Is there an ‘Independent Party’ in Maine? | Fact brief

There is no officially recognized “Independent Party” in Maine. Candidates listed on the ballot as “independent” simply have no party affiliation.

Some confusion may come from name of the Maine Green Independent Party, a recognized political party in Maine. Affiliated with the national Green Party, it is an organized group with its own platform and bylaws.

Voters in Maine may register with one of five recognized parties: Democratic, Republican, Green Independent, Libertarian and No Labels. Primaries in Maine are now “semi-open,” meaning unaffiliated voters may choose any one party’s primary in which to vote.

Those who choose not to enroll in a party are considered unaffiliated, sometimes referred to as independent, but they are not members of any “Independent Party.”