Legislature to Elect Maine's Next Attorney General
Lawmakers will choose the successor to Attorney General Aaron Frey, who terms out at the end of 2026, with the vote following the December 2 swearing-in.
Updated on Nov. 13, 2026 in Legislative Policy
Maine's legislature will elect the next attorney general after its new session is sworn in on December 2, 2026. Democratic Sen. Anne Carney of Cape Elizabeth and attorney Tim Shannon of Yarmouth are seeking the open seat, and the winner will need 111 legislative votes.
Why it matters
Because the attorney general is chosen by lawmakers rather than voters, the contest is decided by a small group of legislators, which shapes how the state's top legal office is filled in Maine. The office will be vacant when Aaron Frey's term ends.
The winning candidate must secure 111 votes from state legislators, not a public ballot. Shannon, who ran against Frey eight years ago, is not a state legislator, so his path depends entirely on persuading lawmakers.
The players
Anne Carney
Carney is a Democratic state senator from Cape Elizabeth who chairs the legislature's judiciary committee and works as a litigator and legal aid attorney.
Tim Shannon
Shannon is an attorney from Yarmouth and a former town councilor who ran against Aaron Frey for attorney general eight years ago.
The details
Sen. Anne Carney, a Democrat from Cape Elizabeth and chair of the judiciary committee, is a litigator and legal aid attorney. Tim Shannon, a former Yarmouth Town Councilor who considers himself a progressive Democrat, is running for the same seat he sought against Frey.
Timeline
End of 2026: Attorney General Aaron Frey's term ends, opening the seat.
December 2, 2026: The new legislature is sworn in, and the attorney general election follows.
Political Context
Shannon's 2018 challenge to Frey was an unsuccessful bid for the same office, and this open-seat contest gives him a second attempt under different conditions. Because lawmakers rather than voters decide the outcome, the race reflects Maine's legislative elections process.
The outcome determines who leads Maine's Department of the Attorney General, which handles legal representation for the state and enforcement of its laws. Residents will be affected by the office's decisions on civil and criminal matters in the coming years.
The takeaway
Because lawmakers, not voters, choose Maine's attorney general, the race is decided within the legislature itself, so following legislative sessions in December is the best way to track the result.
What happens next
The legislature is sworn in on December 2, 2026, and the attorney general election is scheduled to follow.
Further reading
Explore more on Legislative Policy coverage across Maine's state government.
