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Mainers Cast Their Votes In Primary Election Amid High Stakes and Negative Ads

Willis Ryder Arnold
/
Maine Public

Mainers are heading to their local polling places Tuesday to cast their votes in a primary race that features a broad number of candidates.

Over the past week, negative ads have emerged from different candidates.

Democratic candidate for governor Janet Mills attacked her opponent Adam Cote for his former Republican position, and Cote’s campaign went after Mills for accepting money from outside the state.

Ned Cabot says the ads did affect his vote.

“The more research I did, the more I realized that I thought the Mills campaign unfairly characterized Adam's position and his previous choice of being a Republican,” says Cabot.

Several other voters said they either ignored the ads completely or they did not affect their votes.

“When we get to election time, we know who we’re voting for and who is representing our views, and the ads don’t really affect it,” says voter Christopher Sauer.

In Portland, voters said they hope the victors of the election move quickly to address issues of education, jobs and affordable healthcare.

Fred Cappa says he hopes attention will be paid to referendums as well.

“Everyone runs claiming they represent the will of the people,” he says. “Then the people express their will and people in office run the other way.”

Ranked-choice voting was another issue that drew people out to the voting booths with people weighing in on both sides of the issue.