Who Is Running for Senate in Maine
Republican Senator Susan Collins faces Democrat Troy Jackson for Maine’s U.S. Senate seat on November 3, 2026. Several write-in candidates have also filed (Ballotpedia).
Key facts
- Susan Collins, first elected in 1996, is running for a sixth term.
- The winner serves from January 3, 2027 to January 3, 2033.
- The U.S. Senate race is counted by ranked-choice voting, so voters can rank the candidates in order (21-A M.R.S. sec. 1(27-C)); the governor’s race is not.
- Kamala Harris carried Maine 52.4% to 45.5% in 2024, the only state Harris won where a Republican holds a Senate seat on the 2026 ballot.
Candidates on the ballot for U.S. Senate in Maine, November 3, 2026
Source: Ballotpedia, United States Senate election in Maine, 2026; write-in candidates not listed
How Maine Democrats Chose Jackson
A party convention named Troy Jackson the Democratic nominee on July 25, 2026, after Graham Platner, who won the June primary, withdrew on July 10, 2026. Platner suspended his campaign in a July 8 video, two days after a former partner’s allegation that he raped her in 2021 became public; he called the allegation false and said he was leaving because of pressure from the political establishment (Portland Press Herald). Ballotpedia reports that the convention was the 28th time since 1918 a party chose a new U.S. Senate nominee to replace one (Ballotpedia).
Jackson ran against seven other candidates at the convention, including David Costello, who finished third in the primary. Maine law lets a party committee name a replacement when its nominee withdraws by 5 p.m. on the second Monday in July, which in 2026 was July 13 (21-A M.R.S. sec. 374-A).
Maine Senate Primary Results
Graham Platner won the Democratic primary on June 9, 2026 with 72.1% of 216,402 votes in the first round, and Susan Collins was unopposed for the Republican nomination. Former Governor Janet T. Mills withdrew before the primary but stayed on the ballot and received 19.2%. Both results are certified (Ballotpedia).
- 72.1%
- Graham Platner's share of 216,402 Democratic primary votes
- 126,398
- Republican primary votes for Susan Collins, who ran unopposed
Collins and Jackson Records in Public Office
Susan Collins has served in the U.S. Senate since 1997, and Troy Jackson spent 20 years in the Maine Legislature. Jackson served in the Maine House from 2002 to 2008 and the Maine Senate from 2008 to 2014 and 2016 to 2024, including as Senate President, and worked as a logger. Collins earlier led Maine’s Department of Professional and Financial Regulation. Both are from Aroostook County (Ballotpedia).
Public offices held by Susan Collins and Troy Jackson
Source: Ballotpedia, United States Senate election in Maine, 2026
Collins won the seat in 2020 over Sara Gideon, 51.0% to 42.4%, in the first round. Maine’s other seat is not on the ballot: independent Angus King won it in 2024 with 51.7%. Our ranked-choice voting explainer shows how Maine counts rounds when no one wins a majority.
Maine Senate Campaign Money
Through June 30, 2026, Susan Collins‘s campaign had raised $18.9 million, spent $9.2 million and had $11.0 million on hand, according to the Federal Election Commission (FEC, Collins). Troy Jackson became the nominee after that report, and no Jackson totals appeared in the FEC data Ballotpedia published as of October 3. The next quarterly reports, covering July through September, are due October 15, 2026.
How to Vote for Senate in Maine
Register online by October 13, 2026, or register in person at your town office or polling place through Election Day. Any voter can request an absentee ballot by October 29, 2026, and it must reach your municipal clerk before the polls close (21-A M.R.S. sec. 755). The Secretary of State’s voter registration page lists how to register and check your status.
Maine's 2026 Senate election, step by step
- October 5 to October 29, 2026 In-person absentee voting Vote early at your town or city clerk's office.
- October 13, 2026 Online and mail registration deadline After this, register in person, including on Election Day.
- November 3, 2026 Election Day Polls are open until 8 p.m.. Absentee ballots must arrive before polls close.
- January 3, 2027 The new term begins The term runs to January 3, 2033.
Maine Senate Questions
Who is running for U.S. Senate in Maine in 2026?
Republican Senator Susan Collins and Democrat Troy Jackson, a former Maine Senate President. Several write-in candidates have also filed.
What happened to Graham Platner’s Senate campaign?
Graham Platner won the Democratic primary on June 9, 2026, with 72.1% in the first round, then withdrew from the general election on July 10, 2026. He suspended his campaign on July 8, two days after a former partner’s allegation that he raped her in 2021 became public; he called the allegation false and said he was leaving because of pressure from the political establishment. A party convention named Troy Jackson the nominee on July 25, 2026.
How long has Susan Collins been a senator?
Susan Collins was first elected in 1996 and has served since 1997. She is running for a sixth term in 2026.
How much has Susan Collins raised for 2026?
Through June 30, 2026, Susan Collins’s campaign had raised $18.9 million and had $11.0 million on hand, according to the Federal Election Commission. Troy Jackson’s first full report is due October 15, 2026.
How long is the term for Maine’s 2026 Senate seat?
A full six-year term, from January 3, 2027 to January 3, 2033. Under the 20th Amendment, Senate terms begin and end at noon on January 3.
What You Can Do
- Check your registration on the Secretary of State’s voter page, or plan to register at the polls.
- Request an absentee ballot by October 29, 2026, or vote early in person at your clerk’s office.
- Rank your choices if you want to: Maine counts rankings only if no candidate wins a majority in the first round.
- Read the campaigns’ filings on the Federal Election Commission’s Collins page, and check the October 15 reports when they post.
- Read the rest of your ballot: the Maine state page covers the governor race and other fights on the same ballot.