Maine's twenty-sixth state senate district is represented by Democratic Senator Bill Diamond.

Maine state senators represent an average of 37,953 residents. After the 2000 Census, each member represented 36,426 residents.

About the chamber

Members of the Maine State Senate serve two-year terms with term limits. Maine legislators assume office after the first Wednesday in December after their election.

Qualifications

Section 6 of Part 2 of Article 4 of the Maine Constitution states, "The Senators shall be 25 years of age at the commencement of the term, for which they are elected, and in all other respects their qualifications shall be the same as those of the Representatives."

Section 4 of Part 1 of Article 4 of the Maine Constitution states, "Qualifications; residency requirement. No person shall be a member of the House of Representatives, unless the person shall, at the commencement of the period for which the person is elected, have been 5 years a citizen of the United States, have arrived at the age of 21 years, have been a resident in this State one year; and for the 3 months next preceding the time of this person's election shall have been, and, during the period for which elected, shall continue to be a resident in the district which that person represents."

Salaries

Term limits

The Maine legislature is one of 15 state legislatures with term limits. Voters enacted the Maine Term Limits Act in 1993. That initiative said that Maine senators are subject to term limits of no more than four two-year terms, or a total of eight years.

The first year that the term limits enacted in 1993 impacted the ability of incumbents to run for office was in 1996.

Vacancies

If there is a vacancy in the senate, a special election must be held to fill the vacant seat. The Governor must call for an election and allow all political committees representing the vacant seat to set all deadlines. The person elected to the seat serves for the remainder of the unexpired term.

Elections

2020

Elections for the office of Maine State Senate will take place in 2020. The general election will be held on November 3, 2020. A primary is scheduled for June 9, 2020. The filing deadline is March 16, 2020.

2018

2016

Elections for the Maine State Senate took place in 2016. The primary election took place on June 14, 2016, and the general election was held on November 8, 2016. The candidate filing deadline was March 15, 2016.

Incumbent William Diamond defeated Ryan McDonald in the Maine State Senate District 26 general election.

Maine State Senate, District 26 General Election, 2016

Incumbent William Diamond ran unopposed in the Maine State Senate District 26 Democratic primary. Ryan McDonald ran unopposed in the Maine State Senate District 26 Republican primary.

2014

Elections for the Maine State Senate took place in 2014. A primary election took place on June 10, 2014, and a general election was held on November 4, 2014. The signature filing deadline for party candidates wishing to run in this election was March 17, 2014. The deadline for write-in candidates to run in the primary election was April 28, 2014, and the deadline for non-party candidates to run in the general election was June 2, 2014. William Diamond was unopposed in the Democratic primary. David Call was unopposed in the Republican primary but withdrew afterwards. Stuart Pennels was selected to replace Call on the general election ballot, but withdrew following an August 3 motorcycle accident; Pennels died from injuries sustained in the accident on September 4. Kaile Warren (R) was then named to the general election ballot. Diamond defeated Warren in the general election.

Maine State Senate District 26, General Election, 2014

2012

Elections for the office of Maine State Senate consisted of a primary election on June 12, 2012, and a general election on November 6, 2012. The signature filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in this election was March 15, 2012. Incumbent Rodney Whittemore (R) defeated David Schwanke (D) in the general election and was unopposed in the Republican primary. Schwanke replaced Thomas Munson on the ballot after the Democratic primary.

Maine State Senate, District 26, General Election, 2012

Campaign contributions

From 2002 to 2016, candidates for Maine State Senate District 26 raised a total of $421,489. Candidates who raised money in contributions earned $19,159 on average. All figures come from Follow the Money.

Campaign contributions, Maine State Senate District 26