While preparing for Maine’s upcoming gubernatorial primary, former speaker of the Maine House of Representatives and Democratic candidate Hannah Pingree stopped by the Gordon Center for a town hall. The Colby Democrats hosted Pingree as part of a larger series focused on providing students and members of the Waterville community with comprehensive election information and encouraging engagement in the democratic process. Following the town hall, I (MC) met with Pingree (HP) to revisit some of the topics central to her event, as well as to expand on other ongoing headlines.
MC: One of the issues you touched on in your town hall was the importance of retaining younger generations in Maine. Maine consistently ranks as the state with the highest median age population. For those who weren’t at your town hall, can you expand on your plans to encourage those born and raised in Maine, as well as those who recently migrated to the state, to stay here?
HP: I grew up in Maine. I left for a couple of years for college, and later came back and was elected at 26 as a young legislator. Even then, Maine was the oldest state in the country, and we were working on strategies to help revitalize our cities and small towns and invest in housing and well paying jobs. It has been almost 25 years since then. Now, we are a state where many young people want to stay. But there remain issues like finding affordable housing. Obviously, issues like healthcare and childcare are important for young families, but I’ve led with housing because I think it is essential for everything else.
We’ve also put climate and energy as well as economic opportunity plans out. All of those things fit together. Maine is a state in which we’ve taken bold climate action and I believe our population will continue to grow because of changes in the climate and Maine’s natural resources. Those things make Maine an attractive place for young people, but we need to continue to invest in those industries which create well-paying jobs and keep Colby, UMaine, and other college graduates here in our state.
MC: Expanding on housing affordability, do you have any concrete plans to address the houselessness crisis in Maine?
HP: I think housing is crucial, but how we revitalize communities is about both housing and well-paying jobs. Throughout my political career, I’ve worked on a number of ways in which we invest in infrastructure and companies, particularly in the rural parts of our state. We need innovation, especially as it relates to the forest products industry and investing in the future of Maine’s farms and marine centers.
I live on an offshore island. I’ve worked with fishermen, kelp growers, and aquaculture growers my whole life. Investing in these heritage industries is one of the pathways to creating well-paying jobs. We also have a lot of startups in Maine, whether it be Colby’s work with innovation and entrepreneurship or Northeastern’s Roux Institute. Encouraging that culture is essential, and requires a trained workforce, housing near well-paying jobs, and childcare.
MC: Maine, much like Colby, is politically diverse. We are a fusion of people from various backgrounds, with different perspectives, and often care very deeply about the social, economic, and political world. Of the roughly 950,000 voters registered in Maine, about 33 percent are Democrats, 29 percent Republicans, and 36 percent independents. What are your constructive plans for supporting all of your constituents, regardless of political affiliation?
HP: As a legislator, I worked with the coastal and island towns of Knox and Hancock County. I’ve collaborated across the aisle, whether with fishermen on waterfront issues, Republican leaders on housing and rebuilding after the 2023 and 2024 storms, or while negotiating budgets as Speaker of the House.
I’ve worked across the political spectrum. I was elected unanimously as Speaker of the House by Republicans, Democrats, and Independents. To me, the basic issues that matter to Maine are primarily bipartisan. People want housing they can afford, quality schools for their kids, well-paying jobs, and healthcare they can afford. Those issues cross political boundaries. I think my track record of working across the aisle is appealing because people want leaders, especially governors, who can actually accomplish things.
MC: An ongoing issue in states like Maine is the SAVE Act, which would impose stricter voter identification requirements — potentially disenfranchising eligible voters — and require personal data to be shared with the Department of Homeland Security, where there are limited safeguards on its use. As governor, what are your plans for ensuring voting accessibility and fair elections?
HP: I am strongly opposed to the SAVE Act in Congress.
As a legislator, I worked on mechanisms to encourage voting, make it transparent, and ensure that our elections are safeguarded. I sponsored a successful bill to require paper backups for voting systems and worked on early ranked choice voting. As governor, I would certainly fight back against the Trump administration’s overreach. Governors must work together across states, in collaboration with both the Secretary of State and Attorney General, to fight voter intimidation and attempts to capture voter data. I would veto any bill that made voting more difficult.
More information regarding Speaker Pingree’s housing and upcoming economic opportunity plans can be found at ‘hannahforgovernor.com.’ The primary election is June 9, 2026. More information regarding absentee ballots, which are now available for request, can be found at ‘maine.gov/sos/elections-voting/absentee-voting.’
~ Maya Corrie `29
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