University of Maine students will have the opportunity to vote today when polls open at the Collins Center for the Arts (CCA) at 7 a.m. and will have until 8 p.m. to cast their ballot. Nearly 19 million Americans have cast early ballots in the presidential election, according to the Associated Press. Who will emerge victorious is anybody’s guess. Will the U.S. elect Kamala Harris or Donald Trump? Who will win our Maine federal and local elections?

Our live election update coverage can help keep you informed throughout the day, and we will share winners of national and state elections as they are announced.

Live Election updates below (11/5 to 11/6)

9 a.m. (11/6)

As of 9 a.m., the Associated Press reports that Donald Trump won the U.S. presidential election. Trump’s win in Wisconsin around 5:30 a.m. put him above the 270 required electoral votes needed to secure the presidency.

Since our last update, Trump also won Georgia and Pennsylvania in addition to Wisconsin.

Kamala Harris won New Hampshire and Minnesota.

In total, Donald Trump won 277 electoral votes, while Harris won 224.

The overall winner in Maine remains undeclared, as it is one of five states where not all votes are counted. Maine counted 73% of votes so far, but data reveals that Harris won Maine’s District 1, while Trump won District 2.

With Trump surpassing the 270-vote threshold, no path to the presidency remains for Harris, despite the five states still uncalled. Not enough votes remain uncounted in Democratic-leaning areas.

Third-party candidate Jill Stein won 1.2% of the votes in Maine, while Chase Oliver won 0.7%.

Maine-Specific Results

More information emerged regarding Maine’s federal and local elections, though some races remain contested as final votes are counted. All information included was reported by the Bangor Daily News. 

Angus King leads in Maine’s federal Senate race with 51.8% of votes, with Demi Kouzounas at 35.6%. David Costello won only 10.1% of votes. An estimated 87% of votes are counted.

In Maine’s 1st Congressional District, Chellie Pingree defeated Ronald Russel, as shared in our last update. The race for Maine’s 2nd Congressional District remains tight, with Jared Golden leading at 50.2% and Austin Theriault at 49.8%. Approximately 91% of votes are counted.

In Maine’s state Senate race for District 8, Mike Tipping leads with 52.4% of the vote, while Leo Kenney won 47.6%. An estimated 82% of votes are counted.

Laurie Osher leads in the Maine House of Representatives District 25 race, winning 67.2% of votes. Thomas Casey won 32.8% of votes, and an estimated 95% of votes are counted.

Results also arrived regarding Maine’s five statewide referendum questions, although definitive winners remain undetermined due to uncounted votes. An estimated 83% of votes are counted.

• Question 1 (Campaign finance reform): 72.7% say YES, 27.3% say NO.
• Question 2 (Research and development bond): 53.9% say YES, 46.1% say NO.
• Question 3 (Historical preservation bond): 50.7% say YES, 49.3% say NO.
• Question 4 (Trails bond): 54.4% say YES, 45.6% say NO.
• Question 5 (State Flag): 56.2% say NO, 43.8% say YES.

11 p.m. to 12 a.m. 

This will be our final election update for the night, and coverage will continue tomorrow morning.

As of 11:45 p.m. and according to the Associated Press, Donald Trump stills leads the race at 230 total electoral votes whereas Kamala Harris comes in at 210 votes.

Since our last update Trump won Kansas, Iowa, Idaho and North Carolina.

Kamala Harris won California, Washington, Oregon and New Mexico, Virginia and Hawaii.

In Maine, Harris won Maine’s 1st District at 10:45 p.m. with Trump expected to win Maine’s 2nd District.

According to the Bangor Daily News, Angus King currently leads Maine’s U.S. Senate race with 50.6% of votes. 19% of votes are accounted for so far. Demi Kouzounas follows at 38.2% and David Costello at 8.6%.

Austin Theriault currently leads the race for Maine 2nd Congressional District at 52.7% of votes, and Jared Golden won 48.6%. An estimated 45% of votes have been accounted for so far.

Chellie Pingree won Maine’s 1st Congressional District, acquiring 57.5% of the vote. Ronald Russel won 38.4% of the vote.

The race for Maine State Senate District 8 remains up in the air with only 18% of votes accounted for so far. Leo Kenney now leads the race at 58.6% of the vote whereas Mike Tipping won 41.4%.

Results for Maine’s House District 25 race remain elusive with no votes reported.

Orono Specific Results

According to the Warden’s Return of Votes Cast, Orono cast a total number of 5471 ballots today. Of those cast, 3676 residents were for Harris and 1523 residents for Trump. Jill Stein won 98 votes from residents and Oliver Chase won 44.

In Maine’s U.S. Senate race, Angus King won 2779 votes from residents, David Costello won 1264 votes from residents and Demi Kouszounas won 1046 votes from residents.

For Maine’s Congressional District 2, 3866 Orono residents voted for Jared Golden and 1359 residents voted for Austin Theriault.

Finally, 3475 residents voted for Mike Tipping and 1766 residents for Leo Kenney.

10 p.m. 

Since our last update and according to the Associated Press, Donald Trump maintained his lead and, as of 10:20 p.m., won 198 electoral votes, whereas Kamala Harris won 112.

Donald Trump secured a win in Missouri, Montana and Utah.

Kamala Harris won Colorado and the District of Columbia.

Maine federal and state races are reporting in at a less rapid pace.

9:15 p.m. 

Numerous states have been called in since our last update, according to the Associated Press.

As of 9:15 p.m., Donald Trump won Wyoming, Louisiana, South Dakota, North Dakota, Nebraska, Ohio and Texas.

Kamala Harris won New York.

Donald Trump won 177 electoral votes whereas Kamala Harris won 99.

8 to 9 p.m.

Polls closed at the CCA after a long day of voting and a strong show of support for the Nation’s civic process as a community. In the last hour that polls were open, the registration and voting line gradually dwindled to a close. Support staff and volunteer poll workers began taking down voting booths and decor. The City of Orono will send off votes to be counted and called in.

According to the Associated Press, Donald Trump won the following states since our last update: West Virginia, Mississippi, Alabama, Oklahoma, Tennessee,  Florida, South Carolina and Arkansas.

Kamala Harris won Maryland, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New Jersey, Delaware and Illinois.

As of 8:55 p.m., the Associated Press reports that Donald Trump has won 101 electoral votes whereas Kamala Harris has won 71. A Presidential candidate must cross the threshold of 270 electoral votes to be deemed winner of the national election.

6 to 7 p.m. 

It’s dark outside, but the registration line inside the CCA has remained steady throughout the night. There are comparatively fewer voters than during peak voting time after most classes release, from 4 to 5 p.m., but still a strong showing of students waiting to cast their ballot.

According to the Associated Press, several states have been called, including Vermont for Kamala Harris and Kentucky and Indiana for Donald Trump. Polls in many states closed at 7 p.m., including Georgia, a projected battleground state this election.

No major voting problems or interferences have been reported so far, and the next batch of poll closures across the nation will occur at 8 p.m., including the polling center at the CCA.

4 to 5 p.m. 

Crowds at the CCA, particularly at the entrance to the voter registration line, had grown significantly since the morning. The line for registration spanned through the hallway to the Class of 1944 Hall entrance, with dozens of students waiting in line.

Additionally, a table that was advocating anti-abortion stances outside the CCA is pictured below. The table was managed by a newly formed student group called “Students for Life,” and an anonymous representative shared that the group has yet to be confirmed by the University of Maine Student Government.

An anonymous student source shared that the table was asked to move, given that their original placement violated Maine Legislature Statue 682, under permitted “political activities.”

“Influence prohibited: on public property within 250 feet of the entrance to the voting place as well as within the voting place itself, a person may not…influence another person’s opinion,” reads the statute.

Things that constitute influencing opinions can include tabling, displaying t-shirts or distributing any media in favor of a candidate or cause. It appears the group complied and moved further down the pathway.

Ryan Tipping- candidate Mike Tipping’s brother- was spotted standing outside the polls at the CCA, speaking with students.  When asked for a statement, Tipping shared the following.

“We’re thankful students have shown up for this important day in our nation’s history,” said Tipping.

1 p.m. 

Leo Kenney was spotted standing outside the polls at the CCA speaking with students.  Reporters on scene share that he repeated the same statement.

“I’m Leo Kenney, thanks for voting today,” says Kenney.

11 a.m. to noon 

The sun began to peak through the sky as more students gathered to cast their ballot. A line formed in front of Class of 1944 Hall entrance as students wait to register before entering voting booths.

The Maine Campus news team was also on scene interviewing student voters outside the CCA, specifically speaking with first-time voters Sadie Obenauer and Amber Lambert (as pictured below) among others. Thoughts gathered will be shared in a multimedia piece set to be released later this week.

UMaine student Colton Albertson shared his thoughts on the election with staff reporter Jack Kelly.

“This [election] specifically has a lot to do with the women in my family: my sisters and my partner. To get out and vote, it’s for them,” said Albertson.

Cam MacLean, another UMaine student, commented on the current state of the economy motivating his vote.

“I think it’s important for voter turnout and doing your civic duty,” said MacLean. When asked if there were issues that motivated him to vote, he responded, “Probably the economy. As a college student, the economy is important because you don’t have much money and prices are fluctuating.”

9 a.m.

Voters at the CCA are being directed to enter through two separate entrances. Pre-registered voters should enter through the glass doors at the front of the building. Those who are not registered, including new Maine residents or students who haven’t yet registered in Orono, should use the entrance at the Class of 1944 Hall on the side of the building facing Flagstaff Road.

This arrangement was made to prevent bottlenecking or overflow at the front entrance as more students gather to vote throughout the day.

Orono Town Clerk Shelly Crosby clarified when asked for her reasoning behind the decision.

“I’ve never separated my voters from my unregistered voters– meaning that I’ve never had it split where I’ve asked people, when they approach the building, to split and go in two separate entrances. We did that because of the way that the Collins Center is laid out. We were concerned that if we had everyone enter [from the same point], we would end up with a long long and there would be bottlenecking,” said Crosby. 

Crosby also shared where unregistered and registered voters should enter the CCA to vote.

“If someone is [already] registered to vote, and our on our pre-registered list, they enter through the glass building. If they are not [registered]– perhaps brand new to Maine, or an University student registered in another community but not in Orono, but need to register here– they would take the left entrance up to the Class of1944 Hall [in the CCA],” said Crosby. 

7 to 8 a.m. 

Polls at the CCA have opened and students can now begin casting ballots. Students should be aware that the intersection between Long Road and the CCA is closed to traffic, and half of the Belgrade parking lot is closed for parking.

Orono Town Clerk Shelly Crosby commented on the decision to close the intersection in front of the voting area.

“We made the decision to temporarily shut down the road way to protect the voters entering and exiting the voting place,” said Crosby. 

6 a.m. 

The day is just starting,  so there’s plenty of time to get ready and head down to the polls at the CCA to cast your ballot.

Students at UMaine do not need to be from Orono to vote in the election, but they will need a valid ID and proof of on-campus residency to register and cast their ballot.

According to Maine.gov, the following are some acceptable forms of proof of residency:

• Lease statement (written or electronic)
• A driver’s license with a current address
• A passport with a current address
• A utility bill that shows your address
• Vehicle registration if the vehicle has been registered locally
• Bank statement with current address
• Pay stub or employment letter with address (if they’re employed locally)
• UMaine housing portal screen with residency listed

Helpful Resources for Students on Election Day 

• “The 2024 Presidential candidates: policies and platforms explained” by news contributor Corey Nicholas (read here)
• “Meet the Maine candidates” by news contributor Izzi Stubbs (read here) 
• “Trump vs. Harris debate: key stances on economy, abortion, and immigration” by news contributor Izzi Stubbs (read here)
• “UMaine student perspectives on 2024 Maine referendum questions” by news contributor Corey Nicholas (read here)
• “Debates surrounding same-day voter registration continue ahead of the election” by news contributor Izzi Stubbs (read here)
• “Orono works to ensure accessibility among voters with disabilities” by news contributor Quinn D’ Alessio (read here)
• “UMaine students’ guide to ranked choice voting on Election Day” by news contributor Shaelea Perkins (read here)