Pine Tree Key

06/19/2026

With the primary results in, the gubernatorial comparison now only features candidates who are still active in the November election.

At this time, the remaining active gubernatorial candidates have not provided direct responses to Pine Tree Key’s statement set. To keep the comparison useful for voters, Pine Tree Key includes publicly sourced positions where available and labels them as “Publicly Sourced.” Candidate-provided responses will be added if a campaign chooses to participate later.

Candidates who were not nominated, did not qualify for the November ballot, withdrew, or ended their campaigns remain listed on the Candidates page for transparency. Detailed archived response pages are available only if a candidate or campaign provided responses directly to Pine Tree Key.

And as always, Pine Tree Key remains independent and nonpartisan, and is not affiliated with or authorized by any candidate or campaign. The goal is simply to make candidate information easier to compare and understand.

You can explore the gubernatorial comparison and Candidate page(s) here:

https://www.pinetreekey.com

05/29/2026

With less than two weeks left until Maine's June 9 primary election, Pine Tree Key's gubernatorial comparison feature now includes both candidate-provided responses and publicly sourced candidate positions where available.

This means voters can compare their own responses with each active candidate’s listed positions, even when a candidate did not submit direct responses to Pine Tree Key.

A few important notes:

* Candidate-provided responses and publicly sourced positions are clearly labeled.
* Publicly sourced positions include source links on candidate detail pages where available.
* Not every candidate has a clear public position on every statement.
* When no clear, source-supported position was identified, the entry is marked as “No official position.”
* Pine Tree Key does not endorse, rank, or recommend candidates.

The comparison is meant as a starting point for voters who are still reviewing the race. Users are encouraged to read the candidate detail pages, check the linked sources, and review each candidate’s broader campaign materials before making a decision.

To get started, visit

Answer neutral policy statements for Maine's 2026 gubernatorial race and see how your views align with the candidates. Nonpartisan, ad-free, and your responses stay on your device.

12/19/2025

New on Pine Tree Key: the Comparison Feature is live (public preview).

You can now compare your views with participating candidates’ published responses—side by side, in a consistent format.

Transparency note: Candidate participation is still in progress. The tool currently includes responses from three campaigns, and more will appear as additional candidates respond. Candidates who haven’t responded yet are marked “Awaiting response.”

How it works
• Respond to statements by selecting “agree,” “disagree,” “neutral,” or “skip.”
• Afterward, you can weigh up to three issues that matter most to you.
• You’ll see a match percentage and a detailed comparison that lets you compare responses statement by statement.
• Candidates with published responses appear first; candidates marked “Awaiting response” appear afterward.
• Results update as candidates submit responses or request changes.

Want a specific candidate included? Encourage their campaign to participate—Pine Tree Key publishes responses as they’re received.

For an additional deep dive, you can visit each candidate’s Overview & Responses page through the Candidates page or by clicking the names in the comparison table.

12/19/2025

For those of you who want Pine Tree Key updates delivered right to your inbox—this one's for you—Pine Tree Key is now on Substack.

If you’d like email updates (for example, when new candidate responses go live or when new site features launch), you can now subscribe to Pine Tree Key Updates via Substack. I’ll put the link in the first comment.

If you subscribe (or take a look), I’d love feedback on what kinds of updates are most helpful to you.

(As always, Pine Tree Key is nonpartisan—no endorsements, just information.)

11/16/2025

It’s been a while, but Phase 1 of Pine Tree Key is officially live! 🎉

Pine Tree Key is a Maine-built, nonpartisan project designed to help voters navigate the 2026 elections with more clarity.

In this first phase, you can:
• Get an overview of all of Maine’s currently declared candidates for Governor, U.S. Senate, and U.S. House (2026)
• Explore the policy topics and statements that will power the future comparison tool
• Read the FAQ, About section, and policy information to understand how the project works

I’m now starting outreach to gubernatorial candidates to gather their responses to these statements. Once those answers come in, the comparison feature will launch so users can see how their stances on the policy statements line up with the candidates’.

I’m also waiting to hear back from the Federal Election Commission (FEC) regarding U.S. Senate candidates and aim to expand the comparison features to that race as well—with a statement set focused on federal issues.

Take a look and feel free to share with anyone in Maine who might find it helpful:
🔗

Explore nonpartisan policy statements and learn how Pine Tree Key will help Maine voters compare their views with gubernatorial candidates for 2026.

10/22/2025

Here is a little sneak peek of Pine Tree Key, a nonpartisan voter tool to help Mainers navigate the 2026 gubernatorial and U.S. Senate elections with confidence.

Pine Tree Key will not provide voting recommendations. Instead, it aims to give its users the information they need to understand the political landscape and make an informed choice based on their own values.

10/22/2025

Good news! I've received the green light from the Maine Commission on Governmental Ethics & Election Practices to move forward with the gubernatorial section for Pine Tree Key.

While this might not seem like much, it's a first big step in helping Maine voters compare candidates side by side on policy issues.

I've also reached out to the Federal Election Commission (FEC) for clarification on including U.S. Senate candidates on Pine Tree Key. That response may take some time, though, given the current closure of the FEC, but the project is officially underway!

Thanks for following along, and stay tuned for future updates!

08/27/2025

Back in March, I shared that Pine Tree Key was “coming soon.” That was a bit too optimistic—reviewing a voter-education tool like this is taking longer than I expected. Right now, the project is being thoroughly reviewed to ensure it fully complies with Maine’s election laws.

The mission hasn’t changed: Pine Tree Key will be a nonpartisan, transparent tool to help Maine voters make more informed decisions. Thanks for your patience as I take the time to get it right.

👉 Follow this page for updates!

03/15/2025

🗳️ Coming soon: Pine Tree Key!

A nonpartisan voter tool to help Mainers navigate elections with confidence. No party bias—just clear insights. Stay tuned!