The person behind the name
Susan Collins’s public career runs from a congressional staff desk in the 1970s, through a Maine regulatory agency and a federal field office, to five terms in the U.S. Senate and the chairmanship of its Appropriations Committee.
Collins was born on December 7, 1952, in Caribou, Maine, where, by her official biography, her family runs a sixth-generation lumber business founded in 1844. She is one of six siblings raised by Pat and Don Collins; both parents served as mayor of Caribou, and her father, a World War II veteran, served in both chambers of the Maine Legislature. She was first elected to the Senate in 1996, succeeding Bill Cohen, and was re-elected in 2002, 2008, 2014 and 2020. On June 9, 2026 she was the only Republican on the primary ballot for U.S. Senate and received 126,398 votes; she faces Troy Jackson, the Democratic nominee, in the November 3 general election. [1][3][6][7]
Education and professional preparation
Her official biography reports that she graduated from Caribou High School in 1971 and Phi Beta Kappa from St. Lawrence University in 1975; the degree is not named on the page. She then went to work for Representative Bill Cohen, stayed on his staff when he was elected to the Senate three years later, and became staff director of the Governmental Affairs Committee’s Oversight of Government Management Subcommittee. The campaign biography adds that her early jobs included picking potatoes for a local farmer and reading to children at the Caribou Public Library. [1][9]
A public life that began in state government
In 1987 Governor John McKernan appointed her Commissioner of the Maine Department of Professional and Financial Regulation. In 1992 President George H.W. Bush named her Director of the Small Business Administration’s regional office, and in 1994 she became the founding Executive Director of the Center for Family Business at Husson College. Her Senate service began in January 1997; Congress.gov records her as a senator from Maine in every Congress from the 105th to the 119th. In the 119th Congress she chairs the Appropriations Committee, which she first joined in 2009, and sits on the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee and the Select Committee on Intelligence. She has previously chaired the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations and the Special Committee on Aging. [1][2][71]
Senate service and recognition
Her official biography says she was the first Republican woman to win a fifth term and is now the seventh-most senior member of the Senate and its most senior Republican woman. It lists the Distinguished Citizen Award of the Congressional Medal of Honor Society, the Navy’s Naval Heritage Award in 2023 for her advocacy of shipbuilding programs, selection for the BBC’s 2024 list of 100 women, and the Army Distinguished Public Service Medal in January 2025. The campaign biography states her margins as it counts them: re-elected by 16 points in 2002, by 23 points in 2008 while carrying all sixteen counties, with more than 68 percent in 2014, and by nearly nine points in 2020 ‘despite being down in every public poll.’ Those margins are the campaign’s figures; the canvasses were not read for this profile. [1][2][9]
A note on the attendance record. GovTrack counts 10,073 roll-call votes from January 1997 to September 2026 and none missed, a rate of 0.0 percent; the official biography calls it the longest perfect voting record in the Senate’s history. The count is GovTrack’s; the superlative is the senator’s office’s. [21][1]
Life & public service
From Caribou to the chair of the Appropriations Committee, the documented milestones show how her record was built.
Born in Caribou
Born December 7, 1952, to Pat and Don Collins, both later mayors of Caribou. [1]
St. Lawrence University; the Cohen years
Graduated Phi Beta Kappa and joined Representative Bill Cohen’s staff, later serving as a Senate subcommittee staff director. [1]
State regulator
Appointed Commissioner of the Maine Department of Professional and Financial Regulation by Governor McKernan. [1]
SBA regional director; Husson
Named SBA regional director by President George H.W. Bush in 1992 and founding director of Husson’s Center for Family Business in 1994. [1]
The Kavanaugh vote
Voted to confirm Brett Kavanaugh, 50–48. [33]
The sixth-term campaign
Announced February 10 (‘This is perfect for 2026, because I’m running’); unopposed in the June 9 primary; endorsed by President Trump on June 10; primary winner Graham Platner withdrew on July 10 and the Secretary of State received Troy Jackson as the Democratic replacement nominee on July 27; four debates accepted August 27. [11][3][63][6][12]
Accomplishments, in the record
Roll calls, GovTrack’s bill records and the Secretary of State’s tabulations establish the following work. Outcomes are described at the level those records support, with shared credit where a law had several authors or was carried by another bill.
The Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act
Collins was the sponsor of S. 2845, the bill she co-authored with Senator Joe Lieberman that reorganized the intelligence community after the September 11 attacks. The conference report was agreed to 89–2 on December 8, 2004, and the bill was signed on December 17, 2004. GovTrack lists it among the 25 measures she sponsored that were enacted in their own right. [2][54][23]
Lead Republican on repeal
Her official biography describes her as ‘the lead Republican in the successful effort to repeal’ the policy. The roll call shows her among six Republicans voting for cloture on the repeal bill on December 18, 2010, which was agreed to 63–33. The vote is the record; the leadership role is the biography’s characterization. [2][51]
Co-author of the PPP
The official biography says she ‘co-authored the Paycheck Protection Program,’ and the campaign says it saved ‘more than 250,000 jobs in Maine.’ The program was enacted in the CARES Act, H.R. 748, which passed the Senate 96–0 on March 25, 2020, with her Yea and was signed on March 27. Credit is shared: the program had several authors and traveled inside a much larger bill. [2][10][55][74]
The Collins-Manchin Electoral Count Reform Act
Her bill S. 4573 with Senator Joe Manchin set out rules for counting electoral votes and presidential transitions. GovTrack counts it among the 54 bills she sponsored that were enacted under its inclusive definition, which includes measures carried into law by other legislation; the campaign says it ‘passed the Senate with 68 votes and was signed into law.’ The enacted vehicle was the year-end appropriations act, not her bill on its own. [21][23][14]
Repeal of the windfall elimination provision and government pension offset
She voted Yea on H.R. 82, the Social Security Fairness Act, on December 21, 2024; it passed 76–20 with Republicans split 27 to 20. Her office says the law she ‘co-authored’ was signed in January 2025 after ‘more than two decades of work’; the campaign says more than 25,000 Mainers have seen benefits restored. The enacted bill was a House bill; her role was co-authorship of the Senate effort. [67][2][10]
The $50 billion Rural Health Transformation Program
Her office states that she ‘proposed $50 billion in funding for the Rural Health Transformation Program,’ the fund that was added to the 2025 reconciliation bill she then voted against. Maine’s first-year award is $190 million, announced December 29, 2025. In March 2026 her office said she intervened with the CMS administrator after the state missed milestones and the award was at risk of being reallocated. Both accounts are her office’s; the award amount is a federal figure it reports. [60][61][45]
10,073 roll calls, none missed
GovTrack’s record reads: ‘From Jan 1997 to Sep 2026, Collins missed 0 of 10,073 roll call votes, which is 0.0%.’ The median among currently serving senators, by the same source, is 2.8 percent. [21]
Twenty-five sponsored bills enacted in their own right
GovTrack’s data records 695 measures she sponsored between 1997 and 2026. Twenty-five were enacted in their own right, from the Deceptive Mail Prevention and Enforcement Act of 1999 to the NAPA Reauthorization Act and the Alzheimer’s Accountability and Investment Act of 2024; 34 more passed the Senate without becoming law. GovTrack’s broader count of 54 ‘enacted’ bills includes measures whose text was carried by other legislation. In the 118th Congress she introduced 37 bills and resolutions, 36 of them with a cosponsor from the other party. [23][21][22]
Family & community
Her official biography identifies her husband as Thomas A. Daffron and says they live in Bangor with their black lab, Pepper; the campaign biography calls him Tom. Neither biography mentions children. [1][9]
Her parents, Don and Patricia Collins, both served as mayor of Caribou; the campaign biography says her father served five terms in the Legislature and earned two Purple Hearts and the Bronze Star in the Second World War, and that her mother served on boards from the University of Maine System trustees to Catholic Charities of Maine. [9][18]
Neither her official biography nor her campaign biography states a religious affiliation, and this profile makes no claim about one. The sources reviewed here document family, residence and public roles; they do not supply a verified record of charitable board service, and none is asserted.
Her mission for Maine
Deliver for Maine from the Appropriations chair, protect rural hospitals and Social Security, and keep a perfect attendance record.
The following summarizes the record and priorities on Collins’s official campaign website, which presents them as a ‘Track Record’ rather than a list of proposals, and in her campaign’s releases. Where a plank restates a past action, the roll call or record it rests on is noted. [10]
01Maine jobs and workforce development
“Susan is a steadfast champion for Maine’s working families and job creators. She has consistently fought to expand access to workforce training and skills development so Mainers can secure good-paying jobs.” The plank credits her with authorship of the Paycheck Protection Program, ‘saving and protecting more than 250,000 jobs in Maine.’ The campaign reposts reports of FY2026 lobster-industry funding and nearly $20 million for the Eastport breakwater and fish pier. The jobs figure is the campaign’s. [10][75]
02Health care
“One of Susan’s priorities is making health care more affordable and accessible for families, seniors, and people who live in rural Maine,” including legislation ‘to make key telehealth flexibilities permanent through Medicare.’ The plank claims that ‘Last Congress, 33% of all health care bills signed into law were authored or coauthored by Susan Collins’; the official biography puts the same claim as five of fifteen. [10][2]
03Alzheimer’s and diabetes research
As co-chair of the Senate Alzheimer’s task force she ‘secured a $100 million increase for Alzheimer’s research at NIH in Fiscal Year 2026, bringing total investment to $3.9 billion this year.’ Since she founded the Senate Diabetes Caucus in 1997, the campaign says, federal diabetes research funding ‘has increased more than sevenfold to $2.3 billion this year.’ Appropriations figures as the campaign states them. [10]
04Social Security
“As the author of the Social Security Fairness Act which was signed into law in 2025, Susan is the leader in the Senate for Social Security.” The campaign says benefits have increased for 2.8 million Americans and more than 25,000 Mainers. Her Yea on H.R. 82 is in the record. [10][67]
05Delivering for Maine
“Susan is the first Maine Senator in nearly 100 years to be Chairman of the powerful Senate Appropriations Committee.” The campaign says she has secured ‘nearly $1.5 billion in congressionally directed spending’ for 670 projects in all 16 counties since 2021, and lists the county totals, from $12.5 million in Sagadahoc to $328.9 million in Penobscot, and the campaign reposts a report of $45 million secured for a University of Maine health and life sciences complex. On education, her official issues page says: ‘I have a strong record of supporting education at all levels. This includes promoting early childhood education, improving our public school system for kindergarten through 12th grade, and working to increase the affordability of higher education.’ No school-choice plank appears on the campaign site. [10][73][75]
06Defense, shipbuilding and veterans
Her official issues page says she has ‘secured provisions in annual defense authorization and funding bills that support work at Bath Iron Works, Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, the University of Maine, Saco Defense, Pratt & Whitney, and other companies that are vital to Maine’s economy.’ The campaign reposted a report that the $900.6 billion defense bill she backed ‘cleared Congress’ in December 2025 with ‘direct wins for Maine’s defense workforce,’ and its veterans coalition release lists $164.9 billion for veterans’ medical care and $18.9 billion for mental health and suicide prevention in the FY2026 military construction and veterans bill. Appropriations totals as the campaign states them. [73][75][18]
07Tariffs and Canada
In February 2026 she said ‘only Congress has the constitutional authority to impose tariffs’ and that her votes against tariffs on Canada reflected ‘my belief that these tariffs often harm Maine’s economy and consumers.’ She voted Yea on all three 2025 resolutions terminating tariff emergencies, including the Canada resolution that passed 51–48 with four Republicans. In September the campaign credited her with an exemption for Canadian road salt and cement, citing cost estimates from Frenchville, Fort Kent, Caribou and Presque Isle. [59][42][19]
08Abortion
On the day of the Dobbs decision she said ‘the basic right needs to be the same for all American women,’ called the ruling ‘a sudden and radical jolt to the country,’ and pointed to the Reproductive Choice Act she introduced with Senator Murkowski to codify Roe and Casey. In June 2025 she was one of two Republicans voting to waive the Budget Act for an amendment ‘to strike the provision to defund Planned Parenthood.’ SBA Pro-Life America grades her D. [58][44][28]
09Health care, Medicaid and rural hospitals
Her official issues page says ‘our nation’s health care system requires substantial reform’ and that she has ‘consistently supported programs to improve and expand access to the health care system, particularly for citizens living in rural areas.’ She voted Nay on the Affordable Care Act in 2009 and Nay on its ‘skinny repeal’ in 2017; in 2025 she voted against H.R. 1 citing ‘the harmful impact it will have on Medicaid.’ [81][31][62][60]
How to assess a proposal. A campaign plan states an intention. Enactment, implementation costs, replacement revenue, and measured results are separate questions. These priorities should be read alongside the documented record above.
The fuller record
A useful profile includes policy tradeoffs, the limits of a claim, and responses to material criticism.
The ‘deciding vote’ on H.R. 1
A WinSenate ad of September 4, 2026 says ‘Susan Collins was the deciding vote for Trump’s Medicaid cuts,’ and state Representative Drew Gattine, a Democrat, said in a Maine Democratic Party release that she ‘cast the pivotal, deciding vote to advance this bill.’ The record: on June 28, 2025 she voted Yea on the motion to proceed to H.R. 1, agreed to 51–49 with Senators Paul and Tillis the Republican Nays; on June 30 she was one of two Republicans voting to waive the Budget Act for the Murray amendment striking the Planned Parenthood provision; on July 1 she voted Nay on passage, which carried 50–50 with the Vice President. PolitiFact rated the ad Mostly False, noting that ‘Had Collins voted no on the procedural vote, Vice President JD Vance was on hand to break the tie.’ Collins said she opposed the bill for ‘the harmful impact it will have on Medicaid, affecting low-income families and rural health care providers like our hospitals and nursing homes’; her campaign says her ‘procedural vote did not determine whether the bill advanced.’ [43][44][45][62][65][16]
The ACA tax credits and the fall 2025 shutdown
A Democratic state senator, Henry Ingwersen, charged in August 2026 that ‘From September to November of 2025, Susan Collins voted eight times – eight times – in seven weeks against extending the ACA tax credits and called the effort to extend the tax credits a poison pill.’ The Senate’s vote index shows cloture on the motion to proceed to H.R. 5371, the continuing resolution, failing repeatedly in October and early November 2025, including on October 9, 14, 15, 16, 20, 22 and 28 and November 4, with Collins voting Yea for cloture on the October 9 vote read for this profile; the bill passed 60–40 on November 10 after cloture on her substitute. The Democratic alternatives were not read individually here, and no direct response from Collins on the tax-credit charge was located. [65][57][47]
Kavanaugh, Roe and Dobbs
The Maine Democratic Party says she helped ‘pave the way for the overturning of Roe.’ She voted to confirm Brett Kavanaugh on October 6, 2018 (50–48), voted against Amy Coney Barrett in 2020 as the only Republican Nay, and voted against cloture on the Women’s Health Protection Act in May 2022. On June 24, 2022 she said the Dobbs decision ‘is inconsistent with what Justices Gorsuch and Kavanaugh said in their testimony and their meetings with me, where they both were insistent on the importance of supporting long-standing precedents,’ and cited her bill with Senator Murkowski to codify Roe and Casey. Planned Parenthood Action Fund lists the Kavanaugh vote on its scorecard; SBA Pro-Life America grades her D. [64][33][35][80][58][28]
‘Voted with him 96% of the time’ and the Trump endorsement
On June 10, 2026 President Trump endorsed her at a White House event, the Washington Examiner reported: ‘She does because she’s a sane woman,’ he said when asked about his support, and ‘She’s not my best friend at all.’ The Maine Democratic Party answered that she ‘voted with him 96% of the time’; the source of that figure is not given in its release and was not measured here. The roll calls read for this profile show both directions: Guilty on the 2021 article of impeachment, Nay on Hegseth, Patel and Bove, Yea on three tariff-termination resolutions, Nay on H.R. 1 and on the rescissions package, and Yea on the 2026 Iran war-powers resolution; and Yea on Gabbard and Kennedy, on the Laken Riley Act and on the 2026 reconciliation bill S. 2, which passed 52–47. No response from Collins to the endorsement appears in the report reviewed. [63][64][37][40][70][42][45][46][49][41][78][48]
The impeachment votes and the nominees
Conservatives who cite her record start with February 13, 2021, when she voted Guilty on the article of impeachment against former President Trump, one of seven Republicans; the vote was 57–43, ten short of conviction. A year earlier she had voted Not Guilty on both 2020 articles. In 1999 she voted Not Guilty on both articles against President Clinton, one of ten Republicans on the first and five on the second. On nominations she has gone both ways: Yea on Gorsuch and Kavanaugh, Nay on Barrett; in 2025 Nay on Hegseth, Patel and Bove, Yea on Gabbard and Kennedy, and Yea on Ketanji Brown Jackson in 2022 as one of three Republicans. Her only recorded explanation in the sources read is the Dobbs statement on what Gorsuch and Kavanaugh told her about precedent. [37][34][56][85][33][35][40][70][41][74][58]
Borders, aid and war powers
On immigration she voted for the 2013 comprehensive bill, S. 744 (68–32, with 14 Republicans), for cloture on the 2024 border agreement in H.R. 815 (rejected 49–50; one of four Republicans), for the 2019 resolution terminating the border-wall emergency (one of twelve Republicans), and for the Laken Riley Act in January 2025 (64–35). On foreign policy she voted Yea on cloture for the 2024 Ukraine, Israel and Indo-Pacific supplemental (80–19), Nay on the 2025 rescissions package that cut foreign aid and public broadcasting (one of two Republicans), Yea on the 2026 Russia sanctions bill (86–11), and Yea on the June 2026 resolution directing the President to remove U.S. forces from hostilities with Iran, one of four Republicans on a 50–48 vote. In 2002 she voted for the Iraq war resolution. Supporters read the pattern as independence; critics on the right read it as votes against a Republican president. The roll calls are the record either way. [53][69][68][78][46][79][49][56]
What the conservative ratings measure
Heritage Action scores her 18 percent for the current Congress and 17 percent for the last, 24 percent lifetime; the Club for Growth Foundation 43 percent for 2025 and 34 percent lifetime; the League of Conservation Voters 31 percent for 2025 and 52 lifetime; the NRA Political Victory Fund gives her a C and her opponent an F. Voteview’s DW-NOMINATE score of 0.124 is the lowest of any Senate Republican in the 117th, 118th and 119th Congresses, with Senator Murkowski next at 0.204. GovTrack’s 2024 report card ranks her ‘most politically left compared to Senate Republicans’ and notes that 67 percent of the 475 bills she cosponsored came from non-Republicans. Votes behind those numbers include Yea on the 2009 stimulus, Dodd-Frank, the 2013 immigration bill and the Manchin-Toomey amendment; party-line votes are also on the record, including Nay on the Affordable Care Act, the American Rescue Plan and the Inflation Reduction Act and Yea on the 2017 tax law. The official biography answers with the Lugar Center’s bipartisan index, on which it says she has repeatedly ranked first; that index was not verified for this review. [25][26][30][27][29][24][22][50][82][52][53][81][83][84][32][1]
The replacement nominee
Graham Platner won the June 9 Democratic primary with 156,084 votes, 72.1 percent of the votes cast for a candidate, against 41,644 for Governor Janet Mills, who had suspended her campaign in April but remained on the ballot, the Bangor Daily News reported; no ranked-choice rounds were needed. The Secretary of State’s post-primary list records his withdrawal on July 10, 2026 and the receipt of Troy D. Jackson of Allagash as the replacement nominee on July 27. NPR reported that Platner withdrew ‘after a series of scandals’ and that Jackson, ‘a logger and former president of the Maine Senate, was overwhelmingly chosen at a rare nominating convention.’ The Collins campaign called him ‘basically handpicked by party insiders’ and attacked his Medicare for All platform; its finance director had earlier referred to ‘whomever the Democratic Party appoints.’ Maine law permits the replacement; the same list records 27 post-primary withdrawals in 2026, 16 of them with a replacement nominee received. On August 27 the Collins campaign accepted four debate invitations, from NewsCenter Maine with Maine Public and the Portland Press Herald, WGME, WABI with WAGM, and WMTW, and proposed the first for the first full week of September; on September 2 it said Jackson ‘still hasn’t accepted the invitation to debate Collins next week.’ His subsequent answer is not in the sources read. [4][86][5][6][66][15][12][13]
What the endorsement list does and does not contain
The campaign’s releases record the Sportsman’s Alliance of Maine (May 20), a veterans coalition chaired by a retired chief master sergeant and a Republican state senator (June 22), a former Maine Hospital Association president appearing in an ad (August 19) and former Senator Joe Manchin (September 14). No governor, police union, labor union or newspaper endorsement appears among the campaign’s 195 posts since February 2025, and no Club for Growth, Senate Leadership Fund or NRSC statement was located within this review. Endorsements establish political support; they are not evaluations of the record above. [17][18][16][14]
Questions & answers
Who is Susan Collins?
Susan Collins is a Republican U.S. senator from Maine, first elected in 1996 and re-elected in 2002, 2008, 2014 and 2020. She chairs the Senate Appropriations Committee. Born December 7, 1952, in Caribou, Maine, she earlier worked on Bill Cohen’s congressional staff, served as commissioner of Maine’s Department of Professional and Financial Regulation and was director of the Small Business Administration’s regional office. [1][2]
What office is Susan Collins running for in 2026?
She is seeking a sixth term in the U.S. Senate from Maine. She announced her campaign on February 10, 2026, and was the only Republican on the June 9 primary ballot, receiving 126,398 votes. The Maine Secretary of State’s general-election candidate list carries her as the Republican candidate. [11][3][7]
Who is Susan Collins running against?
Her opponent is Democrat Troy Jackson of Allagash, a logger and former president of the Maine Senate; the Secretary of State’s general-election candidate list, posted July 27, 2026, shows no independent candidate for the seat. The state received Jackson as the replacement nominee on July 27 after Graham Platner, who won the June 9 Democratic primary, withdrew on July 10. Maine Public on September 11, 2026 called Jackson “her opponent on the fall ballot.” [7][76][6][66][77]
When is the election?
What are Susan Collins’s main campaign priorities?
Her campaign website presents a ‘Track Record’ rather than a list of proposals. Its headings include Maine Jobs and Workforce Development, Health Care, Alzheimer’s, Diabetes, Social Security and ‘Delivering for Maine,’ which lists congressionally directed spending the campaign says she has secured for projects in all 16 counties. These are the campaign’s own descriptions and figures. [10]
What has Susan Collins done in office?
She sponsored S. 2845, the 2004 law that reorganized the intelligence community, written with Senator Joe Lieberman; the Senate agreed to its conference report 89–2. GovTrack counts 25 measures she sponsored that were enacted in their own right and records that she missed none of 10,073 roll-call votes from January 1997 to September 2026. Her official biography says she is the first Republican woman to chair the Appropriations Committee. [2][54][23][21]
The sources behind the story
Government records anchor the profile: the Senate’s roll-call files and the Maine Secretary of State’s tabulations and candidate lists. GovTrack’s bill data, Voteview’s scores and the advocacy groups’ scorecards are independent compilations and are labeled as such. Official biographies establish attributed background; original reporting and fact-checks supply responses and scrutiny. Campaign materials are used for the candidate’s own priorities and claims, and the opposing party’s releases for the attacks as made.
- 01About Senator Collins (official Senate biography)collins.senate.gov · Accessed Sep. 17, 2026
Birth Dec. 7, 1952 in Caribou; parents; St. Lawrence 1975; Cohen staff; 1987 and 1992 appointments; elections 1996-2020; committees; 10,000 consecutive votes; husband Thomas A. Daffron; Bangor.Government / regulatory record - 02Official Biography of Senator Susan Collins (PDF)collins.senate.gov · Accessed Sep. 17, 2026
First Republican woman to chair Appropriations; joined the committee 2009; former chair of PSI, Homeland Security and Aging; Lieberman intelligence law; DADT lead Republican; PPP co-author; Social Security Fairness Act; awards.Government / regulatory record - 03June 9, 2026 Primary Election, United States Senator, Republican, official tabulation (US Senate REP - FINAL.xlsx)Maine Secretary of State, Bureau of Corporations, Elections & Commissions · June 2026
Collins 126,398 votes, unopposed; 11,583 blank; 137,981 ballots cast; municipal rows plus UOCAVA reconcile to the state total.Government / regulatory record - 04June 9, 2026 Primary Election, United States Senator, Democratic, official tabulation (US Senate DEM - FINAL.xlsx)Maine Secretary of State · June 2026
Platner 156,084; Mills 41,644; Costello 17,560; LaFlamme (write-in) 1,114; blank 6,003; 222,405 ballots. Platner won a first-choice majority.Government / regulatory record - 05Maine Secretary of State's Office announces ranked choice tabulationsMaine Secretary of State · June 19, 2026
Lists the five June 9 races that went to ranked-choice rounds; the U.S. Senate primaries are not among them.Government / regulatory record - 06Candidate Withdrawals and Replacement Candidate Nominations after the June 9, 2026 PrimaryMaine Secretary of State · As of July 27, 2026
Row: US | D | Graham C. Platner | 7/10/2026 | Troy D. Jackson | Allagash | 7/27/2026.Government / regulatory record - 072026 General Election Candidates ListMaine Secretary of State · Accessed Sep. 15, 2026
U.S. Senate ballot: Collins (R, Bangor, filed ) and Jackson (D, Allagash, filed ); no independent listed.Government / regulatory record - 082026 Primary Candidate List (posting FINAL 3.16.26)Maine Secretary of State · Mar. 16, 2026
U.S. Senate filers: Collins (R); Costello, Mills and Platner (D). Jordan Wood did not file.Government / regulatory record - 09About | Susan Collins for MaineCollins for Senator (campaign) · Accessed Sep. 17, 2026
Campaign biography: parents' service, early jobs, career summary, election margins as the campaign states them, husband Tom, Bangor. Self-descriptions.Campaign source - 10Track Record | Susan Collins for MaineCollins for Senator (campaign) · Accessed Sep. 17, 2026
The six campaign planks quoted verbatim in this profile: jobs and workforce, health care, Alzheimer's, diabetes, Social Security, delivering for Maine ($1.484 billion CDS by county).Campaign source - 11Maine Republican Sen. Susan Collins makes it official: 'I'm running'Collins for Senator (campaign news post) · Feb. 10, 2026
The announcement video and its wording; sixth-term bid.Campaign source - 12Collins Accepts Four Debates with Maine Television Stations and their Media PartnersCollins for Senator (campaign) · Aug. 27, 2026
The four debate invitations accepted and the proposed first-week-of-September date.Campaign source - 13Troy Jackson Refuses First Scheduled Face-Off with CollinsCollins for Senator (campaign) · Sep. 2, 2026
The campaign's account of the debate scheduling dispute; confirms Jackson as the opponent.Campaign source - 14Former Senator Joe Manchin Endorses Senator Collins: 'Soul of the Senate'Collins for Senator (campaign) · Sep. 14, 2026
Manchin's endorsement on CNBC; the campaign's account of the Electoral Count Act, shutdown coalitions and the infrastructure negotiation.Campaign source - 15Senator Collins' Campaign Announces $5.7 Million Raised in Latest Fundraising QuarterCollins for Senator (campaign) · July 15, 2026
Q2 2026: $5.7 million raised, $11 million cash on hand, as the campaign reports it.Campaign source - 16Former Maine Hospital Association President Pushes Back on False Attacks Against CollinsCollins for Senator (campaign) · Aug. 19, 2026
The campaign's response to the 'deciding vote' ads, citing FactCheck.org, and Steven Michaud's statement.Campaign source - 17Sportsman's Alliance of Maine Endorses Senator CollinsSportsman's Alliance of Maine, via the campaign site · May 20, 2026
Pre-primary endorsement; PFAS laboratory and hatchery funding cited.Campaign source - 18Senator Announces Statewide Coalition of Veterans for CollinsCollins for Senator (campaign) · June 22, 2026
Veterans coalition chairs and honorary chairs; her father's Purple Heart and Bronze Star.Campaign source - 19Out of Touch with Maine: Troy Jackson Mocks Tariff Relief for Maine TownsCollins for Senator (campaign) · Sep. 10, 2026
The road-salt and cement tariff exemption the campaign credits to Collins; town cost figures as the campaign states them.Campaign source - 20Susan Collins is a champion for Maine hospitals (op-ed by Steven Michaud)Collins for Senator (campaign repost) · Sep. 4, 2026
The Provider Relief Fund amendment (99-1) and CDS for hospitals, as a supporter states them.Campaign source - 21Sen. Susan Collins — member page and missed-votes recordGovTrack.us · Accessed Sep. 15, 2026
0 of 10,073 roll calls missed 1997-Sept. 2026; 'primary sponsor of 54 bills that were enacted' under GovTrack's inclusive definition; committee list.Independent analysis / professional record - 222024 Report Card, Sen. Susan Collins (118th Congress)GovTrack.us · Updated Feb. 13, 2025
'Ranked most politically left compared to Senate Republicans'; 67% of 475 cosponsored bills from non-Republicans; 37 bills introduced; 2 became law.Independent analysis / professional record - 23Bills sponsored by Susan Collins, 1997-2026 (695 records)GovTrack.us (API) · Accessed Sep. 15, 2026
Status of every sponsored measure: 25 enacted in their own right, 34 passed the Senate only, 109 simple resolutions, 471 introduced.Independent analysis / professional record - 24DW-NOMINATE member data (HSall_members.csv)Voteview (UCLA) · Accessed Sep. 15, 2026
First-dimension score 0.124, the lowest of any Senate Republican in the 117th, 118th and 119th Congresses. Ranks computed from this file for this profile.Independent analysis / professional record - 25Scorecard: Sen. Susan Collins, 119th CongressHeritage Action for America · Accessed Sep. 17, 2026
Session score 18%, lifetime 24%.Independent analysis / professional record - 26Scorecard: Sen. Susan Collins, 118th CongressHeritage Action for America · Accessed Sep. 15, 2026
Session score 17%, lifetime 24%.Independent analysis / professional record - 27National Environmental Scorecard: Susan M. CollinsLeague of Conservation Voters · Accessed Sep. 17, 2026
2025 score 31%; lifetime 52%.Independent analysis / professional record - 28Senate ScorecardSBA Pro-Life America · Accessed Sep. 15, 2026
Collins graded D.Independent analysis / professional record - 29Grades & Endorsements — Maine 2026NRA Political Victory Fund · Accessed Sep. 17, 2026
U.S. Senate: Collins (R) C; Jackson (D) F.Independent analysis / professional record - 30Scorecard app, Senate, Maine, 2025 and 2024Club for Growth Foundation · Accessed Sep. 17, 2026
2025: rank 53, 43%, lifetime 34%; 2024: rank 49, 52%.Independent analysis / professional record - 31Roll call 179, July 28, 2017 — McConnell Amdt. No. 667 to H.R. 1628 ('skinny repeal')U.S. Senate · July 28, 2017
Collins Nay; rejected 49-51; Republicans 49 Yea, 3 Nay.Government / regulatory record - 32Roll call 323, Dec. 20, 2017 — H.R. 1, Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (motion to concur)U.S. Senate · Dec. 20, 2017
Collins Yea; agreed to 51-48.Government / regulatory record - 33Roll call 223, Oct. 6, 2018 — confirmation of Brett M. KavanaughU.S. Senate · Oct. 6, 2018
Collins Yea; confirmed 50-48.Government / regulatory record - 34Roll calls 33 and 34, Feb. 5, 2020 — articles of impeachment against President TrumpU.S. Senate · Feb. 5, 2020
Collins Not Guilty on both; Article I 48-52 (Romney the only Republican Guilty), Article II 47-53.Government / regulatory record - 35Roll call 224, Oct. 26, 2020 — confirmation of Amy Coney BarrettU.S. Senate · Oct. 26, 2020
Collins Nay, the only Republican Nay; confirmed 52-48.Government / regulatory record - 36Roll calls 1 and 2, Jan. 6-7, 2021 — objections to Arizona's and Pennsylvania's electoral votesU.S. Senate · Jan. 6-7, 2021
Collins Nay on both; not sustained 6-93 and 7-92.Government / regulatory record - 37Roll call 59, Feb. 13, 2021 — article of impeachment against former President TrumpU.S. Senate · Feb. 13, 2021
Collins Guilty; Not Guilty 57-43 (67 required); Republicans 43 Not Guilty, 7 Guilty.Government / regulatory record - 38Roll call 314, Aug. 10, 2021 — H.R. 3684, Infrastructure Investment and Jobs ActU.S. Senate · Aug. 10, 2021
Collins Yea; passed 69-30; Republicans 19 Yea, 30 Nay.Government / regulatory record - 39Roll call 362, Nov. 29, 2022 — H.R. 8404, Respect for Marriage ActU.S. Senate · Nov. 29, 2022
Collins Yea; passed 61-36; Republicans 12 Yea, 36 Nay.Government / regulatory record - 40Roll call 15, Jan. 24, 2025 — confirmation of Pete Hegseth as Secretary of DefenseU.S. Senate · Jan. 24, 2025
Collins Nay; confirmed 50-50 with the Vice President; Republicans 50 Yea, 3 Nay.Government / regulatory record - 41Roll calls 50 and 52, Feb. 12-13, 2025 — confirmations of Tulsi Gabbard and Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.U.S. Senate · Feb. , 2025
Collins Yea on both; each confirmed 52-48 with one Republican Nay.Government / regulatory record - 42Roll calls 160, 225 and 600 (2025) — S.J.Res. 37, 49 and 88 terminating tariff emergenciesU.S. Senate · Apr. 2, Apr. 30 and Oct. 30, 2025
Collins Yea on all three; S.J.Res. 37 (Canada) passed 51-48 with four Republicans; S.J.Res. 49 defeated 49-49; S.J.Res. 88 passed 51-47.Government / regulatory record - 43Roll call 329, June 28, 2025 — motion to proceed to H.R. 1U.S. Senate · June 28, 2025
Collins Yea; agreed to 51-49; Paul and Tillis the Republican Nays.Government / regulatory record - 44Roll call 344, June 30, 2025 — motion to waive the Budget Act for Murray Amdt. No. 2771 (Planned Parenthood)U.S. Senate · June 30, 2025
Collins Yea, one of two Republicans; rejected 49-51. Amendment purpose: 'To strike the provision to defund Planned Parenthood.'Government / regulatory record - 45Roll call 372, July 1, 2025 — H.R. 1, One Big Beautiful Bill Act, passageU.S. Senate · July 1, 2025
Collins Nay; passed 50-50 with the Vice President; Republicans 50 Yea, 3 Nay (Collins, Paul, Tillis).Government / regulatory record - 46Roll call 411, July 17, 2025 — H.R. 4, Rescissions Act of 2025U.S. Senate · July 17, 2025
Collins Nay, one of two Republicans; passed 51-48.Government / regulatory record - 47Roll calls 558, 615 and 618 (Oct.-Nov. 2025) — H.R. 5371, continuing appropriations (fall 2025 shutdown)U.S. Senate · Oct. 9 and Nov. 10, 2025
Collins Yea on cloture Oct. 9 (rejected 54-45), on cloture on her substitute Nov. 10 (60-40) and on passage Nov. 10 (60-40).Government / regulatory record - 48Roll call 163, June 5, 2026 — S. 2, reconciliation pursuant to S.Con.Res. 33U.S. Senate · June 5, 2026
Collins Yea; passed 52-47; one Republican Nay. The bill's contents were not read for this profile.Government / regulatory record - 49Roll call 184, June 23, 2026 — H.Con.Res. 86, War Powers resolution on hostilities with IranU.S. Senate · June 23, 2026
Collins Yea, one of four Republicans; agreed to 50-48.Government / regulatory record - 50Roll call 64, Feb. 13, 2009 — H.R. 1, American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, conference reportU.S. Senate · Feb. 13, 2009
Collins Yea, one of three Republicans (38 Nay); agreed to 60-38.Government / regulatory record - 51Roll call 279, Dec. 18, 2010 — cloture, Don't Ask, Don't Tell Repeal ActU.S. Senate · Dec. 18, 2010
Collins Yea, one of six Republicans; agreed to 63-33.Government / regulatory record - 52Roll call 97, Apr. 17, 2013 — Manchin Amdt. No. 715 (background checks)U.S. Senate · Apr. 17, 2013
Collins Yea, one of four Republicans; rejected 54-46.Government / regulatory record - 53Roll call 168, June 27, 2013 — S. 744, comprehensive immigration reformU.S. Senate · June 27, 2013
Collins Yea; passed 68-32; Republicans 14 Yea, 32 Nay.Government / regulatory record - 54Roll call 216, Dec. 8, 2004 — S. 2845, Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act, conference reportU.S. Senate · Dec. 8, 2004
Collins Yea; agreed to 89-2. Her bill.Government / regulatory record - 55Roll call 80, Mar. 25, 2020 — H.R. 748, CARES ActU.S. Senate · Mar. 25, 2020
Collins Yea; passed 96-0.Government / regulatory record - 56Roll calls 17 and 18, Feb. 12, 1999, and 237, Oct. 11, 2002 — Clinton impeachment articles; Iraq AUMFU.S. Senate · 1999; 2002
Collins Not Guilty on both Clinton articles (one of 10 and of 5 Republicans); Yea on H.J.Res. 114, passed 77-23.Government / regulatory record - 57Senate roll-call vote menus, 105th-119th Congresses (23 sessions, 7,842 votes indexed)U.S. Senate (LIS XML) · Accessed Sep. 15, 2026
The index used to locate every vote cited; the individual roll-call pages were then read.Government / regulatory record - 58Senator Collins' Statement on SCOTUS' Dobbs Decisioncollins.senate.gov · June 24, 2022
Her response on Kavanaugh and Gorsuch and the Reproductive Choice Act.Government / regulatory record - 59Senator Collins' Statement on SCOTUS Striking Down Emergency Tariffscollins.senate.gov · Feb. 20, 2026
'only Congress has the constitutional authority to impose tariffs'; her Canada tariff votes.Government / regulatory record - 60Senator Collins Announces $190 Million for Maine Rural Hospitals and Providers through Rural Health Transformation Programcollins.senate.gov · Dec. 29, 2025
'I proposed $50 billion in funding for the Rural Health Transformation Program'; Maine's $190 million first-year award.Government / regulatory record - 61Senator Collins Preserves $190 Million Federal Investment in Maine's Rural Hospitals and Health Centerscollins.senate.gov · Mar. 27, 2026
Her intervention with CMS Administrator Oz after the state missed milestones, as her office describes it.Government / regulatory record - 62Maine and Medicaid: Did Troy Jackson expand coverage and Susan Collins vote for cuts?PolitiFact (Amy Sherman) · Sep. 14, 2026
WinSenate ad rated Mostly False; Collins's stated reason for her Nay; 'Vice President JD Vance was on hand to break the tie.'Independent reporting - 63Trump backs Susan Collins for reelectionWashington Examiner (Mabinty Quarshie; right-leaning outlet) · June 10, 2026
The endorsement at a White House event: 'She does because she's a sane woman... She's not my best friend at all.'Independent reporting - 64Donald Trump Doubles Down on Susan Collins for ReelectionMaine Democratic Party (opponent party release) · June 11, 2026
The '96% of the time' and Roe attacks as the state party states them.Campaign source - 65In Lewiston, Mainers Slam Collins for Failing to Protect Mainers' Health CareMaine Democratic Party (opponent party release) · Aug. 6, 2026
The 'pivotal, deciding vote' and 'eight times' ACA-credit attacks as made by Democratic legislators.Campaign source - 66Troy Jackson replaces Graham Platner as Democratic candidate in Maine's Senate RaceNPR / Maine Public (Steve Mistler, Ayesha Rascoe) · July 26, 2026
Platner's withdrawal 'after a series of scandals'; Jackson chosen at a nominating convention; the Collins campaign's 'handpicked' response.Independent reporting - 67Roll call 338, Dec. 21, 2024 — H.R. 82, Social Security Fairness ActU.S. Senate · Dec. 21, 2024
Collins Yea; passed 76-20; Republicans 27 Yea, 20 Nay.Government / regulatory record - 68Roll call 49, Mar. 14, 2019 — H.J.Res. 46, terminating the border national emergencyU.S. Senate · Mar. 14, 2019
Collins Yea, one of 12 Republicans; passed 59-41.Government / regulatory record - 69Roll calls 39 and 152 (2024) — H.R. 815, border agreement cloture and the foreign-aid supplementalU.S. Senate · Feb. 7 and Apr. 23, 2024
Collins Yea on both: cloture on the border bill rejected 49-50 (one of four Republicans); cloture on the supplemental agreed to 80-19.Government / regulatory record - 70Roll calls 61 and 448 (2025) — confirmations of Kash Patel (FBI) and Emil Bove (Third Circuit)U.S. Senate · Feb. 20 and July 29, 2025
Collins Nay on both; confirmed 51-49 and 50-49.Government / regulatory record - 71Congress.gov member record, C001035Library of Congress (Congress.gov API) · Accessed Sep. 15, 2026
Birth year 1952; Senate terms from the 105th to the 119th Congress; 1,208 sponsored and 6,634 cosponsored measures as counted by Congress.gov.Government / regulatory record - 72Official portrait of Senator Collinscollins.senate.gov · Accessed Sep. 15, 2026
The candidate photograph used in this profile (1898 x 2848 px), a U.S. Government work.Government / regulatory record - 73Issues pages: Health Care; Education; Defense & National Securitycollins.senate.gov · Accessed Sep. 15, 2026
The senator's own issue statements quoted in this profile; the education page (/issues/education) and defense page (/issues/defense-and-national-security) were read as well.Government / regulatory record - 74Roll call 134, Apr. 7, 2022 — confirmation of Ketanji Brown Jackson; H.R. 748 (116th), CARES Act, GovTrack recordU.S. Senate; GovTrack.us · Apr. 7, 2022; accessed Sep. 15, 2026
Collins Yea, one of three Republicans; confirmed 53-47. GovTrack titles H.R. 748 (116th) the CARES Act, enacted .Government / regulatory record - 75Campaign news reposts, Feb. 2025 – Sep. 2026 (195 posts via the site's WordPress feed)Collins for Senator (campaign) · Accessed Sep. 15, 2026
Reposted reports the campaign chose to feature: FY2026 lobster funding and $45 million for UMaine (Jan. 20, 2026), PFAS bill (Jan. 10), heating aid (Apr. 21), Eastport breakwater (July 2), IRS centers (July 7), the $900.6 billion defense bill (Dec. 18, 2025).Campaign source - 76Upcoming ElectionsMaine Secretary of State, Bureau of Corporations, Elections & Commissions · Accessed Sep. 17, 2026
Section headed ‘November 3, 2026 - General Election’. It posts the 2026 General Election Candidates List (Excel) stamped 7/27/2026 5:00pm, the same file this profile cites, and the withdrawals and replacement list. It does not itself print the candidates’ names.Government / regulatory record - 77Collins calls Trump’s $5,000 post-election payout ‘extraordinarily expensive’ and likely infeasibleMaine Public (Kevin Miller) · Sep. 11, 2026
Independent report of September 11, 2026 that calls Troy Jackson, the former state Senate president, ‘her opponent on the fall ballot’. Used only for the general-election matchup; the article’s subject, a proposed federal payment, is not used.Independent reporting - 78Roll call 7, Jan. 20, 2025 — S. 5, Laken Riley Act (passage)U.S. Senate · Jan. 20, 2025
Collins Yea; passed 64-35.Government / regulatory record - 79Roll call 224, Aug. 7, 2026 — H.R. 5334, sanctions with respect to the Russian Federation (passage)U.S. Senate · Aug. 7, 2026
Collins Yea; passed 86-11.Government / regulatory record - 80Roll call 170, May 11, 2022 — cloture on the motion to proceed to S. 4132, Women’s Health Protection ActU.S. Senate · May 11, 2022
Collins Nay; cloture rejected 49-51 (three-fifths required).Government / regulatory record - 81Roll call 396, Dec. 24, 2009 — H.R. 3590, Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (passage)U.S. Senate · Dec. 24, 2009
Collins Nay; passed 60-39.Government / regulatory record - 82Roll call 208, July 15, 2010 — H.R. 4173, Dodd-Frank conference reportU.S. Senate · July 15, 2010
Collins Yea, one of three Republicans; agreed to 60-39.Government / regulatory record - 83Roll call 110, Mar. 6, 2021 — H.R. 1319, American Rescue Plan Act (passage)U.S. Senate · Mar. 6, 2021
Collins Nay; passed 50-49.Government / regulatory record - 84Roll call 325, Aug. 7, 2022 — H.R. 5376, Inflation Reduction Act (passage)U.S. Senate · Aug. 7, 2022
Collins Nay; passed 50-50 with the Vice President voting Yea.Government / regulatory record - 85Roll call 111, Apr. 7, 2017 — confirmation of Neil M. GorsuchU.S. Senate · Apr. 7, 2017
Collins Yea; confirmed 54-45.Government / regulatory record - 86Graham Platner wins Democratic primary to face Susan Collins in NovemberBangor Daily News (Benjamin Kail) · June 10, 2026
Election-night report: Governor Janet Mills had suspended her campaign in April and remained on the ballot. Its percentages are election-night shares, not the certified totals, and are not used.Independent reporting
No matching sources. Try “Senate”, “election” or “campaign.”
Scope & method. Reviewed September 17, 2026. This is a documented overview of publicly available biography, major actions, and stated priorities, not an exhaustive vote-by-vote record; 50 roll calls were read for it, located through the Senate’s vote index, and the defining ones are cited. Numerical claims retain their original meaning and attribution. Historical sources do not imply current positions. A party’s or a fact-checker’s findings are labeled as such. The source list provides direct links so readers can check the underlying material. Filings and campaign pages may change after this review.
Images. Conservative Ledger masthead supplied by the site creator. Images are published with their credit, licence and source page beneath each one: U.S. Senate (Public domain). No campaign, press-agency or stock photograph is used. Inclusion does not imply campaign authorization or endorsement of this publication.
Where to find the candidate
Every link below was read from the campaign’s own website or the candidate’s official government page. A follower count is printed only where it was measured; otherwise the link is published and the number is left blank rather than guessed at.
Voting in Maine: official dates, deadlines and rules
The general election is Tuesday, November 3, 2026. The dates and rules below were read from the Maine Secretary of State; the authority's own page, linked beside each one, is the final word.
Dates and deadlines
- Online voter registration deadline5 PM on October 13, 2026 (the 21st day before Election Day), through the Secretary of State's online voter registration service at maine.gov/vote. After the mail, online and motor-vehicle deadlines, registration must be done in person at the voter's municipality. Read from: maine.gov/sos/news/national-voter-registration-day-today-september-15
- Registration by mail or delivered by a third person (received by)The completed voter registration card must be received by the voter's town or city by the close of business on October 13, 2026 (21 days before Election Day). This is a received-by deadline, not a postmark deadline, and it also applies to cards delivered by a third person. Read from: maine.gov/sos/news/general-election-two-months-away-secretary-states-office-provides-update-maine-election-1
- In-person voter registrationClose of the polls on Election Day, November 3, 2026. In-person registration has no earlier cutoff: after the October 13, 2026 mail and online deadlines and the October 27, 2026 motor-vehicle deadline, registration must be done in person at the voter's municipality. Read from: maine.gov/sos/news/general-election-two-months-away-secretary-states-office-provides-update-maine-election-1
- Election Day registrationYes. Maine has same-day voter registration: a person may register and vote on the same day, including Election Day, November 3, 2026. Election Day registration is done in person, and the voter must show ID and proof of where they live. A person in line at the voting place at 8:00 p.m. on Election Day may still register and vote. Read from: maine.gov/sos/elections-voting/your-right-to-vote-in-maine
- Absentee ballots issued and mailedAbsentee voting in Maine begins October 5, 2026, and voters should start receiving their ballots in the mail in the first week of October, according to the Secretary of State. Municipal clerks issue requested ballots beginning 30 days prior to Election Day; the state's absentee ballot application says ballots will be provided to voters beginning in early October. For uniformed service and overseas (UOCAVA) voters, September 19, 2026 (45 days before Election Day) is the deadline to send ballots to already pending requests. Read from: maine.gov/sos/news/us-supreme-court-upholds-right-vote-mail
- In-person absentee voting begins (Maine's way to vote early in person)October 4, 2026 (30 days before Election Day) is the date on the Secretary of State's key-dates list for the start of the in-person, no-excuse absentee voting period. A September 15, 2026 release from the same office says absentee voting in Maine begins October 5, 2026. In-person absentee voting takes place at the municipal clerk's office; contact the clerk for office hours. Read from: maine.gov/sos/news/general-election-two-months-away-secretary-states-office-provides-update-maine-election-1
- In-person absentee voting endsThursday, October 29, 2026, at the close of business in the voter's town: Maine's no-excuse absentee voting period, including in-person absentee voting at town and city halls, extends through that day. After it, absentee voting in the presence of the clerk is allowed only if special circumstances exist. Read from: maine.gov/sos/news/maine-voters-can-request-absentee-ballots-nov-3-election-starting-today-ballots-will-be-mailed
- Absentee ballot request deadline (received by)The request must be received by the municipal clerk by the close of business on Thursday, October 29, 2026, unless special circumstances exist. Requests may be made online, by telephone or in writing. For voters who use the mail, the Secretary of State's absentee guide passes along a U.S. Postal Service advisory to request the ballot no later than 15 days prior to Election Day. Read from: maine.gov/sos/sites/maine.gov.sos/files/inline-files/04%2011%203%2026%20Abs%20App.pdf
Rules to know
- What to bringA voter who is already registered in Maine does not need to show ID to get a ballot, according to the Secretary of State's voter rights page. Identification matters at registration: a person registering for the first time must provide proof of residency and identity, and a person who registers on Election Day must do so in person and show ID and proof of where they live. The state's voter guide lists these as acceptable proof of identification for registering: a government document or credential with photo ID (driver's license, State ID, valid U.S. passport, military ID, ID card issued by a federally recognized Indian tribe); a government ID document or credential without photo (certified birth certificate or signed Social Security card); an official document that shows the voter's name and address (eligibility for public benefits, utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck); a student photo ID from a state-approved public or private school or institute of higher education in Maine; or a verified unique identifier (Maine driver's license number or the last four numbers of the Social Security number). Read from: maine.gov/sos/elections-voting/your-right-to-vote-in-maine
- Voting by mail (absentee ballot)Any registered voter may vote by absentee ballot; no reason is needed. A voter may request their own ballot through the Secretary of State's online absentee ballot request service, by telephone to the municipal clerk or with a written absentee ballot application; the absentee guide adds that a voter can obtain a ballot for an immediate family member “in this same way.” Requests for the November 3, 2026 election opened on August 3, 2026 and must be received by the municipal clerk by the close of business on Thursday, October 29, 2026, unless special circumstances exist. The voted ballot must be received by the municipal clerk by 8 p.m. on November 3, 2026, regardless of postmark; it may be returned by mail, in person or, in many towns and cities, in a secured drop box. A ballot obtained and hand-delivered by a designated third person must be witnessed by a notary public, a municipal clerk, a clerk of courts or 2 other witnesses. Since December 31, 2025, any voter other than a uniformed service or overseas voter may apply for ongoing absentee voter status and automatically receive an absentee ballot for each election. Read from: maine.gov/sos/elections-voting/absentee-guide
- Voting early in person (in-person absentee voting)Maine's way to vote in person before Election Day is in-person absentee voting at the municipal clerk's office; the Secretary of State describes this as a different process from early voting at designated voting places. Absentee ballots are available at the clerk's office 30 days before the election, and a voter who votes there does not need to complete an application. The Secretary of State's key-dates list runs the in-person, no-excuse absentee voting period from October 4, 2026 through the close of business in the voter's town on Thursday, October 29, 2026; after that Thursday, absentee voting in the presence of the clerk is allowed only if special circumstances exist. Addresses and phone numbers for every municipal clerk are in the Secretary of State's clerk directory. Read from: maine.gov/sos/elections-voting/absentee-guide
- Track your absentee ballotMaine voters can track an absentee ballot online through the Secretary of State's Online Absentee Ballot Request & Tracking Service. According to the state's absentee guide, the tracking system shows the date the absentee ballot application was accepted by the municipal clerk, the date the clerk issued (mailed out) the ballot and the date the clerk received the voted ballot. Read from: maine.gov/sos/elections-voting/absentee-guide
- Accessible voting and help with the ballotFor in-person voting on Election Day, the Secretary of State provides the Accessible Voting System (AVS) at every polling place in Maine, and a voter has the right to use it. The system is the ExpressVote, a ballot-marking device that allows individuals with disabilities to vote with privacy and independence. A voter who needs help reading or marking the ballot may ask a relative, a friend or an election official, but not the voter's employer or union official. Voters with print disabilities can request an electronic accessible absentee ballot by choosing the “Accessible Ballot” button on the online absentee ballot request page and filling out the online application. Read from: maine.gov/sos/elections-voting/accessible-voting
Read from: Elections & Voting | SOS · Upcoming Elections | SOS · Information About Voting | SOS · State of Maine Voter Guide | SOS · Registering to Vote | SOS · Your Right to Vote in Maine | SOS — Rules and dates as of Sep 17, 2026
Ideas, questions, corrections
A monitored address for this page has not been set yet. Until it is, corrections can be sent through the About page.
This page is compiled and published by Atlas Authority Politics. It is not authorised by any candidate or candidate committee, and nothing on it is a solicitation for money.