Maine’s two-district congressional map follows a constitutionally choreographed routine that pairs a bipartisan 15-member Apportionment Commission with super-majority action in Augusta. Because the 2020 census data arrived months late, legislative leaders first asked the Maine Supreme Judicial Court for more time; the court granted the request on July 19, 2021, giving the commission 45 days after data release to draw plans and the Legislature 10 days to enact them. The commission unanimously forwarded its congressional proposal on Sept 24, 2021, and during a one-day special session, the Legislature passed the map with the required two-thirds vote. Governor Janet Mills signed the bill on Sept 29, 2021.

The path for state legislative districts is virtually identical but covers 151 House seats and 35 Senate seats. The same court order extended deadlines for these maps, and the Apportionment Commission approved its final House and Senate plans on Sept 27, 2021. Meeting the 10-day window, lawmakers adopted both maps, and the companion county-commission districts, on Sept 29, 2021, with Governor Mills’ signature making them law the same day. Because Maine’s constitution hands the Supreme Judicial Court backup authority only if the Legislature deadlocks, the court played no further role once the super-majority votes were secured.