Elections 2020 results: An election cycle like no other in recent history

APPLETON — Appleton Village School officials and its school committee set its proposed school budget for the upcoming 2020-2021 academic year to include four referendum questions and 19 articles.

The budget, questions, and articles were put forward to voters during the July 14 elections. 

The proposed budget was for $2,895,434. 

For detailed information on the budget and questions,…

SEARSPORT — Regional School Unit 20, serving the communities of Searsport and Stockton Springs, established its proposed budget for the upcoming 2020-2021 school year and sent the proposed budget to voters at the July 14 elections.

“This budget will provide more educational opportunities,” said RSU 20 School Board Chairperson Anthony Bagley, in a letter to voters. “I am proud to say that our schools are moving forward and upward with your continued support. The education of our young…

LINCOLNVILLE —Citizens in Lincolnville voted overwhelmingly in favor of swapping ownership of 68 acres along the Ducktrap River for  4.34 acres of prime waterfront land along Penobscot Bay that belongs to Coastal Mountains Land Trust.

The land, former farm meadows that stretch from Route 1 down to 426 feet of shoreline, is a former outdoor park for the former MBNA employees, with covered picnic areas, restrooms, fire pits and a few walking trails scattered across it. 

LINCOLNVILLE — Voters in Lincolnville cast their ballots regarding the proposed 2020-2021 school budget for Lincolnville Central School at the polls July 14. 

The proposed school budget asks voters to consider three questions and 16 articles on Election Day. 

The proposed budget totaled $3,629,586. 

ROCKPORT — The Five Town Consolidated School District has outlined its proposed $13.3 million school budget for the 2020-2021 academic year.  The CSD oversees Camden Hills Regional High School, on Route 90 in Rockport, and educates 9-12 grade students in Appleton, Camden, Hope, Lincolnville and Rockport.

Five Town CSD serves Camden Hills Regional High School and the towns of Appleton, Camden, Hope, Lincolnville and Rockport.

The district put forth to voters five questions and 16…

UPDATE: Just before 7 a.m. this morning, Adrienne Bennett announced she was cedeing the race to Dale Crafts. 

“Today, we unite as Republicans. I spoke with Dale this morning to congratulate him on becoming the Republican nominee for Congress,” she said in a statement. “He has my full, 100 percent support.”

AUGUSTA — With more than 70 percent of ballots tallied across the State of Maine by 1 a.m. on Wednesday morning,…

UNITY — Voters residing in the towns making up the Regional School Unit 3 school district have cast their ballots on the proposed school budget for the 2020-2021 school year, as well as on a few budget referendum items.

The RSU 3 school district serves the communities of Brooks, Freedom, Jackson, Knox, Liberty, Monroe, Montville, Thorndike, Troy, Unity and Waldo. 

In a letter to voters, RSU 3 Superintendent Charles Brown noted state funding for Fiscal Year 2021 for RSU 3 was…

VINALHAVEN — Voters on Vinalhaven cast their ballots on four municipal positions including two select board seats, a school board seat and a water district seat. 

Below are the results from those races. School budget information is available in a separate story. 

Select Board (Vote for Two)
Donald Poole: 350 votes
Jacob Thompson: 319 votes

School Board (Vote for One) 
Alonzo Hoose: 134 votes
Kerry McKee: 219 votes…

VINALHAVEN — The proposed MSAD 8 school budget for the Vinalhaven School was put in front of voters during the July 14 municipal elections. 

The proposed school budget is for the 2020-2021 academic year, and totaled $4.5 million. 

The proposed budget also included a few referendum questions for voters to decide on. 

For additional details on the proposed budget and referendum questions,…

UNION — Voters in the communities of Regional School Unit 40 cast ballots on the proposed $30,252,490.47 budget during the July 14 elections. 

RSU 40 includes the towns of Friendship, Union, Washington, Waldoboro and Warren. 

For details on the entire budget and insight from the district on the importance of supporting public education,…

UNION — Martha L. Johnston-Nash and James W. Justice entered Election Day seeking a two-year term on the Board of Selectmen, a seat presently held by Sarah Drickey who is not seeking reelection. 

Gregory S. Grotton, an incumbent, and William J. Lombardi are seeking a three-year term on the Board of Selectmen. 

Robert Williams ran unopposed for a RSU 40 school board seat.

PROSPECT — Voters from the Town of Prospect cast their ballots July 14 for the RSU 25 school budget referendum. 

The district covers Prospect, Verona Island, Bucksport and Orland. The only RSU 25 town in the Penobscot Bay Pilot coverage area, however, is Prospect..

Below are the results from Prospect’s RSU 25 ballot. To view a sample ballot, click…

WASHINGTON — Voters within the Town of Washington cast their ballots July 14 for a several ballot topics, including the race for a three-year term on the town’s select board. 

Thomas Johnston: 277 votes

ShaRon Kelly: 93 votes

WALDOBORO — Waldoboro voters cast ballots on municipal, state and federal races July 14 including on the issue of fireworks within the town. 

Below are the results from Election Day. School Budget results are posted in the RSU 40 story. 

WALDO COUNTY — Voters in Waldo County cast ballots in the Democratic Primary race for Senate District 11 choosing between a trio of Democrats including Glenn “Chip” Curry, Charles Pattavina and Robyn Stanicki.

Incumbent Erin Herbig decided to not seek re-election after accepting the City Manager position with the City of Belfast. 

Heading into Election Day, Duncan Milne, a Republican, was the presumptive Republican nominee for the seat that will be contested in November. 

Voters residing in House of Representatives District 134 will decide who will represent the district in the Maine House of Representatives on Tuesday, July 14.

From the Democratic Party, Julie Eaton and incumbent Genevieve McDonald are seeking the seat. No candidates from other parties are seeking the seat.

Locally, House District 134 includes the islands of Isle au Haut, Vinalhaven and North Haven. The district also serves the communities of Cranberry Isles, Deer Isle,…

When voters cast their ballots July 14 during the COVID-19 pandemic, two statewide referendum questions were considered. 

Question 1 asks: “Do you favor a $15,000,000 bond issue to invest in high-speed internet infrastructure for unserved and underserved areas, to be used to match up to $30,000,000 in federal, private, local or other funds?”

For a complete breakdown of Question 1,…

ROCKLAND — The proposed school budget for Regional School Unit 13 was set forth by the district for voters to decide at the July 14 polls. 

RSU 13 serves the communities of Cushing, Owls Head, Rockland, South Thomaston and Thomaston. 

RSU 13 schools include: Oceanside High, Oceanside Middle, Cushing Community, Thomaston Grammar, Ash Point Community and South. 

The proposed budget entails four referendum questions and 16 articles. 

For more information on the proposed…

WALDO COUNTY — Voters in Waldo  County cast ballots July 14 for the U.S. Senate Democratic primary race featuring Sara Gideon, Bre Kidman and Elizabeth Sweet.

The winner of the Democratic primary race is slated to face presumptive Republican nominee Susan Collins during the November elections.

KNOX COUNTY — Voters in Knox County cast ballots July 14 for the U.S. Senate Democratic primary race featuring Sara Gideon, Bre Kidman and Elizabeth Sweet. 

The winner of the Democratic primary race is slated to face presumptive Republican nominee Susan Collins during the November elections. 

When voters cast their ballots July 14 during the COVID-19 pandemic, two statewide referendum questions were considered. 

Question 2 asks: “Do you favor a $105,000,000 bond issue for improvement of highways and bridges statewide and for multimodal facilities or equipment related to transit, freight and passenger railroads, aviation, ports, harbors, marine transportation and active transportation projects, to be used to match an estimated $275,000,000 in federal and other funds?”…

WALDO COUNTY — Voters in Waldo County cast ballots July 14 in the Republican primary race for U.S. House of Representatives. 

The candidates running are Adrienne Bennett, Eric Brakey and Dale Crafts. 

When voters cast their ballots July 14 during the COVID-19 pandemic, two statewide referendum questions were considered. 

Question 2 asks: “Do you favor a $105,000,000 bond issue for improvement of highways and bridges statewide and for multimodal facilities or equipment related to transit, freight and passenger railroads, aviation, ports, harbors, marine transportation and active transportation projects, to be used to match an estimated $275,000,000 in federal and other funds?”…

When voters cast their ballots July 14 during the COVID-19 pandemic, two statewide referendum questions were considered. 

Question 1 asks: “Do you favor a $15,000,000 bond issue to invest in high-speed internet infrastructure for unserved and underserved areas, to be used to match up to $30,000,000 in federal, private, local or other funds?”

For a complete breakdown of Question 1,…

CAMDEN — Citizens in Camden stepped forward July 14 — and weeks prior, via absentee ballot — to cast their votes for the state primaries and to conduct all their annual town meeting business, including approving school budgets for two districts and a 2020-2021 $9.6 million municipal budget.

Ballots cast totaled 4,548  in an unusual year marked by the COVID 19 pandemic.

Camden voters elected Bob Falciani and Alison McKellar both for another three-year term to the Select Board…

PORTLAND — After the June primary was postponed until July 14 due to the spread of COVID-19, town clerks and people serving on the frontlines went to work, and the work, according to the League of Women Voters of Maine, appears to have paid off.

Preparation was key to helping this election day sun smoothly, the organization reported in a news release.

A record number of voters used Maine’s tried and true no-excuse absentee balloting to vote safely from home, the release stated…

Primary elections and many town meeting warrants, as well as municipal and school budgets, are under consideration in Maine today, as the polls opened at 8 a.m. 

The foot traffic at the polls is light, although municipalities have been reporting that there was a heavy request for, and return of, absentee ballots. In Camden, there has been a fairly steady number of voters streaming in.

A pandemic disrupted the normal voting schedule for election primaries and town meetings, but…

When voters cast their ballots July 14 in the voting booth, or by absentee ballot or in person, and during the COVID-19 pandemic, two statewide referendum questions will be considered. 

Both statewide referendum questions concerning funding and are proposed bond issues. July 14 is the state’s primary Election Day  with state and national party candidates vying…

At this pivotal point in all our lives, we must consider more than the platforms and political parties of the candidates we elect in 2020. It is essential for each of us to consider the degree of humanity expressed and lived by each candidate.

Waldo County Senate candidate Charlie Pattavina has devoted his life to helping others when they are at their most vulnerable.

As a highly skilled 40-year emergency room physician, Charlie has connected with, comforted, and healed the…

With the Democratic primary coming up on Tuesday, July 14, I want to encourage my friends and neighbors to vote for Dr. Charles Pattavina from Winterport, who is running for the the Maine State Senate.

As an emergency room physician and past President of the Maine Medical Association, Charlie knows the needs of the people of Maine.

Given the pandemic's impact on state revenues and the expense of healthcare, it’s good to have someone with boots on the ground experience in the…

On July 14, voters in Union will choose two of four total candidates to serve on the Union Select Board, filling two seats. Penobscot Bay Pilot has posed questions to each candidate, providing the opportunity for the public to better understand their position on issues important to the town and region.

Please provide a biography of yourself

Martha Johnston-Nash is well-known in the area, having grown up in the…

On July 14, voters in Union will choose two of four total candidates to serve on the Union Select Board, filling two seats. Penobscot Bay Pilot has posed questions to each candidate, providing the opportunity for the public to better understand their position on issues important to the town and region.

Please provide a biography of yourself. 

A Charlestown, Mass., native, I have been traveling to Union since 1960.…

Voters residing in House of Representatives District 134 will decide who will represent the district in the Maine House of Representatives on Tuesday, July 14. From the Democratic Party, Julie Eaton and incumbent Genevieve McDonald are seeking the seat. No candidates from other parties are seeking the seat. Locally, House District 134 includes the islands of Isle au Haut, Vinalhaven and North Haven. The district also serves the communities of Cranberry Isles, Deer Isle,…

Voters residing in House of Representatives District 134 will decide who will represent the district in the Maine House of Representatives on Tuesday, July 14. From the Democratic Party, Julie Eaton and incumbent Genevieve McDonald are seeking the seat. No candidates from other parties are seeking the seat. Locally, House District 134 includes the islands of Isle au Haut, Vinalhaven and North Haven. The district also serves the communities of Cranberry Isles, Deer Isle,…

Penobscot Bay Pilot has posed questions to each candidate running for the Maine Senate District 11 seat encompassing all towns in Waldo County, providing the opportunity for the public to better understand their position on issues important to the town and region. The candidate responses are posted as they are returned, and are collected on the Pilot’s …

Penobscot Bay Pilot has posed questions to each candidate running for the Maine Senate District 11 seat encompassing all towns in Waldo County, providing the opportunity for the public to better understand their position on issues important to the town and region. The candidate responses are posted as they are returned, and are collected on the Pilot’s …

On July 14, voters in Camden will choose two of three candidates to serve a three-year term on the Camden Select Board. Penobscot Bay Pilot has posed questions to each candidate, providing the opportunity for the public to better understand their position on issues important to the town and region.

Please provide a concise biography of yourself.

I grew up here in Camden, splitting my time with my dad, who still lives on…

On July 14, voters in Camden will choose two of three candidates to serve a three-year term on the Camden Select Board. Penobscot Bay Pilot has posed questions to each candidate, providing the opportunity for the public to better understand their position on issues important to the town and region.

Please provide a biography of yourself.

I was born and raised in the Boston area. All of my education was in Massachusetts. My university education includes…

Last week I mailed in my ballot and one of the votes I cast was for Sara Gideon for the US Senate. 

I served with Sara during her first two terms (4 years) in the Maine state legislature, before she became Speaker of the House.  I knew her to be bright, hard working and a clear leader.  She worked well with both Republican and Democratic House members,…

UNITY — After holding a public hearing for the proposed school district budget this week, Regional School Unit 3 is prepared to present the proposed budget for the 2020-2021 school year to voters at the July 14 polls. 

The RSU 3 school district serves the communities of Brooks, Freedom, Jackson, Knox, Liberty, Monroe, Montville, Thorndike, Troy, Unity and Waldo. 

In a letter to voters (see attached PDF for the informational guide for the full letter), RSU 3 Superintendent…

Peter won my vote because I know he will ask the tough questions as the Select Board and we set priorities and make decisions for the years to come.

I applaud his promise to tap into the knowledge and experience of our Town employees, to use our Comprehensive Plan to guide strategic planning and to reach out to regional resources to bring in assistance and expertise.  However, it is important to note that plans don’t work unless they are acted upon.

Peter has a sense of urgency…

The following is a transcript of the Friday, July 10 radio address given by Governor Janet Mills:

Tuesday, July 14 is primary election day here in Maine.

Hello, this is Governor Janet Mills and thank you for listening.

This year, two critical bond questions are on the ballot, in addition to people running for office at every level. These bond issues will improve our infrastructure across the state of Maine.

…

ISLESBORO — Voters on Islesboro will cast their ballots regarding the proposed 2020-2021 school budget for Islesboro Central School this summer. 

Below is a breakdown of the proposed budget by cost center. 

NORTHRPORT — The Edna Drinkwater School in Northport has released its proposed budget for the 2020-2021 academic year. 

The school committee is presenting a proposed 2020-2021 budget of $3,387,704.42, which is $233,839.41 less than the 2019-2020 budget and is a 6.46% reduction.

State subsidy is up by 36.11% to $48,092.33 and local assessment is reduced by 7.61% from last year.

“Once again, this is a budget that is less to the taxpayers than the last year we were part…

I am writing as a healthcare colleague, to support the candidacy of Charles Pattavina M.D. for State Senator from Waldo County.   

Dr. Pattavina is an incredibly reasonable, compassionate and honest man, a rarity these days.

Having worked with Dr. Pattavina for several years I was able to observe and experience his dedication for and commitment to those he took care of, his team and the organization.  He held all to the highest of standards.

His approach to identifying…

I met Chip Curry 2003, when I was serving as an AmeriCorps VISTA with Maine Communities for Children and he was our project leader.

Chip’s strong commitment to the children and families of Maine was evident, as he provided guidance to a crew working to make a positive impact and create sustainable change at the local level. Chip was both enthusiastic and realistic, challenging us each to see the possibilities and understand the process of making a difference as we…

ST. GEORGE — Thursday, July 9, is the last day to call and request an Absentee Ballot be sent to St. George residents by mail or to request an Absentee Ballot electronically, according to the Town, in a news release.

Absentee Ballots need to be returned to the St. George Town Office either by mail or dropped off in person by Tuesday, July 14.

“You may come to the Town Office, at anytime, to either vote in person or to fill out paperwork and take an Absentee Ballot home with you…

RSU 71 Superintendent Mary Alice McLean said July 8 that district attorneys at Drummond Woodsum learned the referendum documents that the firm had prepared for approving the 2020-2021 School Budget for RSU 71 contained, “a very serious error.”

The district held an emergency board meeting July 7 via Zoom, at which time the board voted to rescind the Budget Referendum that had been scheduled for July 14 and to…

VINALHAVEN — The proposed MSAD 8 school budget for the Vinalhaven School has been established and will be put in front of voters during the July 14 municipal elections. 

The proposed school budget is for the 2020-2021 academic year. 

Question One: School Budget

Shall the district appropriate the sum of $4,575,396.89 and raise the sum of $3,740,931.16 for the 2020-2021 school budget? …

AUGUSTA — Secretary of State Matthew Dunlap has reviewed the public comments and finalized the wording for the energy transmission project citizens’ initiative question that is slated, according to a news release, to go before voters on the November 3 General Election referendum ballot.

Since presenting the proposed language on May 22, Secretary Dunlap received 161 comments regarding the questions form and content prior to the comment close period of June 22.

Following a…

CAMDEN — It’s a strange year, all municipal clerks agree, as they cope with a surge of citizens voting via absentee ballot instead of traveling to the polls July 14.

Even the date for the 2020 primary election and municipal and school budget business, normally held in June, is unsettling; Mid-summer in Maine is for boating, swimming and picnics, not for weighty issues, such as voting on zoning changes, public expenditures, select board members and political party nominees.

…

LINCOLNVILLE — Voters in Lincolnville will cast their ballots regarding the proposed 2020-2021 school budget for Lincolnville Central School at the polls July 14. 

The proposed school budget asks voters to consider three questions and 16 articles on Election Day. 

Question One

Shall the Town appropriate the sum of $3,629,586 and raise the sum of $3,241,895 for the 2020-2021 school budget…