Maine voters head to polls on Super Tuesday, state holds semi-open primary
Voters across Maine are heading to the polls for the state’s presidential primary on Super Tuesday.
For the first time, Maine will be using a new semi-open primary system, which allows unenrolled voters to vote.
Maine's last primary in 2020 was "closed." In a closed primary, only registered Republicans vote in the Republican primary and only registered Democrats vote in the Democratic primary.
According to the most recent numbers, about 36 percent of Maine voters are Democrats, 30 percent Republican and 29 percent unenrolled, or independent.
So, in 2022, Maine's Legislature voted to open things up, but they didn't go fully open, that's where any voter can vote in any primary, regardless of party.
Instead, lawmakers voted for a "semi-open" primary where people can't cross party lines, but independents can pick one, and only one, party primary and vote.
The goal is to get more people involved and maybe get less partisan.
The economy and conflict overseas are some of the big issues driving voters to the polls, and some Mainers say another thing that weighs into their decision is frustration with leadership in this country.
“I’m going to be writing in ‘ceasefire’ to show Joe Biden that I’m not committed to voting for him until there’s a ceasefire in Gaza,” said Jenny from New Gloucester. “I think there’s just so much that needs to be done here, that the country doesn’t have the money to be sending bombs across seas.”
“Our southern border is porous like a sieve I don’t hate anyone, and I feel terrible that people need to leave or flee where they’re from, but we have homeless people on the street in Portland,” said Corey from Biddeford.
As Mainers head to the polls on Super Tuesday, any votes cast for former President Donald Trump will count.
That was made official when the U.S. Supreme Court rejected attempts to ban him from the ballot on Monday.
In their opinion, the justices say that states cannot invoke a portion of the constitution to keep presidential candidates from appearing on ballots, only state ballots.
This comes after Colorado’s supreme court ruled that Trump was disqualified from the state's Republican primary ballot due to his attempts to overturn the 2020 election, a move that was also made by Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows.
“I, like election officials across the country, appreciate the clarity. That way both voters and election officials today know how the votes will be counted, when the polls close I followed the rule of law and the constitutional precedent that existed when I issued my decision which I was required to do under Maine law. But one thing I do think is important, is the U.S. Supreme Court said that as a matter for the federal government, not states to decide, and we will certainly implement that,” Bellows said.
Polls close at 8 p.m.
