FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, June 10, 2016 
Contact:  Kristen Schulze Muszynski
207-626-8404

Secretary Dunlap reminds voters to participate in Primary Election on Tuesday, June 14

AUGUSTA ? Secretary of State Matthew Dunlap is reminding voters to head to the polls on Tuesday, June 14 to cast ballots in the Primary Election.

The Primary Election on Tuesday will determine each political party?s nomination of candidates for certain federal, state and county offices. Candidates who win their races on Tuesday, June 14 will qualify to appear on the General Election ballot on Tuesday, Nov. 8.

The State of Maine does not have presidential primaries; the political parties choose their presidential candidates via caucuses in the early spring.
Offices included in Tuesday?s Primary Election are: Representative to Congress (both districts), all 35 State Senate districts, all 151 State Representative districts; and the following county offices, which vary depending on the county: Judge of Probate, Register of Probate, County Treasurer, Register of Deeds, Sheriff, District Attorney and County Commissioner. 

Maine currently has three qualified political parties:  Democratic, Green Independent and Republican. For this Primary Election, there are no Green Independent candidates who qualified for the ballot, except in part of the City of Portland. Thus, no voters who are registered as Green Independents will have a primary ballot to vote unless they live in State Senate District 27 or State House District 40 in Portland.

Voters are reminded that Maine does not have an ?independent? party and those who are not enrolled in one of the three qualified political parties are considered ?unenrolled.? To vote in the Primary Election, a voter must be enrolled in a party. Under Maine law, unenrolled voters may enroll in a party at the polls and cast their ballot.

Many communities also have local issues on the ballot Tuesday, such as school and municipal budgets, so all voters should plan to participate in those referendums, regardless of party status. Maine has same-day voter registration, so any citizen can register to vote at the polls.

Visit the Bureau of Corporations, Elections and Commissions website for more information about voting, including the location of your polling place and the candidates on the ballot in your district.