2020 Schedule of Federal/State/Municipal Elections
February 1 - Republican Caucus: 10:00AM at the Old Town High School, 203 Stillwater Ave, Old Town
March 3 - Presidential Primary and Special State Referendum Election
March 8 - Democratic Caucus 2:00PM at Orono Town Council Chambers. Doors open at 1:00PM for new voters and party enrollments.
March 10 - Annual Municipal Election (click here for information)
June 9 - State Primary Election
November 3 - General (Presidential) and Potential State Referendum Election
Maine Political Parties
Maine currently has three qualified parties: Democratic, Green Independent and Republican that may participate in primary elections. (Note: although some unenrolled candidates choose to designate themselves as "Independent," there is no "Independent" party in Maine.)
Orono Street List
ABSENTEE BALLOT INFORMATION
Absentee ballots are available upon request 30 days in advance of any election until the close of business the Thursday prior to the election. Qualifying circumstances may allow for a ballot to be released by the town clerk with a signed affidavit of the registered voter.
What Ballot Do I Get? (Information and Sample Ballots)
Absentee Ballot Application for March 3, 2020 Presidential Primary
Absentee Ballot Application for March 10, 2020 Municipal Election
ABSENTEE VOTERS: PLEASE DO NOT COMBINE THE STATE BALLOTS WITH THE 3/10/2020 LOCAL MUNICIPAL BALLOT IN THE SAME ENVELOPE! DOING SO, WILL SPOIL THE STATE BALLOTS AND THEY WILL NOT BE CAST!
March 3, 2020
Presidential Primary and Special State Referendum Election
Held at Orono Town Council Chambers, 59 Main Street
Presidential Primary
The 129th Maine Legislature enacted a Presidential Primary law in 2019 (PL 2019, Chapter 445), for the purpose of allowing Maine voters to designate their preference for the nomination of their party’s candidate. In order to participate in the Presidential Primary, each of the 3 qualified parties had until November 1, 2019 to file a certification with the Secretary of State.
The Democratic Party and the Republican Party filed this certification and will participate in the Presidential Primary election, but also will hold caucuses for conducting other party-building activities. The Green Independent Party chose not to participate in the Presidential Primary election but will hold party caucuses for voting for the Presidential candidate and conducting other party-building activities.
In order to qualify for the Presidential Primary Election ballot, Democratic and Republican candidates must have submitted at least 2,000 signatures of registered voters who are enrolled in their party to the Secretary of State’s Division of Elections by 5:00 p.m. on December 23, 2019.
Special State Referendum Election
A People’s Veto petition was submitted to the Secretary of State on September 18, 2019, to prevent the following law from taking effect on September 19th.
Chapter 154 of the Public Laws of 2019: “An Act To Protect Maine Children and Students from Preventable Diseases by Repealing Certain Exemptions from the Laws Governing Immunization Requirements”
The Secretary of State certified on October 17, 2019 that the petition had enough valid signatures to be voted on at the next statewide election on March 3, 2020.
Question 1: People’s Veto
Do you want to reject the new law that removes religious and philosophical exemptions to requiring immunization against certain communicable diseases for students to attend schools and colleges and for employees of nursery schools and health care facilities?
March 10, 2020
Annual Municipal Election
Held at Orono Town Council Chambers, 59 Main Street
Polls open at 7am - 8pm. Click here for information
June 9, 2020
State Primary Election
Held at Orono Council Chambers, 59 Main Street
Primary Elections determine each qualified party’s nomination of candidates for federal offices (other than President) and qualified State and County offices. Party candidates who are elected at the Primary qualify to appear on the November General Election ballot.
Offices included in the 2020 Primary Election are United States Senator, Representative to Congress (both districts), all 35 State Senate districts, all 151 State Representative districts, and the following county offices, which vary depending on the county: Judge of Probate, Register of Probate, County Treasurer, Register of Deeds, Sheriff, District Attorney and County Commissioner.
In order to qualify for the Primary Election ballot, party candidates must gather a specified number of signatures on primary nomination petitions between January 1, 2020 and March 16, 2020 and must submit these petitions to the Secretary of State’s Division of Elections by 5:00 p.m. on March 16, 2020.
Nonparty candidates gain access directly to the General Election ballot by gathering a specified number of signatures on nonparty nomination petitions between January 1, 2020 and June 1, 2020 and must submit these petitions to the Division of Elections by 5:00 pm on June 1, 2020.
November 3, 2020
General (Presidential) and Potential State Referendum Election
Held at New Balance (UMAINE campus) Field House & Memorial Gym
The General Election is held nationally on the first Tuesday following the first Monday in November. In 2020, Maine voters will select their choice for President and Vice President (this process is called the popular vote), and elect one of Maine’s two United States Senators, Maine’s Representatives to Congress, members of the Maine Legislature, and certain county officers,
Each party’s nomination for President and Vice President of the United States, party candidates who are nominated as a result of the June Primary Election, and unenrolled candidates will appear on the General Election ballot.
The actual election of President Vice President occurs through the Electoral College. The "popular vote" is used to choose Maine’s 4 "electors", who convene at what is called the "Electoral College" at the State House in December to cast their "electoral votes."
