Hancock County Democrats Choose Delegates for Senate Nomination Convention
Around 750 Democrats in Hancock County selected 23 delegates to attend a Bangor convention that will nominate a replacement for Senate candidate Graham Platner, with most delegates aligned with state Senate leader Troy Jackson.
Approximately 750 registered Democrats gathered at Ellsworth Middle School gymnasium on Saturday to elect 23 delegates who will attend a special convention in Bangor to name a new Senate nominee after Graham Platting withdrew from the race. The meeting, organized quickly after Platting’s exit, resulted in 22 of the elected delegates being identified with the slate of state Senate president Troy Jackson, who is positioning himself as the leading challenger to Republican Sen. Susan Collins.
County Democratic chair Marcia Myers opened the proceedings, noting a letter from the state party chair that described the delegate-selection effort as a positive sign for the party’s prospects in the November election. Party officials, including former CDC director Nirav Shah, Secretary of State Shenna Bellows and former congressional candidate Jordan Wood, circulated among voters before moving on to other counties.
The event featured a mix of supporters and critics of the slate system. Some participants expressed disappointment over Platting’s departure and the rapid reshuffling of the race, while others emphasized the strategic advantage of a unified delegate slate. Maine Democratic Party vice chair Imke Schessler said the party aimed to keep the process “as neutral as humanly possible,” acknowledging that slate strategies are a normal part of campaign tactics.
Volunteers and candidates distributed snacks and informational materials, and a “Solutions Table” assisted voters with digital ballot submission. After the ballots were cast, most attendees departed, leaving a small number to finalize the vote count.