The Latest: Congressman says election lawsuit will proceed

AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) — The Latest on the U.S. House race in Maine (all times local):

3:30 p.m.

Republican U.S. Rep. Bruce Poliquin, of Maine, isn't conceding defeat in the first use of ranked balloting in a U.S. congressional race.

He said in a statement Thursday he "won the constitutional 'one-person, one-vote' first-choice election" on Election Day. He said he isn't abandoning his federal lawsuit in which he seeks to have Maine's new ranked-choice voting system declared unconstitutional.

Election officials declared his Democratic opponent, Jared Golden, the winner Thursday after a federal judge denied Poliquin's request to halt additional tabulations.

Poliquin received the most first-place votes on Election Day but additional tallies were required because no one won a majority. The ranked-choice system lets voters rank all candidates and then eliminates last-place candidates and reallocates votes to ensure there's a majority winner.

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1:50 p.m.

A Democrat who came from behind to defeat Republican U.S. Rep. Bruce Poliquin says he's the "majority consensus winner" following the final tabulations under Maine's new voting system.

Jared Golden told reporters Thursday that he doesn't think a legal challenge to Maine's ranked- choice voting system will prevent him from being seated in January. He was declared the winner after a federal judge denied Poliquin's request to halt tabulations. But the lawsuit remains alive.

The Marine Corps veteran said he'd like to see more of the leadership he saw in the Marines — leaders focused on getting things done instead of getting credit.

He said he's willing to work with Republicans and that his focus will be on getting things done, not in the ongoing investigations of President Donald Trump. He also said he wouldn't vote for Democratic California Rep. Nancy Pelosi to serve as House speaker.

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12:30 p.m.

A Democrat who finished behind Republican Rep. Bruce Poliquin in the first round of balloting has come from behind to flip the seat in the second of its two U.S. House races.

Election officials declared Jared Golden the winner Thursday after a federal judge denied Poliquin's request to halt tabulations under Maine's new voting system.

The outcome was a dramatic reversal in a four-way race.

Poliquin received the most first-place votes on Election Day but additional tallies were required because no one won a majority.

The ranked-choice voting system lets voters rank candidates from first to last on the ballot. It provides for eliminations of last-place candidates and reallocations of votes.

Maine's election marked the first use of the system in U.S. House and Senate races. A lawsuit by Poliquin contends the system is unconstitutional.

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10:50 a.m.

A federal judge has declined to halt tabulations under Maine's new voting system, putting the state on the path to declaring a winner in the second of its two U.S. House races.

Republican U.S. Rep. Bruce Poliquin is challenging the constitutionality of Maine's ranked-choice voting system used for the first time in congressional races in Maine.

Judge Lance Walker declined Thursday to stop the process.

Final tabulations are expected around Thursday afternoon in the race between Poliquin and Democrat Jared Golden.

Poliquin, who had an edge in first-round votes, said he has a duty to challenge the new voting system on constitutional grounds. Voters approved it in 2016.

The lawsuit remains alive because Walker didn't rule Thursday on the constitutionality of the system.

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10:30 a.m.

Maine election officials are preparing for final tabulations in the first congressional election to be decided by ranked balloting even as they await a federal judge's ruling on a request to halt the tallies.

The secretary of state declined a request by Republican U.S. Rep. Bruce Poliquin to stop the election process without a court order. Final tabulations and an announcement of the winner are expected around noon Thursday.

A federal judge, meanwhile, said he aims to weigh in Thursday on Poliquin's lawsuit seeking to overturn Maine's new voting system.

Poliquin is in a tight race with Democrat Jared Golden.

Both candidates collected about 46 percent of Maine's 2nd Congressional District votes in the first round of counting. The ranked system requires additional voting rounds until someone receives a majority.

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12:20 a.m.

The counting continues in the first U.S. House race to be determined by a ranked balloting system, while a decision looms on a lawsuit designed to stop it.

A federal judge said he aims to weigh in Thursday on a lawsuit joined by Republican U.S. Rep. Bruce Poliquin seeking to overturn Maine's new voting system. Poliquin's in a tight race with Democratic state Rep. Jared Golden, who has a chance to win the seat based on second-choice ballots.

The secretary of state declined Poliquin's request to stop the election process without a court order. Workers continue counting ballots Thursday.

Both candidates collected about 46 percent of Maine's 2nd Congressional District votes in the first round of counting. Poliquin held a slim edge, and declares himself the "fair and square" winner.