American voters have spoken, and we now know the result of the presidential election. We commend election workers and administrators here in Maine and all around the country who conducted this election and the post-election counting of ballots under the most challenging of circumstances.
This election saw the most ballots cast in US and Maine history. Voting is our most sacred constitutional right, and elections are our greatest national project. We applaud Mainers determination to participate amid an ongoing pandemic. This unprecedented turnout is a testament to the commitment of our voters and the strength of our democratic system.
Now that the election is wrapping up, our work is far from over. Our weekly Monday newsletter will return next week as Action: Under the Dome. We're getting back to legislative business.
Voted in person on Election Day? Fill out our quick survey and let us know about the experience.
Voted early via absentee? Fill out our quick survey here.
NEWS:
Election 2020 Deadlines: December 8 is the deadline for resolving election disputes at the state level. On December 14, presidential electors vote by paper ballot in their respective states and the District of Columbia. The new 117th Congress will be sworn in on January 3, 2021. Of course, there will be a lame duck session of Congress between now and then. On January 6, the US House and Senate hold a joint session to count the electoral votes. If one ticket has received 270 or more electoral votes, the president of the Senate, currently Vice President Mike Pence, announces the results. And finally, on January 20, the president-elect is sworn into office on Inauguration Day.
What's next in Maine: Certified election results are due from the Secretary of State twenty days after the election, November 23, 2020. The 130th Maine Legislature will be sworn in on December 2 and elect leadership and constitutional officers on that day. Constitutional officers include the Attorney General, the State Treasurer, and the Secretary of State. The State Auditor is elected at the same time. Our current Secretary of State, Matt Dunlap, has reached his term limit. On December 2, the Maine legislature will elect a new Secretary of State, and there are quite a few candidates! The League will help host a candidate forum for those candidates on the evening of November 17, so stay tuned for details. The first day of the new legislative session will be January 5.
By the numbers: Unofficial election returns indicate that over 810,000 Maine voters cast ballots in this year’s presidential election. Whatever the final number, it is already an all-time record, in the range of 75% voter participation. Of those, around 509,000 ballots were cast absentee. That's going to be over 60% of all ballots cast and around 50% of all registered voters who chose to vote absentee. Good going, Maine!