The Ballot Brief
Hancock County, Maine

Hancock County Judge of Probate

Foster and Thomas were on the November 3, 2026 ballot. Names follow official Hancock County election filings. Certified results will appear here once the election office certifies the count. Maine certifies the general election by November 23, 2026. Official results: www.maine.gov/sos/elections-voting/election-results-data.

About this race

2 candidates are on the November 3, 2026 ballot for Hancock County Judge of Probate, per the Maine Secretary of State's certified 2026 General Candidate List - FINAL (posted July 27, 2026).

What this office does

Trial court judge. A trial judge presides over criminal and civil cases at the first level: bail and pleas, motions, trials, sentencing and civil judgments. Judges are bound by state law and appellate precedent and are barred by judicial conduct rules from campaigning on how they would rule. Most states elect trial judges on a nonpartisan ballot; the term and the courts a judge may sit on vary by state.

This race. Every voter in Hancock County votes on this seat.

This list comes from official election records but may be incomplete. It can miss, for example, late or petition candidates and some city, school and district races. Your official sample ballot is the final word.

We use AI to research and write election information. Errors are possible. Verify important details with official sources.

Maine › Hancock County › Hancock County Judge of Probate

Who won? The official answer comes November 23.

Maine makes results final in three steps.
✓
Done · Nov 3
Votes were cast and counted
Election night totals are a first count, not the final one.
2
Happening now
Hancock County double-checks its count
The county reviews mail ballots, provisional ballots and any recount, then sends official totals to the state.
3
Next · Nov 23
Maine makes it official
The Secretary of State certifies the result. The winner appears on this page that day.

What local news is reporting

Not official yetUpdated November 4, 2026

This report is cited to the outlet that published it. We do not call races. Official running count: Maine official results.

Hancock County Judge of Probate
No report found yet

Reports are checked daily until Maine certifies on November 23; a certified winner replaces the report on that day.

Matthew J. Foster

Republican

Biography

Matthew J. Foster is an attorney and former Hancock County district attorney, per Bangor Daily News. No campaign website was found as of September 20, 2026.

Brian Thomas

Democrat

Biography

Brian Thomas is a Lamoine, Maine attorney who has practiced law since 2016, following an earlier career as an archeologist, per Bangor Daily News. He served as an elected state representative in the Georgia General Assembly from 2005 to 2013 before moving to Maine in 2013 and joining a trusts and estates law practice in Lamoine, per the same source. He is running as a Democratic write-in candidate for Hancock County probate judge, per the same source. No campaign website was found as of September 20, 2026.

Next on the ballotHancock County Register of Deeds

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Questions about this race

Who is running for Hancock County Judge of Probate in 2026?

2 candidates were tracked for Hancock County Judge of Probate on the November 3, 2026 ballot: Matthew J. Foster and Brian Thomas. Candidate information follows official Hancock County election filings; verify with the official election office linked below.

When is the Hancock County Judge of Probate election in Maine?

Election Day was Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Certified results will appear on this page as the election office certifies them. Maine certifies the general election by November 23, 2026. Official results: https://www.maine.gov/sos/elections-voting/election-results-data. Voting rules for Maine are on the Maine election hub at theballotbrief.com.

How do I see my exact Hancock County ballot?

Enter your ZIP code in the lookup at theballotbrief.com for the statewide and congressional races, or a full street address to add the county, city and district contests for that location.

Who won the Hancock County Judge of Probate race?

Not yet reported by the outlets we checked; Maine certifies on November 23. We do not call races.

Verify this race

Candidate roster from official Hancock County and state election office filings, last verified October 24, 2026. Bios and priorities carry their attribution inline.

Cross-check with the official Maine election office, or see the full Hancock County sample ballot and your exact ballot by address.

The rest of your Hancock County ballot

16 tracked races in Hancock County, Maine. Landed here from another county's search? Look up your own ballot below.

Also on the November 3 ballot
Hancock County SheriffDistrict Attorney, Prosecutorial District 7Maine Senate District 6See all 16 Hancock County races
Candidate profiles
Matthew J. Foster, full profileBrian Thomas, full profileOfficial Maine election office