(The Center Square) — The tight race between incumbent Maine Democratic Rep. Jared Golden and Republican state Rep. Austin Theriault will be decided by ranked-choice voting and could eventually be headed for a recount.
Following Tuesday’s election, Golden was ahead of Theriault by about 2,200 votes, according to an unofficial tally by the Associated Press. However, a third write-in candidate received enough votes in the race to trigger a ranked-choice tabulation run-off between the candidates, according to Maine’s Secretary of State Shenna Bellows.
The unofficial write-in candidate, Diana Merenda, received 420 first-choice votes, which is one-tenth of a percentage point, according to the Secretary of State’s office. Another 12,600 ballots were left blank.
Golden declared victory in a speech on Wednesday, but Theriault refused to concede defeat, arguing that the margin between the two candidates was close enough to trigger a recount.
“Given that this is the closest race in modern Maine history, we must ensure a full, accurate count,” Theriault’s campaign said in a statement. “Despite being significantly outspent, this race is still extremely close. We must work together to ensure the Mainers’ voices are heard, and the final result reflects the will of the people.”
Under Maine’s election laws, recounts are not automatic and need to be requested by the campaigns. The campaign requesting the recount must also pay a fee to the state to cover the cost.
Bellows’ office said the ranked-choice runoff, which will begin next week in Augusta, would need to be held before a recount.
Ranked-choice asks voters to rank candidates in order of their preference on the ballot. If nobody gets a majority of the votes, or more than 50%, in the first round, the candidate with the least votes is eliminated and the votes are reallocated until someone wins a majority.
Golden, a Marine veteran, narrowly beat incumbent Republican Rep. Bruce Poliquin in 2018. The race was ultimately decided by ranked-choice voting more than a week after the election. He has been reelected twice.
Theriault, a former NASCAR driver who ran with support from former President Donald Trump, has hammered away at Golden on the impact of high inflation on the economy and his support for outgoing Democratic President Joe Biden’s economic and immigration policies.
The race for Maine’s 2nd Congressional District is among outstanding contests that could determine the balance of power in the U.S. House of Representatives following Tuesday’s election. Republicans are expected to take over the U.S. Senate and have flipped several Democratic districts. Total control of Congress would give President-elect Donald Trump a major boost to pass through his proposed agenda.
