Amid drama of national elections, Maine voters cast ballots with modest impact for business
Photo / William Hall
Yarmouth citizens wait to deposit their ballots at the town's high school Tuesday afternoon, while poll workers assist a voter.
Photo / Renee Cordes
In Cape Elizabeth on Election Day, campaigners showed their support for a local school bond referendum question that was narrowly defeated.
Photo / Alexis Wells
Voters cast their ballots at Thornton Academy in Saco on Election Day.
Photo / Peter Van Allen
Campaign placards fill public spaces in Portland, like this corner of Franklin and Fore streets.
As former President Donald Trump cruised to an unexpectedly easy election victory that will return him to the White House, Maine voters on Tuesday generated few surprises.
Voters appeared to have reelected three members of the state's congressional delegation, based on preliminary returns, with incumbent U.S. Reps. Jared Golden, D-Maine 2nd District, and Chellie Pingree, D-Maine 1st District, and U.S. Sen. Angus King, I-Maine, all getting the nod from voters. (U.S. Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, would not face reelection until November 2026.)
In other races, Mainers supported bond measures for research and development funding, as well as funding for historic restorations, while rejecting a proposal for a new Maine flag.
Here are some of the key voter decisions.
Congressional seats
Golden, who is seeking his fourth term in Congress, held onto a small margin over Republican challenger Austin Theriault, with the race still to be called.
Golden released the following statement after polls closed this evening in Maine’s 2nd Congressional District: “At a time when national conversation is so often dominated by divisive politics and personalities, I feel good about running a campaign focused on the issues that matter to Mainers — our safety, our freedoms, our health care and our jobs,” Golden said Wednesday. “As we wait for every ballot to be counted, I want to thank Maine voters for turning out to participate in the greatest democracy the world has ever known.”
Pingree, who has represented the 2nd District in the House of Representatives since 2009, declared victory over Republican Ron Russell.
“This victory reflects a shared commitment to protecting fundamental rights, addressing the urgent challenges of climate change, supporting working families, and safeguarding our democracy,” Pingree said in a statement emailed just before 10:30 p.m. on Tuesday. “These are not just legislative goals; they are the values that bind us and shape our future.”
King, who is seeking his third term in the Senate, is expected to be reelected, though the race has not officially been called. He faced three challengers.
Referendums
R&D spending: Maine voters approved a bond proposal for research and development support. The $25 million bond funding for will be awarded through a competitive process to Maine public and private institutions to invest in R&D.
The bond will support innovation and job growth in several of Maine’s key industry sectors, including biotechnology, composites and advanced materials, environmental technologies, forest products and agriculture, information technology, marine technology and aquaculture, and precision manufacturing.
“With the passage of Question 2, Maine voters have chosen to invest in our future,” Patrick Woodcock, Maine State Chamber president and CEO, said in a statement Wednesday. “This funding will drive new research and development, support startups and established businesses, and create economic opportunities for Mainers to live and work here.
"We are excited to see the impact these investments will have in keeping Maine businesses competitive, strengthening our economy, and preserving heritage industries for generations to come. We also encourage the Maine Legislature to make long term investments in R&D, giving Maine people a greater opportunity for their own innovation and success.”
Outdoors funding: Voters approved funding to pay for trails and other outdoor recreation.
Historic buildings: Voters approved funding for historic renovations of public buildings.
Campaign funding: Voters approved a measure that would limit campaign donations. Question 1 addressed so-called super PAC money. Passage of Question 1 will adopt the citizen’s initiative entitled, “An Act to Limit Contributions to Political Action Committees That Make Independent Expenditures.”
Maine flag: Voters rejected a proposal to change the Maine flag.
Bar Harbor cruise ships
In Bar Harbor, voters narrowly rejected a proposal to allow more cruise ship passengers to come ashore during any given day. The proposal would have raised a 1,000-passenger disembarkation cap to 3,200. The topic has raised strong opinions on both sides, with proponents arguing that cruise ships are a vital part of the town’s tourism economy, while opponents object to the added congestion in the downtown area. On Tuesday, 1,713 voters favored increasing the cap; 1,776 voted against.
Portland proposals
In Portland, voters approved a referendum that scales back the city's hazard pay ordinance, which boosts the minimum wage during states of emergency. The rule, enacted in 2020 at the height of the pandemic, requires that workers receive at least 1.5 times the minimum when the governor has declared an emergency.
But Portland business supporters and others in the city wanted to amend the ordinance so that hazard pay goes into effect only when the mayor makes such a declaration — potentially reducing the likelihood of an emergency far from the city affecting its wages. On Wednesday morning, with all precincts reporting, Portland voters had approved the amendment by a vote 20,327 to 14,376.
Portland voters also overwhelmingly approved proposed requirements for registering short-term rental units, in a vote of 21,841 to 10,754.
Cape Elizabeth schools
In downtown Cape Elizabeth around midday Tuesday near polling at the town's only high school, campaigners were holding up signs urging voters to approve a local school referendum as passing motorists honked their horns in support.
The measure would have authorized expenditures of up to $94.7 million — plus a bond premium and investment earnings — for various projects. They include a new middle school and for other building repairs and renovations and safety upgrades to Pond Cove Elementary School and Cape Elizabeth High School, and a building on the Cape Elizabeth Middle School Campus.
While the town's website was down early Wednesday, the referendum question was defeated by a vote of 3,448 “no” votes and 3,282 “yes” votes, according to an email sent to residents with unofficial results. Some 213 voters left that question blank.
Renee Cordes, William Hall, Laurie Schreiber, Alexis Wells and Peter Van Allen contributed to this report.
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