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Penobscot County Jail Site Referendum Leads by 149 Votes

Question 1 would let county commissioners look outside Bangor for a site; building a jail would require a separate vote.

By Caroline Doucette

November 4, 2026 · 1 min read

File photo: Portland, Maine, seen from the water. Photo: Seasider53 / CC BY 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons

The outcome of a Penobscot County ballot question on whether county commissioners may look outside Bangor for a potential new jail site remained undecided on the night of November 4, with the "yes" side ahead by 149 votes, WABI reported.

The margin stood at roughly 50.1% to 49.9%. County officials said towns have three days to turn in their vote totals, and they expected a clearer picture by November 5 or November 6, according to WABI.

Question 1 authorizes only a search for a site. Any decision to build a new jail would go back to voters in a separate referendum.

This story was first reported by WABI.