Maine on pace for record midterm voter turnout
Maine Nears Record‑Setting Midterm Turnout, Officials Warn of Ranked‑Choice Delays
November 3, 2026 – Augusta, ME
Maine’s midterm election is on track to become the most‑voted‑in midterm in the state’s history, state officials say, as absentee ballots pile up and polling places fill. Secretary of State Shenna Bellows told reporters outside an Augusta precinct that the state has already received more than 300,000 votes before Election Day—roughly one‑third of Maine’s registered voters. If the trend continues, the total could eclipse the 681,000 votes cast in the 2022 midterms, when Maine led the nation in turnout and set a state record of about 70 % of registered voters voting.
Bellows said the early absentee‑voting period has been “extraordinary” and that “turnout is extraordinary.” The Secretary added that results could be delayed past midnight because Maine uses ranked‑choice voting for federal and local races. “We’ll be watching those results carefully to see if any of the big races go to ranked‑choice voting,” she told reporters in Lewiston.
Maine’s Senate race—between incumbent Republican Senator Susan Collins and Democratic challenger Troy Jackson—has attracted particular attention because it could tip the balance of power in Congress for the remainder of President Donald Trump’s second term. However, the state’s ranked‑choice system means a runoff could be triggered if no candidate receives a majority, a process that may take more than a week.
Absentee Ballots Surge in Localities Across the State
The surge in absentee voting is being felt in communities nationwide. In Bowdoinham, town clerk Tina Magno noted that her office has never issued more than 800 absentee ballots in an election; on Tuesday the number rose to over 900. Voters were also steadily arriving to vote in person throughout the day.
Yarmouth officials reported that they had distributed 3,200 absentee ballots leading up to Election Day—over three times the normal figure. By 9 a.m., all but 158 ballots had been returned. Deputy Clerk Ruth Bennett, who has worked Yarmouth’s elections for two decades, described the period as “four weeks of crazy.”
The influx of absentee ballots has led to long lines at polling places, including the Boys & Girls Clubs of Kennebec Valley in Gardiner, where voters line up at the counting machine at 8:20 a.m. on election day.
Implications for the Final Results
Because Maine’s ranked‑choice voting may trigger additional runoffs if no candidate receives a majority, election officials caution that the final results may not be known until well after the 8 p.m. close of polls. “I think it’s possible results will take us past midnight,” Bellows said. “We’ll be watching those results carefully to see if any of the big races go to ranked‑choice voting.”
The Secretary of State’s office continues to monitor the count closely. As Maine moves toward potentially breaking its own turnout record, voters across the state are watching the numbers climb and the implications for national politics unfold.
