Attorney General of Maine

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Maine Attorney General

Seal of Maine.png

General information
Office Type:  Partisan
Office website:  Official Link
Compensation:  $105,914
2021 FY Budget:  $48,164,365
Term limits:  Four consecutive terms
Structure
Length of term:   Two years
Authority:  Maine Constitution, Article IX, Section 11
Selection Method:  Elected by secret ballot of the state legislature
Current Officeholder

Attorney General of Maine Aaron Frey
Democratic Party
Assumed office: 2019-01-08

Other Maine Executive Offices
GovernorSecretary of StateAttorney GeneralTreasurerAuditorCommissioner of EducationAgriculture, Conservation and Forestry CommissionerSuperintendent of InsuranceLabor CommissionerPublic Utilities Commission

The Attorney General of Maine serves as the chief legal advisor for the state. Maine is the only state where the attorney general is selected by a secret ballot of state legislators at the beginning of each session. The attorney general serves two-year terms, and is limited to serving four consecutive terms.[1]


Maine has a Democratic triplex. The Democratic Party controls the offices of governor, secretary of state, and attorney general.

Current officeholder[edit]

The current officeholder is Aaron Frey (D).[2] On December 6, 2018, the Maine State Legislature selected Frey to succeed Janet Mills (D).[3] He assumed office on January 8, 2019.[4] The state legislature selected Frey for a second term on December 2, 2020, which began on January 4, 2021.[5]

Authority[edit]

The state Constitution establishes the office of the attorney general in Article IX, Section 11.

The Attorney General shall be chosen biennially by joint ballot of the Senators and Representatives in convention. Vacancy in said office occurring when the Legislature is not in session, may be filled by appointment by the Governor, subject to confirmation as required by this Constitution for Justices of the Supreme Judicial Court.

Qualifications[edit]

To be attorney general, a candidate must be in good standing with the bar of the State of Maine.[6]

Appointments[edit]

Maine state government organizational chart
See also: State executives with term limits

The Maine Attorney General is elected by secret ballot of the legislature. It is one of the first tasks of each newly sworn-in legislature. Maine is the only state to select its attorney general in this manner.[7]

Term limits[edit]

Term limits for the attorney general are laid out in Section 553 of Title 21-A of the Maine Revised Statutes, which prohibits an attorney general from serving more than four consecutive terms.[8]

Maine Revised Statutes, Title 21-A, Section 553-5:

A person may not serve more than 4 consecutive terms as Attorney General.

Vacancies[edit]

Note: Ballotpedia's state executive officials project researches the constitutional or statutory text that details the process of filling vacancies for a state executive office. That information for the Attorney General of Maine has not yet been added. After extensive research, we were unable to identify any relevant information on state official websites. If you have any additional information about this office for inclusion on this section and/or page, please email us.

Duties[edit]

The attorney general oversees the following duties while in office:

  • representing the State and its agencies in civil actions;
  • prosecuting claims to recover money for the State;
  • investigating and prosecuting homicides and other crimes;
  • consulting with and advising the district attorneys;
  • enforcing proper application of funds given to public charities in the State;
  • and giving written opinions upon questions of law submitted by the Governor, Legislature, or state agencies.

[9]

—Office of the Maine Attorney General[10]

In addition, the attorney general holds the following responsibilities:

  • appointing deputy and assistant attorneys general; and
  • acting as the first in line to succeed the governor should the office holder leave office or become incapacitate. Maine is one of five states that has no lieutenant governor.

Divisions[edit]

As of January 10, 2021, the attorney general's office is divided into the following divisions.

  • Administration Division
  • Child Protective Division
  • Child Support Division
  • Health & Human Services Division
  • Criminal Division
  • Investigation Division
  • Litigation Division
  • Office of the Chief
  • Medical Examiner
  • Natural Resources Division
  • Professional/Financial Regulation Division
  • Consumer Protection Division[11]

Campaign finance[edit]

Main article: Campaign finance requirements for Maine ballot measures

The Attorney General of Maine is responsible for all disciplinary manners toward the state's campaign finance laws, regardless of whether the offense involves civil or criminal laws. The first step if someone may have violated Maine campaign finance law is to file a complaint with the Maine Commission on Governmental Ethics and Election Practices. It is up to the commission to conduct an investigation determining whether or not a violation took place.[12]

State budget[edit]

See also: Maine state budget and finances

The Department of the Attorney General's budget for Fiscal Year 2020-2021 was $48,164,365.[13]

Compensation[edit]

See also: Compensation of state executive officers

The attorney general’s salary is determined by the Maine Legislative Council, an administrative body composed of 10 elected members of legislative leadership. The council establishes salaries for all legislative employees, unless otherwise determined by law.[14] The attorney general is also permitted to claim reimbursement for actual expenses.[15] The Legislative Council may decide to adjust the salary of the secretary of state and attorney general for each year of continuous service.[16]

Maine Code 191

Attorney General; office; salary. The Attorney General is the executive head of the Department of the Attorney General. The Attorney General shall keep an office at the seat of government and is entitled to receive an annual salary in full for all services. The Attorney General is entitled to receive actual expenses incurred in the performance of official duties.

2020[edit]

In 2020, the attorney general received a salary of $105,914, according to the Council of State Governments.[17]

2019[edit]

In 2019, the attorney general received a salary of $105,914, according to the Council of State Governments.[18]

2018[edit]

In 2018, the attorney general received a salary of $122,616, according to the Council of State Governments.[19]

2017[edit]

In 2017, the attorney general received a salary of $119,038, according to the Council of State Governments.[20]

2016[edit]

In 2016, the attorney general received a salary of $111,134, according to the Council of State Governments.[21]

2015[edit]

In 2015, the attorney general received a salary of $103,750, according to the Council of State Governments.[22]

2014[edit]

In 2014, the attorney general earned a salary of $92,248, according to the Council of State Governments.[23]

2013[edit]

In 2013, the attorney general earned a salary of $92,248, according to the Council of State Governments.[24]

2012[edit]

In 2012, the attorney general earned a salary of $92,248, according to the Council of State Governments.[25]

Historical officeholders[edit]

There have been 58 Attorneys General of Maine since 1820. Of the 54 officeholders, there have been 30 Republicans, 20 Democrats, one Whig, one Democratic-Republican, and two with no available partisan information.[26]

List of Historical Officeholders from 1820-Present
# Name Tenure Party
1 Erastus Foote 1820-1831 Democratic-Republican
2 Jonathan P. Rogers 1821-1834 Electiondot.png Democratic
3 Nathan Clifford 1834-1837 Electiondot.png Democratic
4 Daniel Goodenow 1838 Electiondot.png Democratic
5 Stephen Emery 1839-1840 Electiondot.png Democratic
6 Daniel Goodenow 1841 Electiondot.png Democratic
7 Otis L. Bridges 1842-1843 Electiondot.png Democratic
8 W.B.S. Moor 1844-1847 Electiondot.png Democratic
9 Samuel H. Blake 1848 Electiondot.png Democratic
10 Henry Tallman 1849-1852 Electiondot.png Democratic
11 George Evans 1853-1854 Whig
12 John S. Abbott 1855 Ends.png Republican
13 George Evans 1856 Whig
14 Nathan D. Appleton 1857-1859
15 G.W. Ingersoll 1860
16 J.H. Drummond 1860-1863 Electiondot.png Democratic
17 John A. Peters 1864-1866 Ends.png Republican
18 William P. Frye 1867-1869 Ends.png Republican
19 Thomas B. Reed 1870-1872 Ends.png Republican
20 Harris M. Plaisted 1873-1875 Ends.png Republican
21 Lucilius A. Emery 1876-1878 Ends.png Republican
22 William H. McLellan 1879 Electiondot.png Democratic
23 Henry B. Cleaves 1880-1884 Ends.png Republican
24 Orville D. Baker 1885-1888 Ends.png Republican
25 Charles E. Littlefield 1889-1892 Ends.png Republican
26 Frederick A. Powers 1893-1896 Ends.png Republican
27 William T. Haines 1897-1900 Ends.png Republican
28 George M. Seiders 1901-1904 Ends.png Republican
29 Hannibal E. Hamlin 1905-1908 Ends.png Republican
30 W.C. Philbrook 1909-1910 Ends.png Republican
31 Cyrus R. Tupper 1911 Electiondot.png Democratic
32 William R. Pattangall 1911-1912 Electiondot.png Democratic
33 Scott Wilson 1913-1914 Ends.png Republican
34 William R. Pattangall 1915-1916 Electiondot.png Democratic
35 Guy H. Sturgis 1917-1920 Ends.png Republican
36 Ransford W. Shaw 1921-1924 Ends.png Republican
37 Raymond Fellows 1925-1928 Ends.png Republican
38 Clement F. Robinson 1929-1932 Ends.png Republican
39 Clyde R. Chapman 1933-1936 Ends.png Republican
40 Franz U. Burkett 1937-1940 Ends.png Republican
41 Frank I. Cowan 1941-1944 Ends.png Republican
42 Ralph W. Farris 1945-1950 Ends.png Republican
43 Alexander A. LaFleur 1951-1954 Ends.png Republican
44 Frank F. Harding 1955-1958 Ends.png Republican
45 Frank E. Hancock 1959-1964 Ends.png Republican
46 Richard J. Dubord 1965-1966 Electiondot.png Democratic
47 James S. Erwin 1967-1971 Ends.png Republican
48 Jon A. Lund 1972-1974 Ends.png Republican
49 Joseph E. Brennan 1975-1978 Electiondot.png Democratic
50 Richard S. Cohen 1979-1980 Ends.png Republican
51 James E. Tierney 1981-1990 Electiondot.png Democratic
52 Michael Carpenter 1991-1994 Electiondot.png Democratic
53 Andrew Ketterer 1995-2000 Electiondot.png Democratic
54 G. Steven Rowe 2001-2008 Electiondot.png Democratic
55 Janet T. Mills 2009-2010 Electiondot.png Democratic
56 William Schneider 2011-2012 Ends.png Republican
57 Janet T. Mills 2013-2018 Electiondot.png Democratic
58 Aaron Frey 2019-Present Electiondot.png Democratic

Recent news[edit]

The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms Maine Attorney General. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.

Contact information[edit]

6 State House Station
Augusta, ME 04333

Phone: 207-626-8800
Toll Free Phone: 207-626-8865

See also[edit]

Maine State Executive Elections News and Analysis
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Maine State Executive Offices
Maine State Legislature
Maine Courts
2022202120202019201820172016
Maine elections: 2022202120202019201820172016
Party control of state government
State government trifectas
State of the state addresses
Partisan composition of governors

External links[edit]

Footnotes[edit]

  1. Office of the Attorney General of Maine, "What We Do," accessed January 10, 2021
  2. Office of the Attorney General of Maine, "Attorney General Aaron M. Frey BIO," accessed January 10, 2021
  3. Central Maine, "Democrats assume control of Maine Legislature, select leaders and top state officers," December 6, 2018
  4. Office of the Maine Attorney General, "Aaron M. Frey takes oath as Maine's 58th Attorney General," January 8, 2019
  5. News Center Maine, "130th Legislature gets underway," Dec. 2, 2020
  6. Maine Legislature, "MRS Title 5, Chapter 9. ATTORNEY GENERAL," accessed January 10, 2021
  7. Maine Public Broadcasting Network, "Mills Wants to Stay on as Maine's Attorney General," November 24, 2010
  8. Maine Legislature, "Maine Revised Statutes, Title 21-A: Elections, Chapter 8: Limitation of Terms," accessed January 10, 2021
  9. Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
  10. Office of the Maine Attorney General, "What We Do," accessed January 10, 2021
  11. Office of the Attorney General of Maine, "Organization," accessed January 10, 2021
  12. Maine Legislature, "Maine Campaign Finance Law," accessed January 10, 2021
  13. Maine Legislature, "Total Appropriations & Allocations All Funds 2020-2021 Biennium," accessed January 10, 2021
  14. Maine Legislature, "126th Maine Legislature Orientation Materials," accessed January 10, 2021
  15. Maine Legislature, "State Departments, Attorney General," accessed January 10, 2021(Referenced Statute 5-§191, Maine Revised Statutes)
  16. Maine Legislature, "Salaries of constitutional officers," accessed January 10, 2021(Referenced Statute 3- §162-B, Maine Revised Statutes)
  17. Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2020," accessed January 10, 2021
  18. Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2019," accessed January 10, 2021
  19. Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2018," accessed January 10, 2021
  20. Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2017," accessed January 10, 2021
  21. Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2016," accessed August 27, 2016
  22. Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2015," accessed August 27, 2016
  23. Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries," accessed November 25, 2014
  24. Council of state governments, "Table 4.11 Selected state administrative officials: Annual Salaries," accessed January 23, 2014
  25. Council of state governments, "Table 4.11 Selected state administrative officials: Annual Salaries," accessed August 31, 2017
  26. Maine State Legislature website, "Maine Attorneys General, 1820-," accessed Jan. 6, 2021

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