AUGUSTA, Maine — Maine's electors for the federal offices of the President and Vice President of the United States convened Monday to cast their votes. Electors cast three votes for Joe Biden and Kamala Harris, and one for Donald Trump and Mike Pence.
The convening of the Electoral College began at 2 p.m. in the House Chamber at the Statehouse in Augusta. Presidential electors cast their ballots during the ceremony, which were then counted and tallied.
The Maine Statehouse is currently closed to the public, but people could watch the proceedings via the Statehouse House Chamber livestream.
In official voting results for the State of Maine, Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden and vice-presidential nominee Kamala Harris received 435,072 votes statewide, also winning the 1st Congressional District. The Republican nominees, President Donald J. Trump and Vice President Michael R. Pence, received 360,737 votes statewide and won the 2nd Congressional District.
Here's a breakdown of how Maine's votes are split up:
- 2 votes: Whoever wins the popular vote statewide.
- 1 vote: Whoever wins the popular vote in the 1st Congressional District.
- 1 vote: Whoever wins the popular vote in the 2nd Congressional District.
Thus, Maine voters chose three electors for Biden and one elector for Trump. Maine is one of only two states in the nation, along with Nebraska, that splits its electoral votes by Congressional district.
Maine’s presidential electors for Biden are Jay Philbrick (Congressional District 1), David Bright (at large), and Sen. Shenna Bellows (at large). Maine’s presidential elector for Trump is Peter LaVerdiere (Congressional District 2).
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Maine law is written with the expectation that electors will cast their ballots in accordance with the will of the voters, but does not prescribe penalties for faithless electors.
Maine Gov. Janet Mills opened the proceedings Monday with a brief speech. She said the day is historic for two reasons: the arrival of the COVID-19 vaccine, and the casting of the electoral college votes.
"Both of these events is the result of a surge. One a response to the dramatic spread of a deadly disease," Mills said. "The other the conclusion of millions of Americans voicing their choices in unprecedented numbers during the most dangerous time in over a hundred years."
"To be a member of the Electoral College is to hold a unique position of trust, to reflect and embody the will of the voters and, this year, the determination of 828,000 people — 78% of all eligible Maine voters, 507,486 of those, 61% of the total, having made their choices known, during a time of civil emergency, by absentee ballot in safe, utterly confidential and timely fashion," Mills continued. "[...] These four individuals convened in a 'college' in this hall today embody the peaceful transfer of power that is special to our 244 year old experiment in democracy. These four people, acting with honor and good faith, channel and execute the will of the people. Let us work to defeat the surge of a virus even as we celebrate today an unprecedented and welcomed surge of voters on this historic day in this very historic year."
Senate President Troy Jackson, D-Allagash, served as Sergeant-at-Arms during the proceedings in the House Chamber on Monday.
In a statement after the vote, Jackson said, “Now that all members of the electoral college have formally cast their vote for President, the election is officially over. It’s time to put the bitterness of the campaign behind us and come together as Americans. We need each other to get through this crisis and begin rebuilding our states, our country and our economy.”
U.S. Rep. Chellie Pingree, D-Congressional District 1, said, "Today the Electoral College made the vote official, but it was clear President-elect Biden won the election within days of November 3 by a decisive margin. I am delighted Maine cast three of its electoral votes for our next President. The actions of President Trump, his attorneys, and congressional Republicans to delegitimize the outcome and overturn the results have done incalculable damage to public confidence in our democracy. The election is over and Joe Biden will be our 46th President. It's time to turn the page from these destructive last four years."
Ahead of the official vote on Monday, Maine Democratic Party Chair Kathleen Marra said the vote "once again confirms what we already know: Joe Biden will be the next president of the United States."
“With their ballots, a clear majority of Mainers voted to send Joe Biden and Kamala Harris to the White House," Marra said. "Despite Trump’s attempts to overturn the will of the people with baseless and repeatedly disproven claims of voter fraud, today’s Electoral College vote in Maine and across the country once again confirms what we already know: Joe Biden will be the next president of the United States. President-elect Biden understands the enormous challenges he’ll be facing when he takes office: a global pandemic, an economic crisis, system racism and growing inequality, and the existential threat of climate change. We’re confident that the Biden-Harris administration will be ready on day one to confront the challenges ahead and build our country back better than before.”
The Maine Republican Party did not immediately respond for comment.
This story will be updated.