AUGUSTA — Following a ranked choice vote count, Republican Bobby Charles and Democrat Hannah Pingree are the party nominees for the governor’s race in November.
The results set up a likely three-way contest, with independent state Sen. Rick Bennett already qualifying for the ballot.
While the Republican result was no surprise — Charles led with 38% of the vote on election night — the Democratic race went down to the wire.
Election night results showed Dr. Nirav Shah with 27%, Pingree with 23%, Troy Jackson at 21%, Shenna Bellows at 21% and Angus King III at 8%.
But after the ranked choice count, state election officials announced early Friday morning that Pingree won the race, with Shah finishing second.
In a statement, Pingree, a former speaker of the Maine House, thanked her supporters and her opponents. Then she looked ahead to the fall election.
“This campaign is about housing that allows young people to stay in Maine, quality health care we can afford, no matter where you live,” she said. “It’s about Maine’s potential — ensuring a bright future for our kids, and for those struggling to get by.”
Charles, an attorney and president of a Washington D.C.-based lobbying firm, said he believes Maine is “ready for change.”
“From Fort Kent to Kittery, from Downeast to Rangeley, Mainers sent a clear message: it is time to fix what is broken in Augusta,” he said.
A native of Wayne, he worked in the Reagan White House and later as a Naval Intelligence Officer.
Before the results were released, he told reports that if he’s elected, he will work with the Legislature to repeal ranked choice voting, saying it takes too long to get results.
“The ranked choice voting system, as currently structured, is simply too slow and too complicated,” he said. “As governor, reforming this system will be a priority.”
In addition to the delayed results for voters, he said it gives Bennett an unfair advantage when it comes to hitting the campaign trail.
“This to me is institutionalized unfairness that necessarily, whether it was Rick Bennett or anybody else, puts that person at a disadvantage vis-a-vis the two major parties that just have to wait and see what happens,” he said.
Although the clear leader on election night, Charles and the rest of the GOP field had to wait until early Friday for the ranked choice count to be completed.
Following Charles on election night, Ben Midgley and Jonathan Bush each carried 20%, followed by Garrett Mason at 11%. The rest of the pack garnered less than 5% of the vote.
After the ranked choice count was complete, Charles finished first and Midgley came in second.
Bennett, a former Republican, also weighed in after the results were released.
“The two parties have chosen their nominees,” he said. “Now the people of Maine must decide whether we want more of the same partisan politics, more division, more excuses, or whether we are ready for a different path.”