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Maine's Primaries

Partisan Primary Types​

Democratic PartyRepublican Party
Presidential PrimariesState PrimariesPresidential PrimariesState Primaries
open-to-unaffiliated open-to-unaffiliated open-to-unaffiliated open-to-unaffiliated

Presidential and State Primaries Scheduling​

Consolidated Primaries: No

Maine is one of the states that have not merged their presidential and state primaries. On a Presidential Election year, presidential caucuses and State primaries are scheduled to run on different dates.

The State of Maine is using ranked-choice voting for all of Maine's state-level primary elections, and in general elections ONLY for federal offices, including the office of U.S. President. However, Maine Republican Party has officially announced the party’s nullification of the Ranked-Choice Voting process in the upcoming Presidential Primary Election process.State Primaries are open to Unaffiliated. Voters Unaffiliated voters may choose which party primary they want to vote in, but voters affiliated with other parties may not cross over.

Voting In Primaries​

  • Unenrolled voter participation in presidential primary elections allowed. A registered voter not enrolled in a political party may participate, subject to the restrictions of section 145, subsection 3, in a party's presidential primary election without enrolling in that political party. An unenrolled voter may vote in only one party's presidential primary election.

Delegates and Presidential Primaries​

The presidential primary process involves selecting delegates who will represent the state at the party's national convention. Delegates selected from the primary elections attend the party's national convention, where they officially nominate the presidential candidate. The candidate with the majority of delegates becomes the party's nominee for the presidential election. Candidates Ballot access rules vary depending on the candidate’s political party.

Democratic PartyRepublican Party
Total Del. VotesPled.Unpled.Altern.Total Del. VotesPled.Unpled.Altern.
32 24 8 2 20 20 17

Democratic Party Primary Delegates Process​

Democratic Party's Delegates Allocation​

Maine Democratic Party will send a total of 32 Delegate Votes and 2 Alternate Delegates to the 2024 Democratic National Convention. 24 of the 32 delegates are pledeged and the remaining 8 are unpledged. The party will use a proportional representation system based on the results of the Presidential Primary Election for apportioning pledged delegates to the Democratic National Convention.

Presidential Candidates Ballot Access​

  • A presidential candidate gains access to the State presidential preference primary ballot if:
  • The candidate has filed the appropriate registration information with the federal election commission (FEC) to become a candidate for president of the United States; and
  • The MDP must certify to the Maine Sec. of State whether to hold a presidential primary election by Oct. 1, 2023.
  • Presidential candidates get petition forms from the Maine Secretary of State. They may begin collecting signatures on Oct. 1, 2023, and must be ready to submit them to municipal clerks by Nov. 20, 2023. Petitions must be filed with the Sec. of State by Dec. 1, 2023.
  • Write-in presidential candidates are allowed, provided they file a form with the Sec. of State’s office by the 60th day before the primary election.
  • Please check with ME Democratic party for further requirements.

Delegates Breakdown​

  • District-level Delegates: 16
  • At-large Delegates: 5
  • Pledged PLEOs Delegates: 3
  • Automatic Delegates - Unpledged PLEOs: 8
  • Alternate Delegates: 2

Automatic Delegates (Unpledged PLEOs - Super Delegates) Breakdown​

  • DNC Members: 4
  • Dem. Members of Congress: 2
  • Dem. Gorvernors: 1
  • Distinguished Party Leaders: 1

Republican Party Primary Delegates Process​

Republican Party Delegates Allocation​

The Republican Party in uses a Winner-Take-Most system based on the results of the Presidential Preference Election (Primary) for apportioning delegates to the Republican National Convention.

Maine's Republican party will send a total of 20 Delegate Votes and 17 Alternate Delegates to the 2024 RNC national convention. 20 Pledged Delegate Votes (6 District-level delegates, 11 At-Large, and 3 RNC delegates).

All 20 of Maine's delegates to the Republican National Convention are pledged to presidential contenders in Maine Presidential Primary.

Presidential Candidates Ballot Access​

  • A presidential candidate gains access to the State presidential preference primary ballot if:
  • The candidate has filed the appropriate registration information with the federal election commission (FEC) to become a candidate for president of the United States; and
  • Please check with the State Republican party for additional requirements.

Delegates Breakdown​

  • District-level Delegates: 6
  • At-large Delegates: 11
  • RNC Delegates: 3
  • Alternate Delegates: 17

NOTES​

This page contains primary election rules and Presidential Primary delegates allocation information on elections occurring across the country

Primary voting rules and delegate allocation apply to statewide partisan primary elections in most cases. However, check with your Town Clerk for primary voting guide as they may vary by town and political party.Please be advised that the information provided on this site is updated regularly but is subject to scheduling changes at the local level.

The information provided on the page was validated using the following resourses: