ from information shown in the table above due to candidate replacements and withdrawals after that time.
There were 186 state legislative seats up for election in Maine in 2024. Across those, 38 incumbents (22 Democrats and 16 Republicans) did not run for re-election. That was less than the average number of retirements in Maine from rom 2010-2022 (55.1) and was is the fewest number of retiring incumbents since 2016, when 38 incumbents retired (24 Democrats, 10 Republicans, and four Independents). In 2022, 75 incumbents did not run for re-election (39 Democrats, 35 Republicans, and one independent).
Seven incumbents out of the 146 running were primary challengers. That was the same number of incumbents facing challengers as in 2020 and more than all other cycles since 2010. The next closest year was 2012 when five incumbents faced primary challengers.
There were 19 total contested primaries (with more than one candidate) - nine Democratic and 10 Republican. That was less than the average number of contested primaries from 2010-2022 (30.5) and the lowest total during that span. The year with the second-fewest number of contested primaries was 2014, which had 26 (13 Democratic and 13 Republican). The year with the highest number of contested primaries during that span was 2012 with 39 (23 Democratic and 13 Republican).
Maine had a Democratic trifecta, meaning the Democratic Party controlled the governorship and both chambers of the state legislature. As of June 5, 2024, there were 23 Republican trifectas, 17 Democratic trifectas, and 10 divided governments where neither party held trifecta control.
Open seats
The table below shows the number and percentage of open seats in the Maine State Senate from 2010 to 2024.[3]
| Open Seats in Maine State Senate elections: 2010 - 2024 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Total seats | Open seats | Seats with incumbents running for re-election |
| 2024 | 35 | 6 (17%) | 29 (83%) |
| 2022 | 35 | 14 (40%) | 21 (60%) |
| 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%) |
Legislative referrals
- See also: Legislative referral
A legislative referral, or legislatively referred ballot measure, is a ballot measure that appears on the ballot due to a vote of the state legislature. A legislative referral can be a constitutional amendment, state statute, or bond issue.
As of the 2024 election, a two-thirds majority (66.67%) vote was required during one legislative session for the Maine State Legislature to place a constitutional amendment on the ballot. That amounted to a minimum of 101 votes in the Maine House of Representatives and 24 votes in the Maine State Senate, assuming no vacancies. Amendments did not require the governor's signature to be referred to the ballot.
At the time of the 2024 election, Democrats held a 22-13 majority in the Senate and a 79-67-1 majority in the House. Democrats needed to win two Senate seats and 22 House seats to be able to pass legislative referrals without Republican votes. Republicans needed to win 11 Senate seats and 34 House seats to have the same ability.
Process to become a candidate
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.[4][5]
| Signature requirements for party candidates | |
|---|---|
| Office sought | Required signatures |
| Governor, United States Senator | At least 2,000 signatures, but no more than 2,500 |
| United States Representative | At least 1,000 signatures, but no more than 1,250 |
| 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.[4][5]
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.[6][5]
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.[4]
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.[7]
| Signature requirements for independent candidates | |
|---|---|
| Office sought | Required signatures |
| Governor, United States Senator | At least 4,000 signatures, but no more than 5,000 |
| United States Representative | At least 2,000 signatures, but no more than 2,500 |
| 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.[7][5]
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.[8][5]
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.[7]
For write-in candidates
See statutes: Title 21-A, Chapter 9, Subchapter 3, Article 1, Section 722-A 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 70th day prior to the election.[9]
Qualifications
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[10] | |
|---|---|
| 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
Maine legislators assume office the day before the first Wednesday of December following the general election.[11][12]
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: 1992-2025
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 |
Presidential politics in Maine
2020
- See also: Presidential election, 2020
Presidential election results in Maine, 2020
The ranked-choice voting election was won by Joe Biden in round 1 .
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Total votes: 819,461 |
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 = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
2016
- See also: Presidential election, 2016
| 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 | |||||
Maine presidential election results (1900-2024)
- 12 Democratic wins
- 20 Republican wins
| Year | 1900 | 1904 | 1908 | 1912 | 1916 | 1920 | 1924 | 1928 | 1932 | 1936 | 1940 | 1944 | 1948 | 1952 | 1956 | 1960 | 1964 | 1968 | 1972 | 1976 | 1980 | 1984 | 1988 | 1992 | 1996 | 2000 | 2004 | 2008 | 2012 | 2016 | 2020 | 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winning Party | R | R | R | D | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | D | D | R | R | R | R | R | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D |
See also
| Maine | State Legislative Elections | News and Analysis |
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2025 • 2024 • 2023 • 2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2016 • 2015 • 2014 2025 • 2024 • 2023 • 2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2016 • 2015 |
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External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Maine Morning Star, "Democrats poised to maintain control of Maine Legislature," November 7, 2024
- ↑ Ballotpedia defines an incumbent as retiring if the incumbent did not file for office or filed for office but withdrew, was disqualified, or otherwise left a race in a manner other than losing the primary, primary runoff, or convention. If an incumbent runs as a write-in candidate, Ballotpedia does not consider them to be retiring. If an incumbent runs in the same chamber for a different seat, Ballotpedia does not consider them to be retiring.
- ↑ Ballotpedia defines a seat as open if the incumbent did not file to run for re-election or filed but withdrew and did not appear on any ballot for his or her seat. If the incumbent withdrew from or did not participate in the primary but later chose to seek re-election to his or her seat as a third party or independent candidate, the seat would not be counted as open. If the incumbent retired or ran for a different seat in the same chamber, his or her original seat would be counted as open unless another incumbent from the same chamber filed to run for that seat, in which case it would not be counted as open due to the presence of an incumbent.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Maine Revised Statutes, "Title 21-A, Chapter 5, Article 4, Section 335," accessed March 14, 2025
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 Maine Secretary of State, "State of Maine 2024 Candidate's Guide to Ballot Access," accessed March 14, 2025
- ↑ Maine Revised Statutes, "Title 21-A, Chapter 5, Subchapter 1, Article 4, Section 336," accessed March 14, 2025
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 Maine Revised Statutes, "Title 21-A, Chapter 5, Subchapter 2, Section 354," accessed February 10, 2014
- ↑ Maine Revised Statutes, "Title 21-A, Chapter 5, Subchapter 2, Section 355," accessed February 10, 2014
- ↑ Maine Revised Statutes, "Title 21-A, Chapter 9, Subchapter 3, Article 1, Section 722-A," accessed March 14, 2025
- ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "2024 Legislator Compensation," August 21, 2024
- ↑ Maine Constitution, "Article IV. Part First., Section 2," accessed November 1, 2021
- ↑ Maine Constitution, "Article IV. Part Second., Section 5," accessed November 1, 2021
