On June 2, filing closed in Maine for independent candidates and the nominees of unqualified parties. Here is a link to the list of those candidates, and a link to the list of primary candidates as well. Maine has three ballot-qualified parties, Democratic, Republican, and Green. All three nominate by primary; the primary was on June 10.

The Green Party has 15 candidates for the legislature, the second-highest number in its history; in 2004 it had had 20 candidates and had elected one of them.

There are no minor party candidates for Governor, U.S. Senator, or U.S. House. There are two independent candidates for Governor, none for U.S. Senate, and one in each of the two U.S. House races. Maine has the nation’s most restrictive law for candidates of a small qualified party to get on their own party’s primary ballot. If the law weren’t so restrictive, it is likely that the Green Party would have candidates for some of these offices as well.

Maine will probably be the only state this year with no Libertarian Party candidates for any federal or state office.