Maine gubernatorial election, 2002

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Maine gubernatorial election, 2002

Flag of Maine.svg


  1998 November 5, 2002 2006  

  JohnBaldacci.jpg PeterCianchette.jpg No image.svg
Nominee John Baldacci Peter Cianchette Jonathan Carter
Party Democratic Republican Green
Popular vote238,179 209,496 46,903
Percentage47.15% 41.47% 9.28%

2002MaineGubernatorial.png

County results
  Cianchette
  Baldacci

Governor before election

Angus King
Independent

Elected Governor

John Baldacci
Democratic

The Maine gubernatorial election of 2002 took place on November 5, 2002. Incumbent Independent Governor Angus King was term limited, and unable to seek re-election. United States Congressman John Baldacci won the Democratic primary uncontested, while former State Representative Peter Cianchette emerged from the Republican primary victorious. Baldacci and Cianchetti squared off in the general election, joined by Jonathan Carter, the Green Party nominee, and independent State Representative John Michael. Ultimately, Baldacci prevailed over Cianchette to win what would be his first of two terms as governor, with Carter taking an unusually high amount of the vote for a third-party candidate.

The incumbent is the current holder of an office. This term is usually used in reference to elections, in which races can often be defined as being between an incumbent and non-incumbent(s). For example, in the Hungarian presidential election, 2017, János Áder was the incumbent, because he had been the president in the term before the term for which the election sought to determine the president. A race without an incumbent is referred to as an open seat.

An independent or nonpartisan politician is an individual politician not affiliated with any political party. There are numerous reasons why someone may stand for office as an independent.

Angus King United States Senator from Maine

Angus Stanley King Jr. is an American politician and attorney serving as the junior United States Senator from Maine since 2013. A political independent since 1993, he was the 72nd Governor of Maine from 1995 to 2003.

Contents

Democratic primary

Candidates

Results

Democratic primary results [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic John Baldacci71,735100.00
Total votes71,735100.00

Republican primary

Candidates

Peter Cianchette American politician

Peter Ernest Cianchette is an American diplomat, businessman, politician and former United States Ambassador to Costa Rica.

Maine House of Representatives lower house of the Maine state legislature

The Maine House of Representatives is the lower house of the Maine Legislature. The House consists of 151 members representing an equal number of districts across the state. Each voting member of the House represents around 8,800 citizens of the state. Because it is a part-time position, members of the Maine House of Representatives usually have outside employment as well. Members are limited to four consecutive terms of two years each, but may run again after two years.

Results

Republican primary results [2]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Peter E. Cianchette52,69266.88
Republican James D. Libby 26,091 33.12
Total votes78,783100.00

Green Party primary

Candidates

Jonathan Carter is an American politician, environmentalist and scientist who has run twice for governor of Maine as a Green and once for U.S. Congress. In 1992, Carter ran for U.S. House of Representatives in Maine's 2nd congressional district. Carter's campaign was designed to educate the public and to establish a green network of social, economic, and ecological activists. He was able to get 27,526 votes for 8.8% of the vote with an expenditure of less than $20,000 and no paid media.

Results

Green Party primary results [4]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Green Jonathan Carter1,613100.00
Total votes1,613100.00

General election

Candidates

John Baldacci American politician

John Elias Baldacci is an American politician who served as the 73rd Governor of Maine from 2003 to 2011. A Democrat, he also served as a member of the United States House of Representatives from 1995 to 2003.

John M. Michael is a former American state legislator. Michael was born in Lewiston, Maine and represented a portion of Auburn in the Maine House of Representatives from 1978–1986, 1990–1994 and 2000–2002.

Results

Maine gubernatorial election, 2002 [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%±
Democratic John Baldacci 238,179 47.15% +35.37%
Republican Peter Cianchette 209,496 41.47% +22.89%
Green Jonathan Carter 46,903 9.28% +2.59%
Independent John Michael 10,612 2.10%
Majority 28,683 5.68% -33.26%
Turnout 505,190
Democratic gain from Independent Swing

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References

Official campaign websites (Archived)