The Maine State Legislature Passed Legislation that was later Signed into Law that Reestablished a Presidential Primary in the Pine Tree State for the First time since the 2000 cycle. One of the facets of that effort was a Division along Party Lines. Democratic Legislators in the Majority supported the Primary while Legislative Republicans Opposed it, favoring the Pre-Existent Caucus/Convention system.

That raised some Questions once the Bill became Law. Maine Democrats were eager to Support the New Primary election. especially given New Rules, based Encouragement from the Democratic National Committee (DNC) to Increase Participation, but it was an Open Question about whether Republicans would opt into the New Presidential Primary or choose to instead Stick with the Caucus/Convention system the Party had used through much of the 21st Century.

But as the Republican National Committee (RNC) Deadline for State Parties to Finalize Delegate Selection Processes for the 2020 cycle approached and passed on October 1st, it became clear that Maine Republicans would follow the Democrats and opt into the Presidential Primary Election.

This was noteworthy because Maine was among the States in 2004, the Last Republican Presidential Nomination Process featuring an Incumbent Republican President, Canceled its Presidential Preference Vote at the Caucuses that year.

That presumably would have been an Option for Maine Republicans for 2020 as well. The Party certainly would Not have been alone in forgoing a Preference Vote for the purposes of Allocating Delegates.

At least Six other States have already canceled Primaries or Caucuses. Maine Republicans, however, have taken a different tack in deciding to use the Newly Reestablished Presidential Primary.

Some of the 2016 Allocation Rules will carry over to the 2020 Process for Maine Republicans. There will still be a Winner-take-All Trigger layered into the Rules to Reward a Candidate with All of the State's Delegates if that Candidate Wins a Majority of the Vote Statewide. That Trigger stands a much greater chance of being Tripped in 2020 with a Popular, within the Republican Primary Electorate, President seeking Re-Nomination against only Token Opposition, currently There Opponents.

How much of the Remainder of the 2016 Allocation Rules in Maine's Republican process remains a bit of a Mystery.










NYC Wins When Everyone Can Vote! Michael H. Drucker