Maine Senate

The Maine Senate is the upper house of the Maine Legislature, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Maine. The Senate currently consists of 35 members representing an equal number of districts across the state, though the Maine Constitution allows for "an odd number of Senators, not less than 31 nor more than 35".[1] Unlike the lower House, the Senate does not set aside nonvoting seats for Native tribes. Because it is a part-time position, members of the Maine Senate usually have outside employment as well.

Maine State Senate
Maine State Legislature
Type
Type
Term limits
4 terms (8 years)
History
New session started
December 2, 2020
Leadership
President of the Senate
Troy Jackson (D)
since December 5, 2018
Majority Leader
Eloise Vitelli (D)
since February 1, 2021
Minority Leader
Jeffrey Timberlake (R)
since December 2, 2020
Structure
Seats35
Political groups
Majority
  •   Democratic (21)

Minority

Vacant

Length of term
2 years
AuthorityArticle IV, Part Second, Maine Constitution
SalarySession 1: $13,526/year
Session 2: $9,661/year + per diem
Elections
Last election
November 3, 2020
(35 seats)
Next election
November 8, 2022
(31, 33 or 35 seats (TBD))
RedistrictingLegislative control
Meeting place
State Senate Chamber
Maine State House
Augusta, Maine
Website
Maine State Senate

The Senate meets at the Maine State House in Augusta. Members are limited to four consecutive terms with each term being two years but may run again after a two-year wait.

Leadership

Unlike many U.S. states, the Senate's leader is not the lieutenant governor, as Maine does not have a lieutenant governor. Instead, the Senate chooses its own president, who is also the first in the line of gubernatorial succession.

Composition of the 130th (2020-2022) Maine Senate
Affiliation Party
(Shading indicates majority caucus)
 Total
Democratic Republican Independ. Vacant
Begin 126th Legislature (Dec. 2012) 19 15 1 35 0
End 126th Legislature
Begin 127th Legislature (Dec. 2014) 14 21 0 35 0
End 127th Legislature 15 20
Begin 128th Legislature (Dec. 2016) 17 18 0 35 0
End 128th Legislature
Begin 129th Legislature (Dec. 2018) 21 14 0 35 0
End 129th Legislature
Begin 130th Legislature (Dec. 2020)[lower-alpha 2] 22 13 0 35 0
December 2, 2020[lower-alpha 3] 21 34 1
Latest voting share 61.8% 38.2% 0%

Officers
PositionNameParty
President of the SenateTroy JacksonDem
Majority LeaderEloise VitelliDem
Assistant Majority LeaderMattie DaughtryDem
Minority LeaderJeffrey TimberlakeRep
Assistant Minority LeaderMatthew PouliotRep
Secretary of the SenateDarek GrantNon-Partisan
Assistant Secretary of the SenateMarcia HomsteadNon-Partisan

Members of the Maine Senate

Districts are currently numbered starting with 1 from north to south. This is reversed after each decennial redistricting, which will next occur in 2021 and will go into effect beginning with the 2022 primary and general elections. The current district lines, which were drawn in 2013 and were first used in the 2014 primary and general elections, will only be in effect for 8 years rather than the usual 10 as Maine adjusts its legislative redistricting cycle to conform with most other states.

↑ denotes that the Senator first won in a special election

DistrictSenatorPartyMun. of residenceCty. of residenceFirst electedTerm limited
1 Troy Jackson Dem Allagash Aroostook 2016 (2008–2014) 2024
2 Harold "Trey" Stewart Rep Presque Isle Aroostook 2020 2028
3 Bradlee Farrin Rep Norridgewock Somerset 2018 2026
4 Paul Davis Rep Sangerville Piscataquis 2014 (1998–2006) 2022
5 Jim Dill Dem Old Town Penobscot 2014 2022
6 Marianne Moore Rep Calais Washington 2018 2026
7 Louis Luchini Dem Ellsworth Hancock 2018 2026
8 Kimberley Rosen Rep Bucksport Hancock 2014 2022
9 Joseph Baldacci Dem Bangor Penobscot 2020 2028
10 Stacey Guerin Rep Glenburn Penobscot 2018 2026
11 Glen "Chip" Curry Dem Belfast Waldo 2020 2028
12 David Miramant Dem Camden Knox 2014 2022
13 Chloe Maxmin Dem Nobleboro Lincoln 2020 2028
14 Vacant
15 Matthew Pouliot Rep Augusta Kennebec 2018 2026
16 Scott Cyrway Rep Benton Kennebec 2014 2022
17 Russell Black Rep Wilton Franklin 2018 2026
18 Lisa Keim Rep Dixfield Oxford 2016 2024
19 Richard Bennett Rep Oxford Oxford 2020 (1996-2004) 2028
20 Ned Claxton Dem Auburn Androscoggin 2018 2026
21 Nate Libby Dem Lewiston Androscoggin 2014 2022
22 Jeffrey Timberlake Rep Turner Androscoggin 2018 2026
23 Eloise Vitelli Dem Arrowsic Sagadahoc 2016 (2013↑–2014) 2024
24 Mattie Daughtry Dem Brunswick Cumberland 2020 2028
25 Cathy Breen Dem Falmouth Cumberland 2014[lower-alpha 4] 2022
26 Bill Diamond Dem Windham Cumberland 2014 (1982–1986; 2004–2012) 2022
27 Ben Chipman Dem Portland Cumberland 2016 2024
28 Heather Sanborn Dem Portland Cumberland 2018 2026
29 Anne Carney Dem Cape Elizabeth Cumberland 2020 2028
30 Stacy Brenner Dem Scarborough Cumberland 2020 2028
31 Donna Bailey Dem Saco York 2020 2028
32 Susan Deschambault Dem Biddeford York 2016↑ 2022
33 David Woodsome Rep Waterboro York 2014 2022
34 Joseph Rafferty Dem Kennebunk York 2020 2028
35 Mark Lawrence Dem Eliot York 2018 (1992–2000) 2026

Past composition of the Senate
Main article: Political party strength in Maine

Notes
  1. The seat of Shenna Bellows, who declined to take the oath of office on December 2, 2020.
  2. Includes a Sen.-elect who declined to take the oath of office.
  3. Sen.-elect Shenna Bellows (D-14) declines to take the oath of office after being nominated by Democrats in the Legislature to be Secretary of State of Maine, to which post she was subsequently elected unanimously by joint ballot of the Legislature.
  4. Due to a protracted recount, Sen. Breen didn't assume office until January 8, 2015.

References
  1. Maine Constitution Article IV. -- Part Second.Senate.
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