Polling Average
20%15%10%5%0%
16.8%
17.4%
15.8%
15.2%
Maine Democratic Governor nominee?
$490.9K
JUN 10, 2026Primary Election
Party selects its nominee.
Overview
Current roleSecretary of State
PartyDemocratic
Political ideologyProgressive Democrat
Age51 years old (Mar 23, 1975)
GenderFemale
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LocationMaine
BackgroundPolitician
EducationMiddlebury College (B.A.)
Notable personal detailsShenna Bellows is an American politician and civil rights advocate who has served as Maine Secretary of State since January 2021. She previously served in the Maine Senate (2016–2020) and was the Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate in Maine in 2014. Her career includes leadership roles as executive director of the ACLU of Maine and the Holocaust and Human Rights Center of Maine.
SourcesShowHide
en.wikipedia.orgbellowsformaine.commaine.govmainepublic.orgawpc.cattcenter.iastate.edusubstack.combsky.appwww1.maine.govmaineinsights.comwashingtonpost.comaxios.comwabi.tvapnews.combangordailynews.compressherald.commainepeoplesalliance.orgemdc.orgsunjournal.comboothbayregister.comgivegreen.comwmtw.commainemorningstar.comcbsnews.comlatimes.combostonglobe.comabout.twitter.comcdn.ballotpedia.orglegal.x.comjustfacts.votesmart.orgwikidata.orgvotesmart.orgvoterguide.ballotpedia.orgde.wikipedia.orgnass.orgballotready.orgnga.orgcongress.govfec.govncsl.orggovinfo.gov
Positions
LiberalConservative
Economy & Taxes
Supports increasing taxes on very high earners to strengthen Social Security and favors shifting federal spending away from defense toward domestic investments such as infrastructure, student loans, and renewable energy. Has also proposed targeted tax relief for certain groups (for example, legislation to eliminate state income tax on some public pension benefits).
Healthcare
Supports universal health care as a goal and increased public investment in health services, with emphasis on rural health infrastructure, school-based health centers, public health nurses, and full funding for reproductive and primary care providers. Expresses opposition to barriers to care and names organizations such as Maine Family Planning and Planned Parenthood as priorities for support.
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Immigration & Border
The candidate emphasizes protecting immigrant communities and has taken actions to limit state cooperation with federal immigration enforcement, including refusing to share voter rolls and pausing certain data-sharing with ICE. She characterizes aggressive federal immigration operations in Maine as harmful and has pledged to defend the privacy and safety of new Mainers. Her public statements focus on restraint of enforcement activity and protection of immigrants rather than proposing expanded enforcement measures.
Abortion & Reproductive Rights
Supports abortion rights and reproductive freedom and has worked to protect and expand access to abortion and contraception in Maine. Pledges to support Maine Family Planning and Planned Parenthood and to defend existing Maine law that protects access to abortion and reproductive health care.
Climate & Energy
Supports transitioning away from fossil fuels toward renewable energy and investing in technologies such as solar, tidal, and geothermal. Favors strong carbon-emission standards and expanded public-transit and clean-energy investment while emphasizing community input for projects. Positions include backing federal regulation of greenhouse-gas emissions and state-level climate action.
Public Safety & Guns
Shenna Bellows has publicly supported extreme risk protection orders (the 2025 Question 2 red-flag measure) and has said municipalities should have the option to restrict firearms at polling places. Her statements frame these measures as compatible with responsible gun ownership and public safety.
News
AINews Summary
Last updatedMar 12, 2026
Angus King III, son of U.S. Senator Angus King, is a contender in the Democratic primary for the 2026 Maine gubernatorial election. A recent poll suggests he is leading due to high name recognition, despite having no prior elected office experience. Other candidates include Hannah Pingree, Nirav Shah, Shenna Bellows, and Troy Jackson.
en.wikipedia.org+39
Polls
Maine Democratic Governor nominee?
Aggregation source: FiftyPlusOne
New updates coming soon
We're monitoring and will update when new data impacts the race.
- Endorsements
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