Maine officials count ranked‑choice primary ballots amid public waiting

Maine’s June 9 primary required ranked‑choice runoffs for the governor’s race and the U.S. House seat from the 2nd district because no candidate secured a majority. Election officials at the Department of Public Safety headquarters in Augusta spent several nights hand‑counting tens of thousands of ballots, a process open to the public. Deputies such as Julie Flynn, the deputy secretary of state, guided observers as boxes were opened and ballots sorted, with a live‑streamed whiteboard showing county‑by‑county progress. By June 18, the tally was still pending, prompting criticism from candidates like Republican gubernatorial hopeful Bobby Charles, who noted the nine‑day delay since Election Day. Voters, campaign staff, and local residents filled the viewing area, some noting the meticulous, though slow, nature of the count.