Maine election officials on Friday released final results from several key primary contests more than a week after voters went to the polls, bringing an end to a prolonged counting process that drew increasing criticism of the state’s ranked-choice voting system and the administration of Secretary of State Shenna Bellows.

Among the most significant results, former federal prosecutor Bobby Charles secured the Republican nomination for governor, while Hannah Pingree, a former speaker of the Maine House of Representatives, won the Democratic gubernatorial primary.

In Maine’s 2nd Congressional District Democratic primary, former Secretary of State Matt Dunlap emerged as the winner.

Additional ranked-choice contests finalized this week included Chad Perkins’ victory in the Republican primary for Senate District 4 and Dexter Bridges’ win in the Republican primary for House District 58.

The results conclude an unusually lengthy tabulation process that stretched more than a week beyond Election Day and left candidates, political observers and voters waiting for final outcomes in races that ordinarily would have been settled much sooner. As the Maine Wire reported, there were issues with missing flash drives and scanner malfunctions among other mishaps.

Public updates from the Secretary of State’s office often cited spreadsheet preparation, verification procedures and ongoing tabulation work as reasons for the extended timeline.