(from the December 2007 Maine Townsman)
EDITOR’S NOTE: A number of municipalities held local elections on November 6. What follows are some of those election results.
Auburn Mayor John Jenkins made history when he was re-elected as a write-in candidate after he declined to run again as an official candidate. City officials said neither a mayor nor a city council member had won previously by write-in votes. Also, Dan Herrick defeated Joseph DeFilipp for a council seat by a vote of 447-360.
In Augusta, William Stokes and Cecil Munson, defeated two-term incumbent Stanley Koski and planning board member Paul Harris for two at-large council seats.
In Bangor, city council incumbents Susan Hawes and Richard Stone were returned to office, while Harold “Hal” Wheeler, a former councilor, won a third open seat on the board.
For a seat on the Bath City Council, incumbent Ruthe Pagurko easily defeated former councilor and fire chief Leverett “Tink” Mitchell, 247-169. Two newcomers vied for a second seat, with Wayne Cochrane winning the election.
Daniel Newman defeated three other candidates to win the only seat open on the Belgrade Board of Selectpersons. He garnered 297 votes; his closest rival received 208 votes.
Former city councilor and state representative Walter Ash defeated newcomer Michael Shell by a vote of 1,168-1,138 to become the new mayor of Belfast. Ash replaces Michael Hurley, who served as mayor for eight straight years. Also elected were incumbent Catherine Heberer, who easily defeated two challengers, and Jan Anderson, who defeated incumbent Robert Gordon.
Kimberly Cormier defeated Herbert Thompson, 317-288, in Benton to win a three-year term as selectman following the resignation of longtime Selectman Richard Lawrence, whose term began in March.
In Biddeford, JoAnne Twomey, a former city councilor and state legislator, defeated two members of the city council to win a term as Biddeford mayor. Also, elected to the city council were David Flood, incumbent George “Pete” Lamontagne, Bob Mills, and Raymond Gagnon.
Former Selectman Chris Hayward was elected to the selectman’s seat in Buckfield vacated earlier by Philip McAlister.
Incumbent Town Councilors Mary Ann Lynch and Paul McKenney were re-elected in a three-way race for two seats on the Cape Elizabeth Town Council.
In China, incumbent Selectmen Irene Belanger and Neil Farrington were returned to office on votes of 628 and 758, respectively.
In Fairfield, incumbent Town Councilor Edward Stevens Jr. collected 599 votes to win a second term and former councilor Paul Tessier received 689 to claim the second of three open council seats. Patrick “Mike” Slaney ran unopposed for a one-year term.
Incumbent Glenn Shwaery kept his seat on the Kittery Town Council with 818 votes, followed by newcomer George Dow, who won the second available seat.
In Lewiston, incumbent City Councilors Stavros Mendros and Ronald Jean were defeated by Thomas Peters II and Denis Theriault, respectively. Many other incumbents did not seek re-election. Larry Poulin, Tina Bailey and Elizabeth Dube captured seats from their wards, while Mayor Larry Gilbert and Councilor Robert Reed ran unopposed for their seats.
In New Gloucester, Linda Chase defeated Christopher Rheault to fill the unexpired term of former Selectman A. Wayne Cobb, who died in September.
Ralph Farnham Jr. and Michael Perkins defeated four other candidates for two open seats on the Oakland Town Council.
In a four-way race, incumbent Shawn O’Neill and School Board member Sharri MacDonald clinched the two open seats on the Old Orchard Beach Town Council.
Michael Cianchette unseated incumbent Town Councilor Brian Philbrick by a vote of 340-292, in Pittsfield and Donna Chale defeated former councilor Robert Stackhouse, 120-68, for a second seat on the board.
In Portland, John Anton won 29 percent of the vote in a four-way race for two at-large seats on the city council, while incumbent Jill Duson collected 28 percent to keep her seat on the board. Incumbent James Cloutier, who received 24 percent of the vote, was unseated. Also, Daniel Skolnik won the seat held by Donna Carr, who did not seek re-election, by easily defeating three other candidates.
Thomas Molloy won another term on the Rockland City Council with 741 votes, while newcomer Jim Thompson garnered 747 votes to claim the second open seat.
In Scarborough, former town councilor Judith Roy and newcomer Michael Wood will each serve three-year terms after defeating two other challengers by wide margins.