On November 6, 2024, U.S. Rep. Jared Golden declared victory in Maine’s 2nd Congressional District race after a ranked-choice voting tabulation process that spanned four days. Golden, a Democrat, won with 50.35% of the vote, defeating Republican state Rep. Austin Theriault, who had 48.65%.
Although Golden led by fewer than 2,200 votes initially, ranked-choice voting was necessary to determine the winner due to a write-in candidate, Diana Merenda, receiving 420 votes.
The tabulation process, which involved verifying vote totals from over 400,000 residents across the district, included reallocating second-choice votes. Golden ultimately received 197,151 votes compared to Theriault’s 194,445 votes after the second-choice allocations.
Theriault, who had requested a recount, reiterated this demand after the final results. However, Golden stated that the votes had been counted twice and reaffirmed his lead.
Golden, in his victory statement, emphasized his gratitude to voters and his commitment to representing Maine, stating that he would continue working across party lines to address key issues affecting the state.
The process was live-streamed for transparency, with Secretary of State Shenna Bellows encouraging viewers to watch the proceedings, reinforcing the integrity of the election.
This is the third time Maine has used ranked-choice voting for its 2nd Congressional District race.