Maine’s presidential party selections are not done in a primary vote at the polls, like so many other states. In Maine, like in Iowa, we caucus.

But, unlike Iowa, the party caucuses are held on different days and elected delegates go directly to a state convention, where delegates are chosen to represent their parties at national conventions.

In Iowa — the first state to caucus in presidential election years —  party caucuses are held in 1,774 precincts across the state where straw polls are held to select presidential nominees.

After that, delegates elected at these municipal caucuses go to county conventions, where delegates are elected to go to congressional district conventions, where delegates are then elected to attend national conventions.

Iowa also holds state conventions in which additional delegates are elected to attend national conventions.

But, the real power of the Iowa caucus is at that first level: the straw poll.

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Maine Republicans change caucus process

This year, in order to give Maine Republicans more prominence in the national process and to give each caucus voter a greater voice at the state convention, the state GOP committee changed its caucus procedure.

For the first time, all caucus voting will be held on the same day — March 5 — which Maine GOP is calling “Super Saturday.” And, the weight of all caucus votes will count, not just those cast by delegates at the state convention.

In a written statement issued in September, Maine GOP National Committeeman Alex Willette, who co-chaired the Maine GOP Presidential Nominating Committee, said, “After several public hearings and considering feedback from a great many Republicans across Maine, we feel this is the best decision for Maine. I’m proud of the work we did, and I am excited to see Maine Republicans have a strong voice in the 2016 Republican Presidential Nomination.”

In the past, town parties were able to pick their own caucus dates to select presidential candidates and elect delegates to attend the state convention. And, delegates elected to cast votes for the party’s presidential nominee at the state convention were not bound to support the candidate selected in their hometown caucus.

This year, state delegates are bound by local caucus results. And if a delegate is elected to represent Maine at the GOP national convention, they are bound to support the same candidate throughout the process.

“This one-day caucus process will now more directly tie the delegates voting at the national convention to the votes made for presidential candidates during the caucuses around the state,” said Jason Savage, the executive director of the Maine GOP.

The change was made after substantial party disruption in 2012 when Ron Paul supporters took over the Maine GOP convention, doubling Paul’s delegates that he won in the municipal caucus count by electing 20 Maine Paul delegates to attend the national convention, leaving 4 delegates for GOP candidate Mitt Romney.

Then, at the national convention, the Republican National Committee ruled Maine’s delegates should revert back to the original 10 Paul and 14 Romney delegates, essentially undoing the move at the state convention to load up on Paul delegates. The RNC cited procedural problems with Maine’s state convention as the reason for its ruling.

In response to the RNC decision, most of Maine’s delegates walked out of the Tampa Bay national convention in protest.

At the time, Paul had already left the race and Romney was the only viable candidate.

Under the new Maine GOP caucus scenario, if any of the candidates win 50 percent or more of the total caucus votes that candidate will be awarded all 23 delegate votes from Maine at the national convention. This “winner-take-all” procedure is new.

If no candidate gains more than 50 percent of the votes during March caucusing, delegate votes at the national convention will be awarded based on a formula that apportions votes based on the percent received.

A candidate must win at least 10 percent of the vote to receive any delegate votes from Maine at the national convention in July.

If a candidate drops out between the March 5 caucus and the state convention in April, voters at the state convention can then reapportion that candidate’s delegates for the national convention.

If there is a brokered national convention, where there is no candidate gaining a majority of the votes, the Maine delegates are then allowed to switch their votes to another candidate, although they do not have to.

If the GOP had decided instead to switch to a statewide primary vote, that would have required legislative action and also would have moved the cost to the Secretary of State’s Office, Savage said.

Under the new system, the Maine GOP is responsible for providing security and transportation of the ballots from the various caucus sites around the state to a central counting location, and GOP presidential candidates have to pay the Maine GOP a $10,000 filing fee to cover those costs. 

All of the Republican candidates in the race have paid that fee.

In addition to selecting delegates at the state convention, attendees will conduct other business of the party, including setting its platform for 2016.

Any Republican registered to vote may attend a municipal caucus and vote. 

Democrats seek delegate equity

Maine Democrats’ delegate selection plan, last updated in May 2015, has not changed the party caucus system for several decades.

This year, caucusing will be held on Sunday, March 6, in schools, town halls, libraries and churches across the state. Unlike the GOP, which holds larger caucuses in central locations, the Dems prefer micro-caucusing, with each municipality holding its own caucus. But, in some of the smallest towns and in the unorganized territories, central locations are named for voters in two or more towns to attend. For instance, the Franklin County towns of Avon and Phillips — with a combined total population of 1,489 — will caucus together at the Avon Town Hall.

All registered Democrats are allowed to participate in the process, and — like Republicans — can register to vote that day. Most caucus locations open their doors an hour early to allow for same-day voter registration.

A voter who is already registered to a different party must re-register at least 15 days before the municipal caucus in order to participate.

These party causes are lively affairs, as voters first at the local level makes speeches to argue support for their preferred candidates, and then more than 1,000 delegates carry and deliver that message to the state convention.

Each municipality is permitted to elect one delegate and one alternate per 75.6 votes cast for the democratic candidate for governor in the general election in 2014.

In presidential election years — like this year — if a municipality is entitled to at least 50 state convention delegates, it must caucus by precinct. That would include Lewiston and Auburn.

If, according to the Dem’s selection plan, a delegate position becomes vacant before the state convention, “the highest-ranking alternate from the same preference group within the same municipality shall replace the delegate, unless that would create or increase a gender imbalance within the municipal delegation and there is alternate of the opposite sex with the highest priority shall become a delegate.”

During the statewide convention, 30 delegates and 2 alternates will be elected to attend the party’s national convention in July, with delegates split into four equal categories, and evenly by gender: one category for each of Maine’s congressional districts, one for at-large candidates and the last for party leader and elected official delegates.

A candidate for a national delegate position pledged to a presidential candidate must be a bona fide supporter of that candidate, according to the rules, and must withdraw from attendance if their preference changes.

“A lot can happen between March and May,” according to Jeremy Kennedy, the executive director of the Maine Democratic Party, as campaigns ramp up their messages in pursuit of election.

At the Democratic state convention in 2012, delegates overwhelmingly supported incumbent President Barack Obama, leaving much of the convention focused on party business and organizing support for their Senate candidates in an attempt to re-gain a majority in the Legislature.

In 2010, the party lost the governor’s office and both legislative chambers to Republicans.

Maine Democratic Convention, May 6-7, Portland

Democratic National Convention, July 25-28, Philadelphia, Pa.

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Maine Republican State Party Convention, April 21-23, Bangor

Republican National Convention, July 18-21, Cleveland, Ohio

History of presidential primaries and caucuses in Maine

Prior to 1995, Maine had a law allowing qualified political parties the option to hold a presidential primary election after Jan. 1 of the presidential election year.

However, the decision process was complex and parties traditionally indicated their preference for presidential candidates at the biennial municipal caucuses.

In 1995, the Maine Legislature replaced the presidential primary law with a new presidential “preference” primary law, simplifying the process considerably.

In both 1996 and 2000, the major qualified political parties (Democratic and Republican) opted to hold presidential preference primaries.

In 2003, the Maine Legislature repealed the presidential preference primary law.

Therefore, in 2004 and subsequent election years, the parties reverted to the biennial municipal caucuses to indicate their support for presidential candidates.

* Source: League of Women Voters of Maine

Who are the candidates?

Republican

Gov. Jeb Bush

Dr. Ben Carson

Sen. Ted Cruz

Gov. John Kasich

Sen. Marco Rubio

Mr. Donald Trump

Democratic

Howell Astor

Morrison Bonpasse

Jeff Boss

Harry Bruan

Andy Caffrey

Willie Carter

Hillary Clinton

Lloyd Kelso

Roque de Le Fuente

Bernie Sanders

Doug Shreffler

Michael Steinberg

Robby Wells

Willie Wilson

Brad Winslow