Maine's fifty-sixth state house district is represented by Republican Representative Richard Mason.

Maine state representatives represent an average of 8,682 residents. After the 2000 Census, each member represented 8,333 residents.

About the chamber

Members of the Maine House of Representatives serve two-year terms with term limits. Maine legislators assume office after the first Wednesday in December after their election.

Qualifications

Section 4 of Part 1 of Article 4 of the Maine Constitution states, "Qualifications; residency requirement. No person shall be a member of the House of Representatives, unless the person shall, at the commencement of the period for which the person is elected, have been 5 years a citizen of the United States, have arrived at the age of 21 years, have been a resident in this State one year; and for the 3 months next preceding the time of this person's election shall have been, and, during the period for which elected, shall continue to be a resident in the district which that person represents."

Salaries

Term limits

The Maine legislature is one of 15 state legislatures with term limits. Voters enacted the Maine Term Limits Act in 1993. That initiative said that Maine representatives are subject to term limits of no more than four two-year terms, or a total of eight years.

The first year that the term limits enacted in 1993 impacted the ability of incumbents to run for office was in 1996.

Vacancies

If there is a vacancy in the house, a special election must be held to fill the vacant seat. The Governor must call for an election and allow all political committees representing the vacant seat to set all deadlines. The person elected to the seat serves for the remainder of the unexpired term.

2016 pivot county

This district is one of 710 state legislative districts that intersects with one or more Pivot Counties. These 206 Pivot Counties voted for Donald Trump (R) in 2016 after voting for Barack Obama (D) in 2008 and 2012.

The 206 Pivot Counties are located in 34 states. Iowa, with 31, had the most such counties. The partisan makeup of state legislative districts intersecting with Pivot Counties is slightly more Republican than the overall partisan makeup of state legislatures throughout the country.

Elections

2020

Elections for the office of Maine House of Representatives will take place in 2020. The general election will be held on November 3, 2020. A primary is scheduled for June 9, 2020. The filing deadline is March 16, 2020.

2018

2017

A special election for the position of Maine House of Representatives District 56 was called for November 7, 2017. Maine’s four political parties – the Democrats, Green Independents, Libertarians and Republicans – had until October 3 to submit candidate nominations to the secretary of state.

The seat became vacant on September 5, 2017, when Gina Mason (R) died.

Richard Mason (R) defeated Scott Gaiason (D) in the special election.

Maine House of Representatives, District 56, Special Election, 2017

2016

Elections for the Maine House of Representatives took place in 2016. The primary election took place on June 14, 2016, and the general election was held on November 8, 2016. The candidate filing deadline was March 15, 2016. Incumbent Dale Crafts (R) did not seek re-election.

Gina Mason defeated Scott Gaiason in the Maine House of Representatives District 56 general election.

Maine House of Representatives, District 56 General Election, 2016

Scott Gaiason ran unopposed in the Maine House of Representatives District 56 Democratic primary. Gina Mason ran unopposed in the Maine House of Representatives District 56 Republican primary.

2014

Elections for the Maine House of Representatives took place in 2014. A primary election took place on June 10, 2014, and a general election was held on November 4, 2014. The signature filing deadline for party candidates wishing to run in this election was March 17, 2014. The deadline for write-in candidates to run in the primary election was April 28, 2014, and the deadline for non-party candidates to run in the general election was June 2, 2014. The deadline for write-in candidates to run in the general election was September 22, 2014. Lisa Ward was unopposed in the Democratic primary. District 104 incumbent Dale Crafts was unopposed in the Republican primary. Crafts was unopposed in the general election.

2012

Elections for the office of Maine House of Representatives consisted of a primary election on June 12, 2012, and a general election on November 6, 2012. The signature-filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in this election was March 15, 2012. Corey Wilson (R) defeated Doreen Sheive (D) and David C. Alexander (I) in the general election. Wilson and Sheive were unopposed in their respective primaries.

Maine House of Representatives, District 56, General Election, 2012

Campaign contributions

From 2002 to 2016, candidates for Maine House of Representatives District 56 raised a total of $110,514. Candidates who raised money in contributions earned $5,817 on average. All figures come from Follow the Money.

Campaign contributions, Maine House of Representatives District 56