Maine Senate
Coordinates: 44°18′26″N 69°46′54″W / 44.307138°N 69.781586°W
| Maine State Senate | |
|---|---|
| Maine State Legislature | |
 | |
| Type | |
| Type | |
Term limits | 4 terms (8 years) |
| History | |
New session started | December 7, 2016 |
| Leadership | |
President of the Senate | |
Majority Leader | |
Minority Leader | |
| Structure | |
| Seats | 35 |
 | |
Political groups |
Majority Minority |
Length of term | 2 years |
| Authority | Article IV, Part Second, Maine Constitution |
| Salary |
Session 1: $13,526/year Session 2: $9,661/year + per diem |
| Elections | |
Last election |
November 8, 2016 (35 seats) |
Next election | November 6, 2018 (35 seats) |
| Redistricting | Legislative control |
| Meeting place | |
|
State Senate Chamber Maine State House Augusta, Maine  | |
| Website | |
| Maine State 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.
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 Senate
- 128th Legislature, 2016-2018
| Affiliation | Party (Shading indicates majority caucus) |
Total | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Democratic | Ind | Vacant | ||
| 125th (2010–12) | 20 | 14 | 1 | 35 | 0 |
| 126th Legislature (2012–14) | 15 | 19 | 1 | 35 | 0 |
| Begin 127th Legislature | 21 | 14 | 0 | 35 | 0 |
| End of 127th Legislature | 20 | 15 | |||
| Begin 128th Legislature | 18 | 17 | 0 | 35 | 0 |
| Latest voting share | 51.4% | 48.6% | |||
Officers
| Position | Name | Party |
|---|---|---|
| President of the Senate | Michael Thibodeau | Rep |
| Majority Leader | Garrett Mason | Rep |
| Assistant Majority Leader | Amy Volk | Rep |
| Minority Leader | Troy Jackson | Dem |
| Assistant Minority Leader | Nate Libby | Dem |
| Secretary of the Senate | Heather J.R. Priest | Non-Partisan |
| Assistant Secretary of the Senate | Bradley Sawyer | Non-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.
| District | Senator | Party | Residence | Primary County | First elected | Term limited |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Troy Jackson | Dem | Allagash | Aroostook | 2016 (2008-2014) | 2024 |
| 2 | Michael E. Carpenter | Dem | Houlton | Aroostook | 2016 (1976-1986) | 2024 |
| 3 | Rodney Whittemore | Rep | Skowhegan | Somerset | 2010 | 2018 |
| 4 | Paul Davis | Rep | Sangerville | Piscataquis | 2014 | 2022 |
| 5 | James Dill | Dem | Old Town | Penobscot | 2014 | 2022 |
| 6 | Joyce Maker | Rep | Calais | Washington | 2016 | 2024 |
| 7 | Brian Langley | Rep | Ellsworth | Hancock | 2010 | 2018 |
| 8 | Kimberly Rosen | Rep | Bucksport | Hancock | 2014 | 2022 |
| 9 | Geoffrey Gratwick | Dem | Bangor | Penobscot | 2012 | 2020 |
| 10 | Andre Cushing III | Rep | Hampden | Penobscot | 2012 | 2020 |
| 11 | Michael Thibodeau | Rep | Winterport | Waldo | 2010 | 2018 |
| 12 | David Miramant | Dem | Camden | Knox | 2014 | 2022 |
| 13 | Dana Dow | Rep | Waldoboro | Lincoln | 2016 (2004-2008) | 2024 |
| 14 | Shenna Bellows | Dem | Manchester | Kennebec | 2016 | 2024 |
| 15 | Roger Katz | Rep | Augusta | Kennebec | 2010 | 2018 |
| 16 | Scott Cyrway | Rep | Benton | Kennebec | 2014 | 2022 |
| 17 | Tom Saviello | Rep | Wilton | Franklin | 2010 | 2018 |
| 18 | Lisa Keim | Rep | Dixfield | Oxford | 2016 | 2024 |
| 19 | James Hamper | Rep | Oxford | Oxford | 2012 | 2020 |
| 20 | Eric Brakey | Rep | Auburn | Androscoggin | 2014 | 2022 |
| 21 | Nate Libby | Dem | Lewiston | Androscoggin | 2014 | 2022 |
| 22 | Garrett Mason | Rep | Lisbon Falls | Androscoggin | 2010 | 2018 |
| 23 | Eloise Vitelli | Dem | Arrowsic | Sagadahoc | 2016 (2013-2014) | 2024 |
| 24 | Everett "Brownie" Carson | Dem | Brunswick | Cumberland | 2016 | 2024 |
| 25 | Cathy Breen | Dem | Falmouth | Cumberland | 2014[2] | 2022 |
| 26 | Bill Diamond | Dem | Windham | Cumberland | 2014 (1982-1986;2004-2012) |
2022 |
| 27 | Ben Chipman | Dem | Portland | Cumberland | 2016 | 2024 |
| 28 | Mark Dion | Dem | Portland | Cumberland | 2016 | 2024 |
| 29 | Rebecca Millett | Dem | Cape Elizabeth | Cumberland | 2012 | 2020 |
| 30 | Amy Volk | Rep | Scarborough | Cumberland | 2014 | 2022 |
| 31 | Justin Chenette | Dem | Saco | York | 2016 | 2024 |
| 32 | Susan Deschambault | Dem | Biddeford | York | March 2016 | 2024 |
| 33 | David Woodsome | Rep | Waterboro | York | 2012 | 2022 |
| 34 | Ronald Collins | Rep | Wells | York | 2010 | 2018 |
| 35 | Dawn Hill | Dem | Cape Neddick | York | 2010 | 2018 |
Past composition of the Senate
References
- ↑ Maine Constitution Article IV. -- Part Second.Senate.
- ↑ Due to a protracted recount, Sen. Breen didn't assume office until January 8, 2015.
External links
- The Maine Senate official government website
- State Senate of Maine at Project Vote Smart
- Maine Senate at Ballotpedia
