When voters go to the polls on November 5, they won’t just choose the next president of the United States. Voters in Brunswick will also decide who assumes the first congressional district seat in the U.S. House of Representatives, one U.S. Senate seat, the 24th state senatorial district seat and the 100th state house district seat. There are also several referendum questions on the ballot.

If your address changed since the last time you voted, you must register to vote again. Maine voters may register to vote at the polls on election day. Absentee ballots must be returned to the local municipal clerk’s office by 8 p.m. on Election Day.

Maine uses ranked-choice voting to decide federal elections. In ranked-choice voting, voters rank candidates in order of preference. If no candidate attains a majority of first-place choices, the candidate with the lowest vote total is disqualified, and their votes reallocated to those voters’ second choice. This is repeated until a candidate achieves a majority. Voters do not have to rank all candidates.

U.S. Presidential Election

Voters will have the choice of five candidates in the race for the White House. Vice President Kamala Harris is the Democratic nominee, while former President Donald Trump is the Republican nominee. Harris’s platform includes increasing economic opportunity, protecting abortion and civil rights, reforming immigration and supporting an assault weapons ban. Trump’s campaign emphasizes securing the border and deporting illegal immigrants, fighting inflation, strengthening the economy and defending First and Second Amendment rights. Neither candidate has visited Maine this election cycle.

U.S. Congressional Elections

U.S. Senate

Four candidates are running for one of Maine’s seats in the U.S. Senate. The incumbent is Independent Angus King, who served as Governor of Maine before entering the Senate in 2013. King supports legislation helping Maine businesses and veterans, making broadband technology available, lowering the cost of living and fighting climate change. Republican candidate Demi Kouzounas is a U.S. Army veteran whose platform highlights tackling inflation, securing the border and seeking bipartisan solutions. Democrat David Costello is running in hopes of enacting legislative and constitutional reforms, such as promoting election security. Independent candidate Jason Cherry is seeking to maximize every voter’s input in the government and increase governmental transparency.

U.S. House of Representatives

Three candidates are running for Maine’s first district seat in the House of Representatives. Democratic incumbent Chellie Pingree was first elected to the House of Representatives in 2008 and prioritizes affordable health care, women’s health and freedom of choice, social security and education. Republican Ron Russell, a former Green Beret in the U.S. Army, is running on securing the border, increasing national security and combating inflation and crime. Independent Ethan Alcorn claims to be an alternative choice for voters and is running with a holistic goal of reforming the government.

State Congressional Elections

Maine State Senate

Three candidates are vying for Maine’s 24th District seat, with no incumbent running. Democrat Denise Tepler previously represented Topsham in the State House of Representatives. Tepler’s priorities include decreasing drug prices, increasing affordable health care and protecting reproductive rights. Republican candidate Jeffrey Pierce favors increasing access to vocational training and lowering property taxes. He was convicted of federal drug offenses in 1983 and pardoned by former Governor Paul Lepage in 2019. Independent candidate Suzanne Andresen supports care for the elderly and affordable housing.

Maine State House of Representatives

Two candidates are running to represent District 100, which includes most on-campus housing at Bowdoin. Democratic incumbent Dan Ankeles has served one term in the House. Ankeles’s priorities include increasing affordable housing and reforming Maine’s property tax. Ivon H. Prescott Jr. is a U.S. Navy veteran and supports lower taxes and more frugal government spending.

Referendum Questions

There are five statewide referendum questions on the ballot this year. Question 1 is an act to limit contributions to political action committees (PACs) that independently spend money to help or hurt candidates. If passed, no individual could give more than $5,000 to any one PAC. Proponents say it would combat dark money in Maine’s elections while opponents have labeled it unconstitutional. Question 2 would authorize a $25 million bond, distributed by the Maine Technology Institute, to support research and development in select technology fields. Question 3 is for a $10 million bond to restore historic buildings. Question 4, another bond issue, asks for $30 million to build and maintain outdoor trails across the state. Lastly, Question 5 is an act to change the state flag to one with a lone star and pine tree. The new flag would be similar to the state flag in 1909 before it was changed to the current coat of arms on a blue background. Proponents of the “Pine Tree Flag” say it would be unique and recognizable, while opponents emphasize the history of the current flag and concerns about the costs of changing.

All other elections are based on campus housing. Assistant Professor of Government Ángel Saavedra Cisneros’s “Campaigns and Elections” class has created an election guide with more in-depth profiles of each candidate.