“It was a very close race, and I’m grateful to everyone who voted for me or who worked for me,” Silberberg said Tuesday night. “Their voices will continue to matter. It was the honor of my life to serve as mayor. . . . I’ll still be in office until January, and I’ll continue to work on a whole host of issues — greater transparency as well as environmental regulations and the tree canopy.”<doc-sep>Hide Transcript Show Transcript WEBVTT ELECTION DAY STARTED EARLY WITH PEOPLE STREAMING INTO POLLING SITES ACROSS THE STATE AND LEAVING WITH THE STICKERS. HERE IN MAINE THE BALLOT LOOKS DIFFERENT. VOTERS ARE ASKED TO RANK THEIR CHOICES. YOU PRIORITIZE ANY GO FROM THERE. WE DO THIS IN SHOPPING AND OTHER PLACES. LAUREN: THERE ARE BALLOTS PINNED TO THE WALL SO PEOPLE CAN TAKE A LOOK AND ASK QUESTIONS BEFORE VOTING. THIS NEW PROCESS IS A WELCOMED CHANGE FOR SOME VOTERS. >> I THINK WE NEED MORE EXPERIMENTATION WITH DEMOCRACY AND NOT BE SO AFRAID AND NOT BE SO AFRAID TO CHANGE THINGS AROUND. LAUREN: WE CAUGHT UP WITH SECRETARY OF STATE MATT DUNLAP IN PORTLAND WHO SAYS THE ELECTION IS GOING SMOOTHLY. >> REALLY NO DISCUSSION AT ALL ABOUT THE BALLOT THE RANKED CHOICE BALLOT VOTERS SEEM TO BE INTUTIVELY GRASPING THAT WHICH GRATIFYING -- IS GRATIFYING. LAUREN: DUNLAP SAYS THERE ARE QUESTIONS ABOUT QUESTION 1 IN CUMBERLAND, VOTERS WAITED IN A LINE OUT THE DOOR AS THE TOWN MANAGER EXPLAINED. >> YES MEANS YOU WANT TO KEEP RANKED CHOICE VOTING NO MEANS YOU DON’T WANT RANKED CHOICE VOTING. THAT’S HOW SIMPLE I CAN MAKE IT. >> I HAD TO READ IT CAREFULLY AND I’M GLAD I SPOKE WITH SOMEONE OUT THERE THAT LET ME KNOW YES MEANS YES AND NO MEANS NO. LAUREN AND THE FATE OF THIS NEW : VOTING PROCESS IS LEFT UP TO THE PEOPLE HERE TODAY. >> WE’LL SEE IF, WHETHER OR NOT WE GO FORWARD IN NOVEMBER. LAUREN: THE SECRETARY OF STATE SAYS TURNOUT WAS HIGHER THEN THEY PROJECTED. THEY EXPECTED 25 OR 30 HE SAID THE BALLOTS ARE RUNNING LOW IN POLLING LOCATIONS AND THEY ARE BEING ASK Advertisement Voter turnout strong as Maine uses ranked-choice voting for first time Primaries being held for Maine governor, 2nd Congressional District Share Shares Copy Link Copy For the first time, Maine voters will use ranked-choice voting in several major races. Strong turnout has been reported across the state, with some polling locations running low on ballots.Each community started the day with enough ballots for roughly 60 percent turnout.Secretary of State Matt Dunlap said he has authorized town clerks to photo copy ballots if they get close to running out.Dunlap said no polling locations had run out of ballots as of Tuesday early evening.Statewide voter turnout is expected to be 25-30 percent.Here is what to know about Tuesday's primary.Tap here to see results for all races after the polls closeRanked-Choice VotingRanked-choice voting will be used in four races where there are more than two candidates: the Democratic gubernatorial primary, the Republican gubernatorial primary, the 2nd Congressional District Democratic primary and the Republican State House District 75 primary. All other races have two candidates or are unopposed.If a candidate in the ranked-choice voting races receives 50 percent, plus one in the initial vote tally, that candidate will be declared the winner. If no candidate receives 50 percent, plus one after the initial tally, the votes are tabulated in rounds until there are two candidates left. The candidate with the majority of votes in the final round is declared a winner. It is likely it will take several days for winners to be declared in the ranked-choice races. If no candidate receives a majority after the initial tally, the ballots will be taken to Augusta where the ranked-choice tabulation will be conducted by the Maine Secretary of State's Office. (Android App Users: Tap here to make sure you can view primary results)Races To WatchMaine Governor - DemocratsThe Candidates:Adam Cote: Cote, a Sanford lawyer, was the first Democrat to launch a gubernatorial campaign. The father of five served 21 years in the National Guard. He survived a suicide bombing in Mosul, Iraq that killed 22 people. Cote believes Maine needs someone in the Blaine House who is an outsider. Cote said Maine is primed for economic growth, but more needs to be done to attract and retain workers. Cote wants to invest in broadband, workforce training and finding the next generation of products that will come from the state's "competitive advantages," like forestry, agriculture and aquaculture.Donna Dion: Dion, of Biddeford, served as the city's mayor for 15 years. She said her skills with people and finance will serve her well in the Blaine House. Dion said she wants to implement user fees for people who own homes in Maine but don't list Maine as their primary residence. She said the fee would help rebuild the state's crumbling infrastructure. Dion said respect is an important part of her campaign. She wants Democrats and Republicans working together to solve the state's problems.Mark Dion: A former Portland police officer and Cumberland County Sheriff, Dion is well-known in the greater Portland area. After leaving law enforcement, Dion opened a law practice and has served in the Maine Legislature. Dion prides himself on his practical approach to law enforcement and marijuana legalization legislation. Dion said if he is elected governor, he will work to contain the high health care costs Mainers face.Mark Eves: Former House Speaker Eves said making sure his children have opportunities to stay in Maine as adults is what's driving his bid for governor. Eves said his regional jobs plan has already been proven successful through two training programs at Maine community colleges. Eves is a family therapist who served four terms in the Maine House of Representatives. He often clashed with Republican Gov. Paul LePage. Eves said he is a progressive Democrat, and believes a single-payer health care system can become a reality in Maine. His campaign is the first in Maine to unionize.Janet Mills: Maine Attorney General Mills said health care is her No. 1 priority, including addressing the state's opioid epidemic. Mills said she would appoint someone to be Maine's point person in the fight against addiction. Mill said as attorney general, she has bought enough doses of naloxone to equip 78 law enforcement agencies with the opioid overdose-reversing medication. Mills has often clashed with Republican Gov. Paul LePage. Her office has refused to represent the LePage administration in court. She hopes to become Maine's first woman governor.Diane Russell: Russell, of Portland, is probably the most liberal of the Democratic candidates for governor, but said that doesn't mean she can't win the primary. Russell is known for her work to create a commission tasked to reduce the number of Democratic superdelegates by two-thirds before the next presidential election. Russell also supported the efforts to legalize marijuana and adopt ranked-choice voting. Russell said she wants to close corporate loopholes to fight food insecurity. Russell said it is time for a new generation to lead the state in Augusta.Betsy Sweet: Sweet has lobbied for progressive issues in Augusta for 35 years. She said she has lobbied for people with disabilities, the elderly, women, children and people with low incomes. Sweet said she does not represent for-profit organizations. Sweet is running as a clean elections candidate and wants to get big money out of politics. Sweet helped write Maine's clean elections law and sees it as a way to limit the influence of people with deep pockets. Sweet said she is the right person to fix what is wrong in Augusta.Maine Governor - RepublicansThe Candidates:Ken Fredette: Fredette is the Minority Leader in the Maine House of Representatives. Fredette lists cutting taxes, adding to Maine's rainy-day fund and lowering the state's unemployment rate among his accomplishments. Fredette said he has an ambitious plan to fight the state's opioid epidemic by increasing the Maine State Police force, paying them more money and use the National Guard to stop drugs at the border. Fredette is a lawyer and serves as a lieutenant colonel and judge advocate general in the Maine Air National Guard.Garret Mason: Mason is a four-term state senator from Lisbon and has served the past two terms as Senate Majority Leader. Mason said his experience working in his family's excavation business and his time in the Legislature make him the best candidate to advance beyond the primary. Mason is running as a clean elections candidate despite opposing the program in the past. Mason said, "Just because you don't like the rules doesn't mean that you can't -- and you shouldn't - play by them. "Mary Mayhew: Mayhew spent more than six years as the Commissioner of Maine's Department of Health and Human Services under Gov. Paul LePage. She said voters looking to extend LePage's legacy should vote for her. Mayhew takes credit for fixing DHHS's financial woes and implementing welfare reforms that are being mirrors at the national level. Mayhew in order to improve Maine's economy, the government needs to help existing businesses by getting out of their way.Shawn Moody: Moody turned his talent for fix cars into a successful business. Moody's Collision Centers employ nearly 200 people across Maine who each own a piece of the company's profits. Moody said his business experience is his primary selling point on the campaign trail. Moody ran for governor as an independent eight years ago, but said he is not a politician. Moody's enrollment in the Republican party has drawn criticism from both sides.U.S. 2nd Congressional District - DemocratsThe Candidates:Jared Golden: Golden, 36, is a former Marine who served tours of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan. Golden said he is part of a new generation of leaders and is focused on bipartisanship. He was a staffer on the Senate Homeland Security Committee for Republican Sen. Susan Collins. Golden currently represents part of Lewiston in the Maine House of Representatives.Craig Olson: Craig Olson lives in Islesboro where he runs a rare book business and operates the town's transfer station. Olson sees health care as a major issue. He battled skin cancer and said the Affordable Care Act helped provide the insurance coverage he needed to recover. Olson said in traveling Maine's 2nd Congressional District, health care is a major concern for voters. Olson said his experience at the local level as a town selectman separates him from his two opponents.Lucas St. Clair: Lucas St. Clair is best know as an advocate for the Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument. St. Clair is the son of Burt's Bess co-founder Roaxanne Quimby who donated the land for the national monument. St. Clair said his work on the national monument separates him from his opponents. St. Clair said his focus will be on rural Mainers.Question 1: Ranked Choice VotingMainers are being asked to weigh in for a second time on ranked-choice voting. Question 1 asks voters whether they want to continue using ranked-choice voting. Supporters of ranked-choice voting launched a "people's veto" after the Legislature voted to delay its implementation. Maine voters approved ranked-choice voting in a referendum in the November 2016 election. "If you're in favor of using ranked-choice voting and you want to continue with that, it's a "Yes" vote. If you're not in favor or you want to see the Constitution amended before implementing it, a "No" vote would be appropriate," Kristen Muszynski of the Maine Secretary of State's Office said.If Question 1 is approved, voters will use ranked-choice voting for all state and federal primary elections, but will only use ranked-choice voting for federal races in general elections. Last year, the Maine Supreme Court issued an opinion saying ranked-choice voting violates a provision in the Maine Constitution that state races are determined by a plurality. Other Races:Waterville Mayor Recall: Voters in Waterville are being asked if they want to recall Mayor Nicholas Isgro. The recall effort was launched after Isgro was accused of sending a disrespectful tweet to Parkland shooting survivor Davis Hogg.Cumberland County District Attorney: Three Democrats, Jon Gale, of Portland, Seth Levy, of Brunswick, and Frayla Tarpinian, of Windham, are facing off in a primary for Cumberland County District Attorney. Longtime Republican District Attorney Stephanie Anderson is not running for re-election.School Budget Votes: Voters in Portland, Auburn, Scarborough and Falmouth are being asked to approve school budgets.Maine Legislature: There are several primaries for both Democrats and Republicans running for the Maine House and Senate. The House Democratic primaries are in districts 2, 12, 13, 21, 30, 32, 40, 56, 65, 70, 88, 97, 99 and 109. The House Republican primaries are in districts 75, 84, 100, 102, 108, 110 and 141.<doc-sep>
Mills, Cote in tight race for Democratic nomination for governor Share Shares Copy Link Copy Hide Transcript Show Transcript WEBVTT AUGUSTA, WHO’S BEEN KEEPING TRACK OF THE DEMOCRATIC GUBERNATORIAL PRIMARY. GOOD MORNING, KATHLEEN. KATHLEEN: GOOD MORNING TO YOU. THE SUN IS UP, BUT THERE IS STILL NO DEFINITE WINNER TO THIS RACE. JANET MILLS AND ADAM COTE, THIS WILL LIKELY GO TO THE RANKED-CHOICE VOTING, SO THE QUESTION IS -- WHAT HAPPENS NEXT? THIS IS ON THE FORMER AUGUSTA MENTAL INSTITUTE, AND THE ELKINS BUILDING. WE ARE NOT TOLD WHERE IN THE BUILDING, BUT WE ARE TOLD IN A SECURE LOCATION. BOTH MILLS AND COTE SAYS THEY KNEW THIS WOULD BE INTERESTING. LAST NIGHT, MILLS TELLING HER SUPPORTERS SHE’S PROUD OF THE CAMPAIGN THEY RAN, AND SHE’S PROUD OF HER FELLOW CANDIDATES, CALLING THEM FRIENDS, AND A SIMILAR STORY FOR COTE, WHO REMAINED OPTIMISTIC HE COULD GRAB THE NOMINATION, THANKING HIS SUPPORTERS THAT WE GATHERED. THEY BOTH KNOW THIS COULD TAKE A WHILE. MR. COTE: WE ABSOLUTELY KNEW IT WOULD NOT BE A BLOW-OUT, PARTICULARLY WITH RANKED-CHOICE VOTING. THIS IS GOING TO BE WITHIN A FEW POINTS TONIGHT. IT’S GOING TO GO PROBABLY ABOUT A WEEK, AND WE DON’T KNOW H IT’S GOING TO END UP. MS. MILLS: YOU KNOW, I THINK WE’VE RUN A VERY POSITIVE CAMPAIGN. THAT’S OUR GOAL. THAT’S OUR INTENT. THAT’S WHAT WE’VE DONE. AND SO I THINK I WOULD HAVE DONE THAT ANYWAY. BUT TO HAVE SIX OTHER PEOPLE IN THE RACE IS INTERESTING TO BEGIN WITH. TO HAVE SIX OTHER PEOPLE IN THE RACE WHERE WE’RE NEVER GOING TO KNOW WHO IS IN FRONT REALL KATHLEEN: SO AGAIN, WE DO KNOW THAT THOSE VOTES WILL BE COUNTED IN THIS BUILDING BEHIND ME. WE DO NOT KNOW WHERE IN THE BUILDING, BUT IT IS A SECURE SPOT. THE SECRETARY’S OFFICE SAYING THEY WILL RECEIVE GET OUR POLITICS NEWSLETTER Stay up to speed on all the latest local and national political news. Submit Privacy Notice