The state of Maine adopts an electoral system
Maine residents go to the polls this Tuesday to take part in the 2024 presidential primary, which is open to unregistered voters for the first time. Some South Portland voters are also being called upon to vote for a state House seat left vacant by the death of Democrat Lois Galgay Reckitt in October.
Under this new statewide semi-open primary system, unregistered voters can vote in Republican or Democratic primaries without having To as a party member. This means that registered voters can vote even if they are not affiliated with either party. In previous primaries, only registered party members could vote. Unregistered voters can vote in either the Republican or Democratic primary, but not both.
Attendance was low throughout the morning. Turnout is expected to be low, with fewer than 5% of voters requesting an absentee ballot, a percentage described by election officials and commissioners as “surprisingly low,” particularly compared to the 2020 primary.