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National race file

Maine U.S. Senate, 2026

State of Maine · United States Senator · General election November 3, 2026

The 60-second read

The 60-second read 1 min

Susan Collins, the current officeholder, is the only U.S. Senate candidate on Maine's official general-election candidate list as of July 16, 2026. Graham Platner won the June 9 Democratic primary and then formally withdrew; the Maine Secretary of State recorded the withdrawal on July 10. State law lets the party nominate a replacement by July 27, 2026 at 5:00 p.m. The Maine Democratic Party has scheduled a nominating convention for July 25 and lists 12 participants in its own process. No replacement has been selected by the party or received by the state.

Voters get a say on November 3, 2026. What remains unconfirmed: who, if anyone, the party nominates as a replacement, and whether the state lists that person as a candidate.

Selection

Why this race was selected

This race meets the section's published criteria. Selection is about public-interest value and source clarity, not party or personality.

Reported context: statewide and national reporting describes heightened attention to this race and its compressed replacement timeline. Reporting is labeled and never establishes official status.

Reported context source

See the full selection criteria on the national races page

The record

What happened

Each statement below is a separate claim with its own sources and its own limit. The primary result, the formal withdrawal, the replacement authority, the party process, and state confirmation are five different things.

Authority

Who has authority over what

The field

Current candidate and nominee field

Entries are listed with equal treatment: no photos, no rankings, no scoring. Each status is sourced independently, and different statuses mean different things.

On the official state candidate list

  • Susan M. Collins

    Current officeholder

    Listed on the official state candidate list · Republican

    Party as shown on the official state candidate list.

    Source label: Official record and Election result · Last checked

    Sources

    Limit: Four separately sourced facts: Collins currently holds the seat (U.S. Senate directory), won the June 9 Republican primary unopposed (official tabulation), appears on the official general-election candidate list posted July 16, 2026 (state candidate list), and holds an FEC registration (federal record). The list can still change through the July 27 replacement deadline and the August 25 write-in deadline, so this is not a final ballot.

Democratic nomination

No replacement nominee yet. The party's convention is scheduled for July 25, 2026, and the state has not received or listed a replacement nomination. The official candidate list currently shows no Democratic candidate for this office.

Sources

Last checked

Withdrawn nominee

Party-process participants, as listed by the party

The Maine Democratic Party's own candidate guide lists these 12 people as participants in its replacement process. They are not general-election candidates, and this listing is party-provided.

  • Shenna BellowsParticipant in the party's replacement nomination process
  • David CostelloParticipant in the party's replacement nomination process
  • Elizabeth CoteParticipant in the party's replacement nomination process
  • Elizabeth DickersonParticipant in the party's replacement nomination process
  • Troy JacksonParticipant in the party's replacement nomination process
  • Dan KlebanParticipant in the party's replacement nomination process
  • Joseph LeveilleParticipant in the party's replacement nomination process
  • Kristina LibbyParticipant in the party's replacement nomination process
  • Saundra PelletierParticipant in the party's replacement nomination process
  • Nirav ShahParticipant in the party's replacement nomination process
  • Ashley WebbParticipant in the party's replacement nomination process
  • Jordan WoodParticipant in the party's replacement nomination process

Sources

Last checked

Limit: Listed in the Maine Democratic Party's own candidate guide as of July 16, 2026. A party-provided listing is not a state record. It does not confirm signature qualification, convention selection, or any general-election ballot status.

Timeline

Voter timeline

Completed events show their known result. Party-process dates are labeled party-provided; state deadlines are labeled official state records.

  1. June 9, 2026

    Completed

    Official state record

    Primary election

    Statewide primary for the U.S. Senate nominations.

    Result: Official final tabulations: Graham Platner won the Democratic primary with 156,084 of 222,405 ballots. Susan Collins won the Republican primary unopposed with 126,398 of 137,981 ballots.

    Sources

  2. July 10, 2026

    Completed

    Official state record

    Formal withdrawal recorded

    The Secretary of State confirmed receipt of Graham Platner's formal written withdrawal.

    Result: The state withdrawal listing records the withdrawal with date July 10, 2026. His name will not appear on the November ballot.

    Sources

  3. July 13, 2026

    Completed

    Official state record

    Statutory withdrawal window closed

    Under Title 21-A, section 374-A, a party may replace a nominee only if the withdrawal came on or before 5 p.m. of the second Monday in July.

    Result: The July 10 withdrawal fell inside the window, so a party replacement nomination is authorized.

    Sources

  4. July 15, 2026

    Completed

    Party-provided

    Party declaration-of-intent deadline

    The party's deadline for individuals to declare intent to seek its nomination, 5:00 p.m. Party-provided date.

    Result: The party's candidate guide lists 12 declared participants as of July 16. Whether each meets the party's later signature requirement is not yet verifiable.

    Sources

  5. July 18 and 19, 2026

    Upcoming

    Party-provided

    County delegate nomination meetings

    Party meetings in all 16 counties to elect convention delegates. Party-provided dates.

    Sources

  6. July 20, 2026

    Upcoming

    Party-provided

    Party signature deadline

    Signatures due from participants in the party process, 11:59 p.m. Party-provided date.

    Sources

  7. July 25, 2026

    Upcoming

    Party-provided

    Party nominating convention

    The party's convention of 601 delegates in Bangor, scheduled for 9:00 a.m., to select its replacement nominee. Party-provided date.

    Sources

  8. July 27, 2026

    Upcoming

    Official state record

    Statutory replacement deadline

    The deadline in state law and on the Secretary of State's election page for a replacement nomination to reach the state: 5:00 p.m.

    Sources

  9. August 25, 2026

    Upcoming

    Official state record

    Write-in candidate filing deadline

    The state deadline to file as a declared write-in candidate for the general election: 5:00 p.m.

    Sources

  10. November 3, 2026

    Upcoming

    Official state record

    General election

    Statewide general election, including the U.S. Senate race.

    Sources

Status

What is confirmed and what is still developing

Official state records confirm the primary results, the recorded withdrawal, the replacement authority and deadline, and a candidate list that currently shows one U.S. Senate candidate. The political party says its convention will select a nominee on July 25. No replacement has appeared in the state candidate list. An FEC filing is a federal campaign finance registration, not ballot proof: only the Secretary of State's list establishes who is on Maine's ballot.

StandardsNo replacement nominee is selected or state-confirmed

The party's convention is scheduled for July 25, 2026 and has not happened. The official state candidate list posted July 16, 2026 shows no Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate, and the state withdrawal listing shows no replacement received. Any name reported or discussed before the state lists it is not an official general-election candidate.

To verify: Check the Maine Secretary of State candidate list and the withdrawals and replacements listing after July 25 and again after the July 27, 2026 deadline.

StandardsParty participant list is party-provided

The 12 people in the party's candidate guide are participants in the party's own process. Their listing does not confirm signature qualification, convention eligibility, or any ballot status. FEC registrations, where they exist, also do not establish Maine ballot qualification.

To verify: Compare the party guide against the official state candidate list once the replacement window closes.

StandardsSample ballots are not available

Ballot content for this race cannot be final before the July 27 replacement deadline and the August 25 write-in deadline. Whether the general election is determined by ranked-choice voting depends on how many candidates ultimately qualify.

To verify: Check official Maine sample ballots when the Secretary of State publishes them.

Next review is scheduled for July 25, 2026, the party-provided convention date. A further review is required after the July 27, 2026 statutory replacement deadline, when the official state candidate list settles.

Your say

When voters get a say

The general election is November 3, 2026. Maine uses ranked-choice voting in general elections for federal offices when enough candidates qualify: three or more on the ballot, or two plus a declared write-in. Whether this race is decided by ranked-choice voting depends on the final candidate count after the July 27 replacement deadline and the August 25 write-in deadline. Write-in candidates may file with the state through August 25, 2026 at 5:00 p.m.

Sources

Official voter information

Source trail

Every source used on this page

Spreadsheet and PDF sources were downloaded and read, not merely linked. Each card states what the source proves and what it does not prove.

Official state election records

Maine Secretary of State documents and Maine statutes. These establish ballot status, results, and deadlines.

Source me-sos-upcoming · State election office pagePrimary source
Maine Secretary of State: Upcoming Elections
PublisherMaine Department of the Secretary of State
ProvesThe general election is November 3, 2026. The filing deadline for replacement candidates is July 27, 2026 at 5:00 p.m. The write-in filing deadline is August 25, 2026 at 5:00 p.m. Ranked-choice voting is used in general elections for federal offices.
Does not proveWho any replacement nominee will be.
Accessed
Source me-sos-candidate-list · State candidate list, Excel downloadPrimary source
2026 General Election Candidate's List (Excel), posted 7/16/2026
PublisherMaine Department of the Secretary of State
ProvesAs of the July 16, 2026 posting, Susan M. Collins of Bangor (Republican, filed February 25, 2026) is the only candidate listed for United States Senator. The file was downloaded and parsed directly.
Does not proveFinal ballot content. Replacement nominations may be added through July 27, 2026.
Accessed
Source me-sos-withdrawals · State withdrawal and replacement listing, PDFPrimary source
Candidate Withdrawals and Replacement Candidate Nominations after the June 9, 2026 Primary (PDF), as of July 13, 2026
PublisherMaine Department of the Secretary of State
ProvesThe Secretary of State records Graham C. Platner (Democratic) as withdrawn from the U.S. Senate race with date withdrawn July 10, 2026. The replacement candidate, residence, and date received columns for that row are blank, so no replacement nomination had been received as of July 13, 2026. The document was opened and read directly.
Does not proveEvents after July 13, 2026, or the reason for the withdrawal.
Accessed
Source me-sos-withdrawal-news · State election office news releasePrimary source
Maine Secretary of State: Office confirms receipt of official withdrawal by US Senate candidate Graham Platner
PublisherMaine Department of the Secretary of State
ProvesA formal withdrawal notice was received from Graham Platner, his name will not appear on the November ballot, and his political party may name a replacement by July 27, 2026.
Does not proveWhy he withdrew, or who the replacement nominee will be.
Accessed
Source me-sos-dem-primary · Official state tabulation, Excel downloadPrimary source
Official June 9, 2026 primary results: U.S. Senate, Democratic (Excel, FINAL)
PublisherMaine Department of the Secretary of State
ProvesFinal state totals: Graham C. Platner 156,084; Janet T. Mills 41,644; David A. Costello 17,560; declared write-in Andrea LaFlamme 1,114; 222,405 total ballots. Platner won the Democratic nomination. The file was downloaded and parsed directly.
Does not proveAnyone's general-election ballot status.
Accessed
Source me-sos-rep-primary · Official state tabulation, Excel downloadPrimary source
Official June 9, 2026 primary results: U.S. Senate, Republican (Excel, FINAL)
PublisherMaine Department of the Secretary of State
ProvesFinal state totals: Susan M. Collins 126,398 of 137,981 total ballots, unopposed. Collins won the Republican nomination. The file was downloaded and parsed directly.
Does not proveFinal general-election ballot content.
Accessed
Source me-statute-374a · State statutePrimary source
Maine Revised Statutes, Title 21-A, section 374-A: General election candidates; vacancy
PublisherMaine State Legislature, Office of the Revisor of Statutes
ProvesA political committee may make a replacement nomination when a nominee withdraws on or before 5 p.m. of the second Monday in July (July 13, 2026), and must do so no later than 5 p.m. of the fourth Monday in July (July 27, 2026). If a timely replacement is made, the Secretary of State produces new ballots or amends printed ballots.
Does not proveWhether a replacement nomination will actually be made.
Accessed
Source me-statute-rcv · State statutePrimary source
Maine Revised Statutes, Title 21-A, section 1, subsection 27-C: Elections determined by ranked-choice voting
PublisherMaine State Legislature, Office of the Revisor of Statutes
ProvesGeneral elections for United States Senator are determined by ranked-choice voting when 3 or more candidates qualify for the ballot, or at least 2 qualify plus one or more declared write-in candidates. A qualified candidate withdrawing less than 70 days before the election does not change that determination.
Does not proveWhether the 2026 general election will meet that candidate threshold.
Accessed

Federal official records

The U.S. Senate directory and FEC registrations. An FEC registration never establishes Maine ballot qualification.

Source us-senate-directory · Official U.S. Senate directoryPrimary source
United States Senate: Senators from Maine
PublisherUnited States Senate
ProvesSusan M. Collins (Republican, of Bangor) currently serves as a United States Senator for Maine.
Does not prove2026 candidacy or ballot status. Those are established by Maine election records.
Accessed
Source fec-collins · Federal campaign finance registrationPrimary source
FEC candidate file S6ME00159: Collins, Susan M.
PublisherFederal Election Commission
ProvesCollins is registered with the FEC as a Republican candidate for U.S. Senate in Maine for the 2026 cycle.
Does not proveFEC registration does not establish Maine ballot qualification. Ballot status comes from the Maine Secretary of State candidate list.
Accessed
Source fec-platner · Federal campaign finance registrationPrimary source
FEC candidate file S6ME00373: Platner, Graham
PublisherFederal Election Commission
ProvesPlatner is registered with the FEC as a Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate in Maine for the 2026 cycle.
Does not proveFEC registration does not establish Maine ballot qualification and does not reflect his state-recorded withdrawal. Ballot status comes from the Maine Secretary of State.
Accessed

Political-party-provided process

The Maine Democratic Party describing its own process. Not official state election records.

Source mdp-process · Political party process pageSecondary source
Maine Democratic Party: Maine Senate Nomination Process
PublisherMaine Democratic Party
ProvesThe party's own description of its replacement process: a declaration-of-intent deadline of July 15, 2026 at 5:00 p.m., county delegate nomination meetings July 18 and 19, candidate signatures due July 20 at 11:59 p.m., a nominating convention of 601 delegates on July 25, 2026 at 9:00 a.m. in Bangor, and submission of the nominee to the Secretary of State by July 27.
Does not proveThis is a political party describing its own process, not an official state election record. The page also contains campaign language. Only the Secretary of State confirms nominations and state deadlines.
Accessed
Source mdp-guide · Political party candidate guideSecondary source
Maine Democratic Party: Senate Candidate Guide
PublisherMaine Democratic Party
ProvesAs of July 16, 2026, the party's guide lists 12 people as candidates in its U.S. Senate nomination process: Shenna Bellows, David Costello, Elizabeth Cote, Elizabeth Dickerson, Troy Jackson, Dan Kleban, Joseph Leveille, Kristina Libby, Saundra Pelletier, Nirav Shah, Ashley Webb, and Jordan Wood.
Does not proveWhether any listed person has met the party's signature requirement, will be selected at the convention, or will appear on any ballot. This is a party-provided list, not a state record.
Accessed

Reported context

Labeled reporting used only to explain attention and timing, never to establish official status.

Source maine-public-context · Reported contextSecondary source
Maine Public: The latest on how Maine Democrats will nominate Graham Platner's replacement
PublisherMaine Public
ProvesReported context only: the replacement process is operating on a compressed timeline ahead of the statutory July 27 deadline, and the race is drawing statewide and national attention.
Does not proveAny official status. Ballot status, withdrawal records, deadlines, and results are established by the official sources above, not by reporting.
Accessed
Corrections

Corrections and next steps

See something outdated or wrong?
This is a developing race file. If a status, date, or source looks off, flag it with a link to the official record.
Next review is scheduled for July 25, 2026, the party-provided convention date. A further review is required after the July 27, 2026 statutory replacement deadline, when the official state candidate list settles.
Send a correction