orywireNews that matters in AmericaReporting on public life, technology, money, and policy in the United States.
orywireMaine’s June 9 primary polls close at 8 p.m. ET, and no results were available at the latest check. Watch for U.S. Senate, governor and U.S. House returns, with ranked-choice timing possible in crowded races.
No vote totals have been reported yet in Maine’s 2026 primary races for governor, U.S. Senate or U.S. House. Polls close at 8 p.m. ET, so the first reliable returns are expected after voting ends.
NPR’s AP-backed results page showed no results available yet for Maine governor, U.S. Senate or U.S. House contests at the latest check. The Maine Secretary of State’s public election results page also had not posted a June 9 primary results file.
No race has been called. Early vote reports should be treated as unofficial returns until they are confirmed by state election officials or a trusted race-calling source.
Polls close at 8 p.m. ET, according to AP. Maine’s Secretary of State said absentee ballots may be processed before Election Day in some municipalities, but they are not counted until after 8 p.m. on Election Day.
That means statewide result feeds should not show vote totals until voting has ended. AP said that in Maine’s 2024 general election, it first reported results 44 minutes after polls closed and had about half the vote counted after midnight. That is only historical context, not a prediction for this primary.
Tonight’s pace will depend on municipal reporting, the number of ballots counted after polls close and whether any race needs a ranked-choice tabulation.
The June 9 primary includes U.S. Senate, both U.S. House districts, governor, the Maine Legislature and county offices, according to the Secretary of State.
In the U.S. Senate race, the posted candidate list includes Republican Susan Collins and Democrats David Costello, Janet Mills and Graham Platner.
For governor, Democrats are choosing among Shenna Bellows, Troy Jackson, Angus King III, Hannah Pingree and Nirav Shah. Republicans have Jonathan Bush, Robert Charles, David Jones, James Libby, Garrett Mason, Owen McCarthy, Ben Midgley and Robert Wessels on the posted candidate list.
House races include the 1st District, where Chellie Pingree is on the Democratic ballot and Republicans Joshua Pietrowicz and Ronald Russell are listed, and the 2nd District, where Joe Baldacci, Matthew Dunlap, Paige Loud and Jordan Wood are on the Democratic ballot and Paul LePage is on the Republican ballot.
Maine uses ranked-choice voting in the June 9 primaries for U.S. Senate, U.S. Congress, governor, state Senate and state representative when a race has at least three candidates, or two candidates plus a declared write-in. On election night, municipal officials count first-choice selections.
If no candidate receives more than 50% of first-choice votes, the Secretary of State’s guide says voting-device memory materials and hand-counted paper ballots are delivered to Augusta for a central ranked-choice tabulation. The ranked-choice count reallocates ballots from eliminated candidates until a candidate reaches the required threshold or the final round determines the winner under state law.
North Dakota’s June 9 primary returns are available through the Secretary of State’s election results site. Results remain unofficial until county and state canvassing boards complete certification.
Rep. Susie Lee and Republican Marty O’Donnell advanced from Nevada’s 3rd Congressional District primaries, setting up a closely watched House battleground. Unofficial Clark County returns showed Lee with 28,798 votes and O’Donnell with 13,957.
That is why a first-choice leader in a crowded primary should not be treated as the nominee unless a reliable race-calling source has called the race or the state posts final results.
AP says its elections team declares a winner only when it is certain trailing candidates no longer have a path to victory. A call from AP or another race-calling source is not the same as state certification.
Under Maine law, the Secretary of State must tabulate returns and send a certified copy to the governor within 20 days after an election. The tabulation is final when that certified copy is submitted, except for contests with a recount pending.
Readers looking for official numbers should use the Maine Secretary of State’s election results page once returns are posted. AP and NPR can be used for live result feeds and race-call status, but official certification comes from the state.
Next meaningful updates are expected after polls close, after the first municipal returns, after any race call, after any ranked-choice tabulation notice and when certified results are posted.
No vote totals had been reported in South Carolina’s governor primaries at the latest check. Results are expected after polls close at 7 p.m. ET, with a June 23 runoff possible if no candidate wins a majority.
