2026 Maine gubernatorial election

Democratic

Republican | | | | Democratic | Republican | | | | | | | | | Democratic | Republican | | | | | | Incumbent Governor Janet Mills Democratic | Incumbent Governor Janet Mills Democratic | | | | | | Incumbent Governor Janet Mills Democratic | | | | | |

The 2026 Maine gubernatorial election is scheduled to take place on November 3, 2026, to elect the 76th governor of Maine. Incumbent Democratic governor Janet Mills is term-limited and cannot seek re-election to a third consecutive term. This election will coincide with a U.S. Senate election, U.S. House elections for Maine's two congressional districts, and various other state, county, and local elections. Although Maine has adopted ranked-choice voting, it is only used for primary and federal general elections. Therefore, the primary will be conducted with ranked-choice voting, and the general election will be conducted with the traditional plurality voting system. The primary elections will be held on June 9, 2026.

Incumbent Democratic governor Janet Mills was re-elected with 55.69% of the vote in 2022 over Republican former governor Paul LePage. Maine has not elected consecutive governors from the same party since Republican Burton M. Cross succeeded Republican Frederick G. Payne after 1952. Conversely, Mills's 2022 re-election, held under Democratic president Joe Biden, was the first time Mainers had elected a governor from the same party as the president since Republican John R. McKernan Jr. was re-elected under Republican president George H. W. Bush in 1990.

A sparsely populated state in New England, Maine is one of the most rural states in the nation and is considered to be moderately blue, having voted for every Democratic presidential nominee since 1992. In 2024, the state voted for Kamala Harris by seven points. Both houses of the Maine Legislature are controlled by the Maine Democratic Party, and Maine's two congressional districts are held by Democrats. A Republican has not received a majority of the vote in a gubernatorial election since 1962, when incumbent Republican John H. Reed received 50.08% of the vote. However, the state still maintains a Republican senator, as Susan Collins won the 2020 U.S. senate election.

• Shenna Bellows, Maine Secretary of State (2021–present) and nominee for U.S. Senate in 2014

• Troy Jackson, former President of the Maine Senate (2018–2024) and candidate for Maine's 2nd congressional district in 2014

• Angus King III, energy executive and son of U.S. Senator and former governor Angus King

• Hannah Pingree, former director of the Maine Governor's Office of Policy Innovation, former Speaker of the Maine House of Representatives (2008–2010), and daughter of U.S. Representative Chellie Pingree

• Nirav Shah, former principal deputy director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2023–2025) and former director of the Maine CDC (2019–2023)

• Kenneth Pinet, retired hotel worker

• Jason Cherry, attorney and independent candidate for U.S. Senate in 2024 (running for state representative)

• Joe Baldacci, state senator (2020–present) and brother of former governor John Baldacci (running for U.S. House, endorsed Jackson)

• Jared Golden, U.S. representative from Maine's 2nd congressional district (2019–present)

• Dan Kleban, brewer (ran for U.S. Senate)

• Adam Lee, car dealer

• Jonathan Bush, healthcare executive and nephew of former president George H. W. Bush

• Robert Charles, lawyer and former U.S. Assistant Secretary of State

• David Jones, real estate executive and independent candidate for governor in 2006

• Garrett Mason, former majority leader of the Maine Senate and candidate for governor in 2018

• Owen McCarthy, University of Maine System trustee

• Ben Midgley, former CEO of Crunch Fitness

• Robert Wessels, former Paris selectman

• Ken Capron, retired accountant

• David J. Foster

• Randy Lee Wilcox

• James Libby, state senator and candidate for governor in 2002

• Steven Sheppard, rapper

• Rick Bennett, state senator, former President of the Maine Senate, and candidate for U.S. Senate in 2012 (running as an Independent)

• Laurel Libby, state representative from the 90th district (2022–present) and the 64th district (2020–2022)

• Shawn Moody, entrepreneur, nominee for governor in 2018, independent candidate for governor in 2010 (initially formed exploratory committee)

• Ray Richardson, political analyst and radio host

• Rick Bennett, state senator (1996–2004, 2020–present), Republican nominee for ME-2 in 1994 and candidate for U.S. Senate in 2012

• Ed Crockett, state representative (2018–present)

• John Glowa, retired environmental specialist

• Derek Levasseur, former police officer and Republican candidate for U.S. Senate in 2020

• Alexander Murchison, mechanical engineer

• 2026 United States gubernatorial elections

Official campaign websites