Maine became a state on March 15, 1820. The state's senators belong to Class 1 and Class 2. Republican Susan Collins (elected 1996) and Independent Angus King (elected 2012) are Maine's current senators.
Class 1
Class 1 U.S. Senators belong to the electoral cycle that has recently been contested in 1994, 2000, 2006, and 2012. The next election will be in 2018.
Class 2
Class 2 U.S. Senators belong to the electoral cycle that has recently been contested in 1996, 2002, 2008, and 2014. The next election will be in 2020.
As of October 2016[update], there are three living former U.S. Senators from Maine, two from Class 1 and one from Class 2. The most recent senator to die was William Hathaway of Class 2 (1973-1979) on June 24, 2013. The most recent Class 1 senator to die was Edmund Muskie (1959-1980) on March 26, 1996.