Overview
- Party officials released formal rules this week that set a nominating convention for Saturday, July 25, at the Cross Insurance Center in Bangor to pick Graham Platner’s replacement.
- The convention will use 601 votes made up of 500 county-selected delegates and 101 state committee and executive committee members, with successive elimination rounds until one candidate wins a majority.
- Prospective nominees must file with the party chair by 5 p.m. on July 15 and submit at least 500 valid signatures from registered Democrats across at least eight counties by July 21 to qualify for the convention ballot.
- Only people who were registered as Democrats on June 9 may serve as delegates or sign petitions, a rule that excludes unenrolled or independent voters who could not participate in the replacement process.
- High-profile Maine figures including Nirav Shah, Troy Jackson, and Shenna Bellows are positioning to run as national groups watch vetting closely because the choice will shape resources and Democrats’ chance to flip Sen. Susan Collins’ seat before the July 27 ballot filing deadline.