FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, November 13, 2024

AUGUSTA — Recounts of ballots cast have been scheduled for several legislative races, Secretary of State Shenna Bellows announced today.

Day	Date	Time	District	Candidate 1	Candidate 2	Unofficial, preliminary votes for candidate 1	Unofficial, preliminary votes for candidate 2	Percentage difference	Municipalities
Fri	15-Nov	9:00 AM	HD96	Kerryl Clement	Michel Lajoie	2514	2550	0.71%	Lewiston (part)
Mon	18-Nov	9:00 AM	HD98	Guy Lebida	Kilton Webb	2941	2995	0.91%	Bowdoin, Durham, Lisbon, Pownal, Topsham
Mon	18-Nov	1:00 PM	HD81	Joan Beal	Peter Wood	2816	2835	0.34%	Bethel, Greenwood, Norway, Stoneham, Stow, Sweden, Waterford, Albany Township, South Oxford, Mason Township
Tues	19-Nov	9:00 AM	HD58	Sharon Frost	Daniel Newman	3158	3114	0.70%	Mount Vernon, Belgrade, New Sharon, Vienna, Fayette, Rome
Tues	19-Nov	1:00 PM	HD75	Stephan Bunker	Randall Gauvin	2318	2308	0.22%	Chesterville, Farmington
Wed	20-Nov	9:00 AM	HD52	Sally Cluchey	David Guilmette	2748	2732	0.29%	Bowdoin, Bowdoinham, Richmond, Perkins Island Township
Wed	20-Nov	1:00 PM	HD44	William Pluecker	Ray Thombs	2731	2369	7.10%	Hope, Union, Warren
Thurs	21-Nov	9:00 AM	HD142	Amy Bell	Anne-Marie Mastraccio	1874	1938	1.68%	Sanford & Springvale (part)
Thurs	21-Nov	1:00 PM	HD141	Patricia Kidder	Lucas Lanigan	2476	2476	0.00%	Sanford & Springvale (part), Newfield, Shapleigh
Fri	22-Nov	9:00 AM	SD8	Leo Kenney	Michael Tipping	10112	10229	0.58%	Northern Penobscot County: Alton, Argyle Township, Burlington, Carroll Plantation, East Central Penobscot UT, Edinburg, Enfield, Greenbush, Howland, Lagrange, Lakeville, Lee, Lincoln, Lowell, Milford, Old Town, Orono, Passadumkeag, Penobscot Indian Island, Prentiss Twnship, Springfield, Twombly Ridge Twnship, Veazie, Webster Plantation, Whitney Township, Winn
Mon	25-Nov	9:00 AM	SD15	Richard Bradstreet	Raegan LaRochelle	10820	10621	0.93%	Augusta, Belgrade, China, Mount Vernon, Sidney, Vassalboro

 

The deadline to request a recount in a non-ranked-choice-voting race is today, Wednesday, Nov. 13.

There are no mandatory recounts in Maine election law, however in very close races – 1% or less apparent margin of victory for statewide or multi-county races or 1.5% or less apparent margin of victory for legislative races or single county races – no deposit is required. A deposit from the requesting candidate is required for races with larger margins of victory, increasing as the margin gets wider, however the deposit is returned if the apparent result is overturned.

The recounts will take place in the Florian Room at 45 Commerce Drive, in Augusta. 45 Commerce Drive also houses Maine State Police headquarters. The entrance for the room is at the main entrance towards State Police headquarters.

Recounts are open, public proceedings. In a recount, the representatives of each candidate and staff members from the Department of the Secretary of State manually review each paper ballot to determine the official vote tally.

The ballots have been or will be retrieved by members of law enforcement from the Department of the Secretary of State’s Enforcement Services Division and delivered to the recount site, where they are stored in a secured room.

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Update Nov. 18, 2024, 5:30 PM:

Reporters and editors,

A few updates regarding legislative recounts:

On Friday, the recount in the House District 96 race confirmed the Election Night result. The final recount tally showed Lajoie with 2556 votes to Clement’s 2517.

Today, the recount of the House District 98 race confirmed the Election Night result. The final recount tally showed Webb with 2996 votes to Lebida’s 2941.

The recount for House District 81 has been rescheduled for Wednesday afternoon, in place of the House District 44 recount. That recount will be rescheduled to a date in the future.

Additionally, on Thursday, we will do the House District 141 recount in the morning, and the House District 142 recount in the afternoon. This is a swap from what was originally announced.

Emily

Update Nov. 19, 2024, 4:00 PM:

Reporters and editors,

This morning, the recount in the House District 58 recount confirmed the Election Night result. The final recount tally showed Frost with 3,159 votes to Newman’s 3,116.

In the afternoon, the recount in the House District 75 recount confirmed the Election Night result. The final recount tally showed Bunker with 2,317 votes to Gauvin’s 2,310.

Emily

Update Nov. 20, 2024, 5:30 PM:

Reporters and editors,

This morning, the recount in the House District 52 recount confirmed the Election Night result. The final recount tally showed Cluchey with 2,748 votes to Guilmette’s 2,734.

In the afternoon, the recount in the House District 81 recount confirmed the Election Night result. The final recount tally showed Wood with 2,840 votes to Beal’s 2,816.

Emily

Update Nov. 21, 2024, 3:35 PM:

Reporters and editors,

The recount in the House District 141 recount found that Lanigan received 2,478 votes to Kidder’s 2,477. Rather than the apparent tie from Election Night results, Rep. Lanigan is now the Representative-elect.

In the scheduled House District 142 recount, Amy Bell withdrew her request for a recount, so we will not be conducting that one.

Emily

Update Nov. 22, 2024, 7:15 PM:

Reporters and editors,

Today, the recount in the Senate District 8 recount confirmed the Election Night result. The final recount tally showed Tipping with 10,240 votes to Kenney’s 10,108.

Emily

Update Nov. 23, 2024, 3:15 PM:

Reporters and editors, 

The request for a recount of Senate District 15 has been officially withdrawn. There will be no recount Monday.

Emily

Update Dec. 2, 2024, 1:15 PM:

Reporters and editors,

The recount of House District 44 has been rescheduled to tomorrow, Tuesday, December 4 at 9 a.m. It will be held at 45 Commerce Drive in the Colosseum Room (the room we did ranked-choice voting tabulation and recounts in two years ago), rather than the room where the other recounts have been conducted, as the Congressional District 2 recount will be ongoing there on Tuesday. If you wish to join us at the HD44 recount, call me when you arrive and I’ll help you find the room.

As a reminder, there were 5,100 ballots cast in this race, and Representative Bill Pluecker won by 361 (7.1%) over Ray Thombs. Mr. Thombs has paid a $2,500 deposit.

Emily

Update Dec. 3, 2024, 5:20 PM:

Reporters and editors,

Today, the recount in the House District 44 recount confirmed the Election Night result. The final recount tally showed Pluecker with 2,730 votes to Thombs’ 2,370.

Emily