New AARP Maine Poll: Older Voters Could Play Decisive Role in Closely Watched Senate, Governor Races

WASHINGTON – Today, AARP released new polling that underscores the pivotal role 50+ voters are poised to play in the state's upcoming Senate and gubernatorial elections, as well as the local and national issues -- including Social Security, Medicare, and rising utility costs -- that will be shaping their votes.

"Maine voters age 50 and older are a critical demographic for candidates to reach and engage ahead of November’s elections,” said Nancy LeaMond, AARP Executive Vice President and Chief Advocacy Officer. “Older voters are the nation’s most reliable voters, and Maine has the largest share of older voters of any state. Candidates looking to win should put the issues these voters care about front and center, including protecting Social Security, lowering health care costs, and tackling rising everyday expenses.”

Maine had the highest share of residents aged 50+ in the country (44.3%) in 2024. These older voters remain highly engaged and motivated to vote. In the 2024 general election, 59.3% of the 494,000 Mainers over 50 voted. AARP’s new survey found this high level of engagement is likely to continue: 87% of voters 50+ rated themselves a "10" on a 10-point motivation-to-vote scale, compared with 73% of voters under 50. Swing voters make up 19% of Maine’s electorate, and over half of them (13% of the overall electorate) are 50 and older, emphasizing their influential role in one of the nation’s most closely watched battleground elections. 

In the race for Senate, Democrat Troy Jackson is leading Republican Susan Collins by 3-points among all voters (50%-47%), while 50+ voters favor Collins over Jackson by 9-points (53%-44%). Collins leads among 50+ swing voters by a wide margin (70%-17%). 

In the governor’s race, Democrat Hannah Pingree has a clear 52% -39% lead over Republican Bobby Charles, with Independent Rick Bennett getting 6% and 3% undecided. Pingree’s lead over Charles is slimmer among 50+ voters (49%-42%), with Bennett also following at 6%. Swing voters 50+ favor Pingree over Charles by 28-points (41%-13%). Bennett is in second place with this group, polling at 32%. 

“Older voters are the most influential voting bloc in this election, and they’re looking for leaders who understand the challenges facing Maine families today,” said AARP Maine State Director Noël Bonam. “Our 50+ residents are looking for candidates who can safeguard their retirement security, support the state’s many caregivers, and drive utility costs down. Simply put, they want leaders who will protect and strengthen the high quality of life they’ve always enjoyed in this great state.” 

AARP’s polling found that affordability is the top issue for voters 50+, followed by threats to democracy and then immigration. The survey also found that among voters over 50: 

• 81% say Social Security is an important issue when deciding their vote, and 93% are more likely to support a candidate who will make sure workers receive the Social Security benefits they earned.
• 80% say the cost of health care is an important factor in deciding their vote, and 84% are more likely to support a candidate who would expand Medicare's ability to negotiate prescription drug prices.
• Nearly half (47%) say they have been forced to cut back on other essentials due to rising electricity costs, and 97% say it is important that elected officials work to ensure that utility costs are affordable.
   

AARP commissioned the bipartisan polling team of Fabrizio Ward (R) and Impact Research (D) to conduct the survey of likely Maine voters. This is the eighth poll in AARP's 2026 battleground polling series, following surveys of North Carolina, Alaska, Texas, Michigan, Arizona, Ohio and Georgia. The firms interviewed 982 likely voters statewide. The survey was done between September 20-22, 2026. The interviews were conducted via live interviewer on cell phone (40%) and landline (15%), as well as SMS-to-web (45%). The sample was randomly drawn from the Maine voter list. The margin of sampling error at the 95% confidence level for the 982 statewide sample is ±3.13%.

View the full survey results at www.aarp.org/me2026voterpoll and more information on our poll at www.aarp.org/MEpoll. Additional information about AARP’s 2026 battleground polling series is available at www.aarp.org/voterpolls2026.

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