AUGUSTA, Maine — It may be the end of summer in 2023, but the 2024 race for the White House is heating up.
Eight Republican candidates for president are expected to take the debate stage for the first time Wednesday night in Wisconsin.
Notably, the front-runner in the majority of polls, former President Donald Trump, will not be present.
The debate will have new importance for Maine voters this year. For the first time, voters in the state who are not enrolled in a political party will be able to participate in the presidential primary election on March 5. The primary process for Democratic and Republican voters will "look the exact same," according to Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows.
“In Maine, we love to say, 'We vote the person, not the party.' That is very true, and we have some of the highest levels of voter participation in the nation," Bellows added Wednesday. “We are hopeful that with semi-open primaries, we're going to see those record levels of turnout on primary day as well.”
On primary day, Mainers unenrolled in any recognized party will be able to choose one primary to vote in. They will remain as unenrolled voters for the presidential election in 2024. Those enrolled in a political party can only vote in that party's primary.
Bellows said the Legislature passed the law to allow Maine to hold "semi-open primaries" last year. She added allowing more Mainers to vote in primaries could keep the state's streak of recording high voter turnout going.
The race for the White House will pick up after Wednesday's debate, and Bellows said now is the time for people to consider working at polls in the near future. The state will hold a referendum election this November and then the presidential primary next March, a local primary next June, and the general election next November.
“The success of our elections depends on the people running our elections," Bellows said. “It’s a great way to learn about the process and see firsthand all of the checks and balances that safeguard the security and integrity of our elections.”
Wednesday also marks National Poll Worker Recruitment Day. Interested Mainers can find a list of local clerk contact information here. To be eligible to serve as a poll worker, you must be registered to vote or be pre-registered if you're 16 or 17 years old. Bellows said each poll location must have an equal number of workers from each major political party because of state law.
Bellows added poll workers can serve their local town or any municipality in their home county.
