Pingree transition site opens for Portland applicants

Hannah Pingree won Tuesday’s election with 55% of the vote, securing a mandate to fill more than a dozen departmental leadership roles and staff positions before she is sworn in on Jan. 6.

The governor-elect launched a transition website on Wednesday to collect applications from interested residents. The platform allows Mainers to submit a resume, a cover letter, and an indication of the specific office or department where they wish to serve. Applications are treated as confidential, and the review process operates on a rolling basis through this month. No final deadline was set for submissions.

Pingree, 50, will succeed Janet Mills, a 78-year-old Farmington native who is leaving office after two terms. This transition marks a rare occurrence in state history, as Maine has not seen a two-term Democratic governor pass power to another Democrat since 1850. The state last elected Republican governors for more than two consecutive terms in 1952. Many of Mills’ current commissioners have already announced they will step down, a standard part of the change in administration.

During a news conference held in Fort Allen Park on Portland’s Eastern Promenade, Pingree urged residents to visit hannahpingreetransition.com to join her team. She noted that Democrats expanded their majorities in both chambers of the Legislature in Tuesday’s election. Despite this, she emphasized a desire to work with leaders across the political spectrum, citing her bipartisan record as speaker of the Maine House from 2008 to 2010.

“I’m grateful to the voters who sent a strong group of leaders to the State House, and I look forward to working with every one of them, Democrats, Republicans and independents, to get things done for Maine people,” Pingree said. “We’re heading into a hard winter and we’re going to need to get to work.”

The transition website states that Pingree is committed to building an administration that reflects integrity, compassion, and service. The site describes her incoming team as capable and collaborative leaders devoted to the state’s future. Maine law requires the governor-elect to establish a transition committee to help assemble the Cabinet and staff, as well as a separate committee to plan the inauguration.

The state provides $5,000 to support the inauguration and transition process. The governor-elect may also fundraise to cover additional costs, and a donation option is available on the transition website. Pingree defeated Republican Bobby Charles of Leeds, who received 36.9% of the vote, and independent Rick Bennett of Oxford, who received 8%.