AUGUSTA — State election officials began the ranked choice voting tabulation on Friday, setting the stage for highly anticipated election results likely to come next week.
Three races hang in the balance — both contests for governor and the 2nd Congressional District Democratic primary.
On Tuesday, no candidate reached more than 50% of the vote in those races, sending them to a ranked choice count.
In the Republican primary for governor, Bobby Charles leads with nearly 38% of the vote, followed by Ben Midgley at 20%, Jonathan Bush at 20% and Garrett Mason at 11%. Four others on the ballot all got less than 4%.
For Democrats running for governor, it’s a close four-way race. Dr. Nirav Shah leads with 27%, followed by Hannah Pingree at 23%, Troy Jackson at 21% and Shenna Bellows at 20.7%.
And in the 2nd District, Democrat Joe Baldacci leads with 32%, followed by Matt Dunlap at 29%, Jordan Wood at 29% and Paige Loud at 10%.
On Friday at Maine State Police Headquarters in Augusta, police officers wheeled in locked boxes with ballots from Aroostook County. At another table, nonpartisan staff from the Secretary of State’s Office opened envelopes that contained memory sticks with voting data.
It’s just the beginning of a days-long process to double check election results before the information is run through a ranked choice tabulation.
“In order to make sure we’re doing it thoroughly and accurately we need to take the time to actually gather all of this material from every town in the state,” said Chief Deputy Secretary of State Kate McBrien. “It’s a slow process, but it’s the correct process and that’s what matters.”
In recent days, most candidates have released statements thanking supporters as they wait for final tallies.
Mason, a former Senate Republican leader, announced on social media that he will not run for statewide office again.
“I have been honored beyond measure to serve the people of Maine in elected office and to have had the opportunity to seek this office,” he wrote. “But there comes a time when it is right to pass the torch.”
And even though she is currently in fourth place in the Democratic gubernatorial primary, the Bellows’ campaign argues that she could ultimately be the winner.
“Shenna’s first place votes are extremely close to the other leaders in this race, and ranked choice races are won on the final ballot, not the first one,” Amy Winestock, campaign manager, wrote in an email to supporters on Wednesday.
Bellows, who serves as Secretary of State, is not overseeing this election because she is on the ballot. The ranked choice count currently underway is being run by McBrien.
Up in the 2nd District, Baldacci said he’s proud of the campaign he ran.
“While it might take a while for us to know the results, we’re confident in our position,” he wrote.
McBrien said they hope to have results by mid-week.
“Hopeful, if everything goes well, middle of next week, but I can’t guarantee it,” she said.