Beacon is a news site by the Maine People’s Alliance. We shine a light on the experiences of everyday Mainers, educate readers on the impact of public policy and promote a progressive vision rooted in community, fairness and investing in our shared future.
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The Democratic primary for Maine governor is just around the corner, and Opinion columnist @strim.bsky.social is sharing why voters should rank Shenna Bellows, Troy Jackson, and Hannah Pingree as their top three choices.
Mainers head to the polls Tuesday in one of the country’s most accessible election systems. From same-day voter registration to newly expanded primary access for independent voters, Maine continues to stand out for protecting and expanding democratic participation.
Here's what you need to know!
This week on the podcast: Hear the full town hall with gubernatorial candidate Shenna Bellows and U.S. Senate candidate Graham Platner in Old Town. They discuss their priorities, grassroots organizing, and what keeps elected officials accountable to voters. Listen now!
Susan Collins voted this week to confirm Kathleen Lane to a lifetime federal judgeship. Lane previously urged the Montana Supreme Court to overturn a longstanding constitutional protection for abortion and was involved in efforts to defend abortion restrictions and block abortion care.
Maine Democrats still don't know who their nominee for governor will be. With no candidate earning a majority of first-choice votes, the race is heading to a ranked-choice tabulation that could reshape the standings.
One Maine renter says Nirav Shah's private comments to landlords raise serious questions about where he'd stand in the state's housing crisis. Click below to read Gina Morin's full opinion column.
As energy costs continue to rise, a new Sierra Club analysis shows Maine's low-income households shoulder the highest energy burden in the nation. Families earning less than $50,000 a year spend roughly one-fifth of their income on electricity and heating fuel.
The most important decision voters make may not be who wins in November, but who advances from the primary, says @strim.bsky.social
"Primaries are where we truly set the direction of the work we want to accomplish," he writes. "So vote for who makes your heart sing, and do it by Tuesday at 8 p.m."
Democratic gubernatorial candidates Shenna Bellows and Troy Jackson are condemning anti-union emails sent to Maine state workers by the far-right Koch-funded Freedom Foundation, calling out the effort as an attack on organized labor as contract negotiations remain stalled.
Graham Platner is officially Maine Democrats' nominee for U.S. Senate after a decisive primary victory Tuesday night, winning more than 72% of the vote. Platner framed his campaign not as a personal story, but as a grassroots movement powered by volunteers and small donors demanding bold change.
Continuing a pattern of votes during the Trump administration, Sen. Susan Collins voted this week to confirm Kathleen "Katie" Lane — who has a record of supporting efforts to restrict abortion access ...
Maine's Democratic gubernatorial primary isn’t decided yet, with the race now headed to a ranked-choice tabulation after no candidate secured a majority of first-choice votes. In the closing weeks of ...
Born from a culture of town meetings and shaped by two centuries of grassroots democratic reform, the state of Maine has one of the most open and vital electoral systems of any state in the country. O...
This week on the podcast, we are sharing the full recording of gubernatorial candidate Shenna Bellows and U.S. Senate candidate Graham Platner at a town hall in Old Town hosted by the Maine People's A...
Last week I wrote about why I would not be ranking Nirav Shah on my ballot in the Democratic primary for governor. The long and short of that column is that he told a group of powerful landlords that ...
As a disabled renter with a low income, I know how much safe, stable, affordable housing matters. And for the nearly half of Mainers having a hard time covering basic expenses, housing is a huge part ...
As electricity rates continue to climb in Maine, a new online data tool shows the state’s low-income households bear the heaviest energy burden in the nation. The Sierra Club compiled Department of En...
Tuesday is Primary Day and you really should vote like your life depends on it. Not like “Trump is on the ballot” life depending on it, but primary Day doesn’t get the attention it should from voters....
Secretary of State Shenna Bellows and fellow gubernatorial candidate Troy Jackson called out anti-union actions by the far-right, Koch-funded Freedom Foundation against Maine state workers. In a joint...
Graham Platner, a veteran and oyster farmer from Sullivan, Maine, is the Democratic nominee for United States Senate. The race was called shortly after the polls closed and current totals from the Ban...
