Race · November 3, 2026

Governor · Maine

3 candidates on the ballot — an open seat, with no incumbent running.¹

§1Candidates

Why this matters: Every candidate the state lists for this race on the November ballot, in the state's own order.

Rick Bennett

Independent · Open seat

Robert B. Charles

Republican · Open seat

Hannah M. Pingree

Democratic · Open seat

§2Side by side

Why this matters: The same facts for every candidate, in the same order. Where we found nothing for a candidate, the cell says so — that means we didn't find it in public sources, not that it doesn't exist.

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Fact	Rick Bennett	Robert B. Charles	Hannah M. Pingree
Party on the ballot	Independent¹	Republican¹	Democratic¹
Status	Open seat	Open seat	Open seat
Money	Candidates for governor file campaign-finance reports with the state, not the FEC, so this guide doesn't include their fundraising. Search the state's reports: Campaign finance disclosure system (public reports) — Maine Commission on Governmental Ethics and Election Practices.²
Abortion law	His campaign website says he cosponsored the law that wrote Roe v. Wade into Maine law more than 30 years ago and that he believes women should be free to make their own health care decisions.³	Not found in the public sources we checked	Her campaign website says that early in her career she introduced legislation to ensure reproductive access and defend abortion as a human right.⁴
Child care costs	Expand help for lower- and middle-income families through grants and tax credits His campaign website says he would fully fund the state's Child Care Affordability Program, support permanent wage supplements for child care workers and expand employer-supported child care through refundable tax credits.⁵	Not found in the public sources we checked	Expand help for lower- and middle-income families through grants and tax credits Her campaign website says she would increase funding for the Child Care Affordability Program so every income-eligible family can get help, and sustain and grow wage supplements for child care workers.⁶
Health insurance system	His campaign website says he would commit Maine to a path toward universal health care by removing the federal trigger it says has stalled action and activating the Maine Health Care Board.⁷	Not found in the public sources we checked	Add a government plan that anyone can choose to buy Her campaign website says she would create a state-backed public health insurance option that people could choose and businesses could offer, without replacing existing coverage.^6,8
Zoning and new housing	His campaign website says he would audit where housing projects get stuck in state and local permitting, help towns apply zoning and building codes consistently, and use a housing bond to restart Maine's factory-built housing industry.⁹	Not found in the public sources we checked	Her campaign website says she would invest $100 million a year in housing, set a 90-day limit for most state housing permits and support local zoning changes that allow more density, including small multi-unit buildings and accessory dwelling units built by right.¹⁰
Property taxes	Cap yearly increases or expand homeowner exemptions His campaign website says he would expand property tax relief for homeowners through stronger income-based protections and a larger homestead exemption.¹¹	Cap yearly increases or expand homeowner exemptions His campaign website names a $100,000 homestead exemption plan as his flagship tax policy, and his property tax plan says he would raise the homestead exemption for all homeowners, with larger increases for seniors, veterans and first-time buyers paid for by the state, and roll back state mandates on towns.^12,13	Cap yearly increases or expand homeowner exemptions Her campaign website says she would double the homestead exemption, expand the Property Tax Fairness Credit and let towns tax second homes owned by non-residents at higher rates.⁶
State income tax	Not found in the public sources we checked	Phase out the state income tax His campaign website says he pledges to abolish the state income tax.¹²	Her campaign website says she would build on Maine's new millionaire's tax by starting a process to look at more ways to make the state's tax system more progressive so those at the top pay what it calls their fair share.⁶
Who has authority on tribal lands	Expand tribal governments' authority, including over crimes by non-Native people on tribal lands His campaign website says he co-sponsored bills to restore the Wabanaki Nations' access to federal laws and to carry out the remaining recommendations of a task force on the Maine Indian Claims Settlement Act.³	Not found in the public sources we checked	Expand tribal governments' authority, including over crimes by non-Native people on tribal lands Her campaign website says she supports full tribal sovereignty, believes the Wabanaki Nations deserve the same rights as other federally recognized tribes and would work to pass legislation within her first 100 days.⁴

Issues only one candidate has addressed

By candidate, in ballot order. We found nothing public from the other candidates in this race on these issues.

Rick Bennett — 4 issues

State K-12 school funding
His campaign website says he would keep the state's legal requirement to pay at least 55% of the cost of public education and fully fund revenue sharing with towns.¹¹
Campaign finance rules
His campaign website says he would require disclosure of the original sources of large campaign contributions, and that he chaired a ballot initiative banning spending by foreign governments in Maine elections and championed one limiting contributions to PACs to $5,000.^3,14
Help for first-time homebuyers
His campaign website says he would create a state-backed down payment guarantee so qualified first-time buyers could buy a home with far less cash up front, without grants or lower lending standards.⁹
High-speed internet access
His campaign website says he has championed efforts to bring high-speed internet to all parts of Maine.³

Robert B. Charles — 9 issues

Government funding and abortion
His No Nonsense plan says he would end $2.25 million in state budget funding for Planned Parenthood and redirect the money to rural health care, nursing homes and prescription coverage for seniors.¹⁵
Diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs
Ban DEI offices, training and hiring goals in government, public colleges and federal contractors
His No Nonsense plan says he would disband every DEI office in state government and return to merit-based hiring.¹⁵
Mandatory minimum sentences
Add or raise mandatory minimums, for example for selling fentanyl
His crime plan says he would work with the Legislature to enact mandatory minimum sentences for fentanyl distribution and trafficking.¹⁶
Police funding
Increase police funding, for example to hire more officers
His crime plan says he would restore all law enforcement funding cut under the current administration, expand the Maine State Police by at least 15% over four years and add recruitment and retention bonuses for officers.¹⁶
Classroom teaching on race, gender and sexuality
His campaign website says schools should focus on reading, math and science instead of what it calls liberal ideology, and that he supports curriculum transparency so parents have a say in what is taught.¹²
Transgender students in school sports
Require teams based on sex at birth
His No Nonsense plan says he would drop the state's Title IX lawsuit, which it says aims to let athletes born male play in girls' sports.¹⁵
Nuclear power
His energy plan says he would allow competition among all efficient power producers, including natural gas, hydro and nuclear, and promote small modular nuclear reactors along with renewables and fossil fuels.¹⁷
Medical transition for minors
His No Nonsense plan says he would end a state law allowing 16- and 17-year-olds to receive gender-affirming hormone treatment without parental consent, saying parents should make medical decisions for their children.¹⁵
State and local role in immigration enforcement
Require full cooperation, with penalties for places that limit it
His crime plan says he would order all state agencies to cooperate fully with federal immigration enforcement and bar cities and towns from adopting sanctuary policies, with those that refuse losing state funding.¹⁶

Hannah M. Pingree — 8 issues

Collective bargaining for public employees
Her campaign website says she would protect and expand the collective bargaining rights of educators and school staff.¹⁸
Tuition-free college
Her campaign website says she would permanently fund Maine's free community college program and work toward tuition-free access to the first two years at Maine's public universities for middle- and low-income students.^10,18
Ranked-choice voting
Her campaign website says she cosponsored early ranked-choice voting legislation in Maine.⁴
Data centers and electricity costs
Pause or limit new data centers
Her campaign website says Maine must enact a moratorium on new data centers until it can ensure they pay their own way up front, benefit host communities and do not harm the environment or the health of their neighbors.¹⁹
State clean electricity targets
Her campaign website says she would deliver 100% clean energy by 2040, using regular competitive auctions for local solar, wind and energy storage.¹⁹
Food assistance (SNAP)
Her campaign website says she would streamline SNAP enrollment so eligible Mainers do not lose access, and ensure state funding for free school meals.⁶
Same-sex marriage
Her campaign website says that as Speaker she led the Legislature's passage of one of the nation's first marriage equality laws.⁴
Homelessness
Her campaign website says she would fully carry out the Home for Good program, which houses chronically homeless people with support services, and end veteran homelessness in her first year in office.¹⁰

Issue statements are drafted by AI from the public sources cited, and only cover what each candidate has said publicly.

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