AUGUSTA — Maine had the second-highest voter turnout in the country for last year’s presidential election.
A new report says 72.8 percent of Maine’s voting-eligible population cast ballots in the 2016 election. Maine was second only to Minnesota, which reached nearly 75 percent.
The nonprofit VOTE and the US Election Project compiled the numbers. Maine ranked sixth in the nation in the 2012 election.
Maine adopted same-day voter registration in 1974, an option offered by many of the other states with high turnout.
Maine’s November ballot included closely watched referendum questions, including marijuana legalization and background checks for private gun sales and transfers.
The report deemed Maine a battleground state, based on candidate spending and race competitiveness. Maine split its four presidential electoral votes for the first time, with Donald Trump taking the vote for the 2nd Congressional District and Hillary Clinton taking the other three.
Send questions/comments to the editors.
