Elections 2024: Candidates, referendums, local warrants

Voters will go to the polls Nov. 5, 2024 to vote for a president, Congressional delegates, state and local proposals, municipal amendments, and if they live in Belfast or Rockland, a roster of city councilors candidates. On this page, you will find profiles of candidates, information about ballot and warrant articles, where to vote, and when.

“Democracy is measured not by its leaders
doing extraordinary things,
but by its citizens doing things
extraordinarily well.”
—John Gardner

Maine Political Parties
Maine currently has four qualified parties: Democratic, Green Independent, Libertarian and Republican that may participate in primary elections. Although some unenrolled candidates choose to designate themselves as “Independent,” there is no “Independent” party in Maine.)

November 5, 2024
General Election
U.S. Senator
Jason Cherry (I)
David Costello (D)
Angus King (I)
Demi Kouzounas (R)

Congressional District 1
Ethan Alcorn (Unenrolled/Independent)
Chellie Pingree (D)
Ronald Russell (R)

Congressional District 2
Jared Golden (D)
Austin Theriault (R)

How to vote via absentee ballot

Statewide referendums
Read about their origins here: Maine Voters consider five state ballot questions

QUESTION 1: An Act to Limit Contributions to Political Action Committees That Make Independent Expenditures, Do you want to set a $5,000 limit for giving to political action committees that spend money independently to support or defeat candidates for office?

QUESTION 2: An Act to Authorize a General Fund Bond Issue for Research and Development and Commercialization, Do you favor a bond issue of $25,000,000 to provide funds, to be awarded through a competitive process and to leverage matching private and federal funds on at least a one-to-one basis, for research and development and commercialization for Maine-based public and private institutions in support of technological innovation in the targeted sectors of life sciences and biomedical technology, environmental and renewable energy technology, information technology, advanced technologies for forestry and agriculture, aquaculture and marine technology, composites and advanced materials and precision manufacturing?

QUESTION 3: An Act to Authorize a General Fund Bond Issue to Restore Historic Community Buildings, Do you favor a $10,000,000 bond issue to restore historic buildings owned by governmental and nonprofit organizations, with funds being issued contingent on a 25% local match requirement from either private or nonprofit sources?

QUESTION 4: An Act to Authorize a General Fund Bond Issue to Promote the Design, Development and Maintenance of Trails for Outdoor Recreation and Active Transportation, Do you favor a $30,000,000 bond issue to invest in the design, development and maintenance for nonmotorized, motorized and multi-use trails statewide, to be matched by at least $3,000,000 in private and public contributions?

QUESTION 5: An Act to Restore the Former State of Maine Flag, Do you favor making the former state flag, replaced as the official flag of the State in 1909 and commonly known as the Pine Tree Flag, the official flag of the State?

More information about upcoming elections is available here. More information about citizen initiatives is available here.

Waldo County
Commissioner Race Candidates
Allen Parker, Jr. (District 3)
Elise Brown (District 3)
District 3 comprises Brooks, Burnham, Freedom, Knox, Liberty, Montville, Morrill, Palermo, Searsmont, Troy, Thorndike, Unity

Alan Cohen (District 2)
Kevin Kelley (District 2)
Cheri Lynn Merrill (District 2)
District 2 comprises Frankfort, Jackson, Monroe, Prospect, Searsport, Swanville, Stockton Springs, Winterport

Knox County
Commissioner Race Candidates
Gordon Page, Sr. (District 3)
Marc Ratner (District 3)
Morgan Hynd (District 2)

District 3 comprises Camden, Hope, Isle au Haut, Matinicus Isle Plantation, North Haven, Owls Head, Rockport, Vinalhaven the Unorganized Territories of Criehaven and Muscle Ridge Islands. District 2 comprises Appleton, Cushing, Friendship, Union, Warren and Washington.

Judge of Probate, Waldo County
Joanna Owen (D)

Register of Probate, Knox County
Julie Allen (R)

Register of Probate, Waldo County
Sharon Peavey (R)

MAINE SENATE CANDIDATES

DISTRICT 11
Serves: Waldo County
Glenn ‘Chip’ Curry (D)
Robert Charles Meyer (R)

DISTRICT 12
Knox County, except Isle au Haut and Washington
Anne Beebe-Center (D)
Scott Rocknak (R)

DISTRICT 13
Lincoln County plus Washington
Dale Harmon (R)
Cameron Reny (D)

MAINE HOUSE of REPRESENTATIVE CANDIDATES

DISTRICT 15
Brookln, Deer Isle, Swans Island, Tremont, Southwest Harbor, Isle au Haut and Vinalhaven
Holly Eaton (D)
Jason Joyce (R)

DISTRICT 37
Frankfort (part of) Prospect, Searsport, Stockton Springs, Winterport
Scott William Cuddy (D)
Reagan ‘LeeAnn’ Paul (R)

DISTRICT 38
Brooks, Frankfort (part) Jackson, Knox, Monroe, Swanville, Thorndike, Unity, Waldo
Stephen Ellis (D)
Benjamin Hymes (R)

DISTRICT 39
Belfast, Belmont and Northport
Janice Dodge (D)
Stephen Hemenway (R)

DISTRICT 40
Appleton, Islesboro, Liberty, Lincolnville, Montville, Morrill, Searsmont
Joseph McLaughlin (R)
Michael Ray (D)

DISTRICT 41
Serves: Camden and Rockport
Victoria Doudera (D)
Cory Raymond (R)

DISTRICT 42
Criehaven, Owls Head (part), Matinicus Isle, Mussel Ridge Islands, North Haven, Rockland
Valli Geiger (D)
Jamie Lee Hopkins (R)

DISTRICT 43
Cushing, Owls Head (part), South Thomaston, St. George, Thomaston
Ann Matlack (D)
Heather Anne Sprague (R)

DISTRICT 44
Hope, Union, Warren
William ‘Bill’ Pluecker (U)
Ray Alden Thombs, Jr. (R)

DISTRICT 45
Bremen, Friendship, Lincoln County Island, Washington, Waldoboro
Abden Stephen Simmons (R)
Jennifer Stone (D)

DISTRICT 62
China, Hibberts Gore, Palermo, Windsor
Katrina Smith (R)
Pamela Swift (D)

DISTRICT 63

Albion, Freedom, Unity Two, Winslow
Paul Flynn (R)
Lee Trahan (D)

DISTRICT 68
Burnham, Clinton, Pittsfield and Troy
Brian Blake (D)
Amanda Noelle Collamore (R)

MUNICIPAL WARRANTS
Nov. 5, 2024

CAMDEN
Seven local warrant articles to appear before Camden voters:
Pesticides, historic code, money transfers, workforce housing

ROCKLAND
Rockland considers Council candidates, new City Hall, removal of mayor protocols

ROCKPORT
Rockport voters consider borrowing for sewer and stream crossing projects; add ordinances

WALDOBORO
Waldoboro considers ordinances: Fireworks, food sovereignty, clean energy financing, shellfish

JUNE 2024 TOWN MEETINGS

Town Meetings, Municipal and School Budgets, Warrants and Candidates
Below are area municipalities holding elections and town meetings in June

APPLETON
appleton.maine.gov

Annual Town Meeting, June 11, by Secret Ballot, Appleton Fire Station, 2899 Sennebec Road, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Voters in Appleton will consider a municipal ballot that includes a warrant proposing a $1.4 million municipal budget, an updated Comprehensive Plan (the last update was in 2007), three-year agreements for EMS, winter road maintenance, mowing and assessing. The warrant also includes an article proposing the acceptance of a $50,000 grant and spend $13,000 from undesignated fund balance to install heat pumps and LED lighting at the Town Office and Fire Station.

Read the 2023-2024 Appleton Town Report here. In addition to the municipal ballot, Appleton votes will consider a $3.6 million Appleton Village School ballot, and the $17.1 million Five Town CSD ballot. The CSD ballot includes a proposal to authorize building a new 1,800 square foot classroom building on the Camden Hills Regional High School campus that would be dedicated to special education. Absentee ballots are currently available.

If you are a resident and would like to vote but are unsure if you are registered, call the Town Office. You can also register on the day of the election.

In the 2024 Annual Report, the Appleton Select Board reported, “an effective year spent maximizing efficiencies, securing grant funding, and establishing the foundation for long-term infrastructure improvements and planning on behalf of the Town of Appleton.”

The Select Board is Appleton is concerned about the audits and fiscal reporting of School Unit 69 (Appleton, Hope and Lincolnville K-8): “It is the opinion of this board that there is an opportunity to review the efficacy of the system between the school financial oversight and the Town. Appleton residents have an opportunity to review the merits of contracting superintendent and special education services through other districts. It seems the time has come to at least consider that option. The AVS School Committee will have two open seats this year. If your strengths are finance or systems management, the committee could use your expertise.”

CAMDEN
camdenmaine.gov
Annual Town Meeting ballot box voting, June 11, Camden Public Safety Building, by secret ballot, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
All Camden ballots, including the $17.1 million Five Town CSD budget and the $20.4 million SAD 28 budget, can be found here. Camden’s 22-article annual Town Meeting warrant is ambitious in scope and expense, as the business of running a municipality grows. Voters will consider it all at the polls June 11, now that in-person town meeting has been replaced by ballot-only participation, and will decide whether to approve the proposed 2024-2025 expenditures that include major projects for the town. Town Meeting: Camden voters to consider $12.5 million infrastructure bond, zoning changes, $10 million municipal budget

Camden maintains a webpage with extensive information concerning the June 11 Annual Town Meeting municipal warrant. The town has also produced a Town of Camden 2024 Ballot Explained, a Guide for Voters

Camden Select Board Candidates
Four candidates are seeking election for the two open Select Board seats in Camden: Susan Dorr, Stephanie French (incumbent), Ken Gross and Sophie Romana (incumbent). Learn more about their ideas and positions on issues at a PenBayPilot.com May 14 Candidates’ Forum:Camden Select Board Candidates on EMS, sewer, climate resiliency, Montgomery Dam Watch the Candidates’s Forum See Camden ballots here:

June Annual Town Meeting Ballot
MSAD 28 School Ballot
Five Town CSD Ballot
June Republican Ballot
June Democratic Ballot
June Green Independent Ballot

HOPEhopemaine.org

Voting will take place at the Hope Town Office located at 441 Camden Rd. in Hope. 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Hope has not scheduled its annual town meeting but anticipates it will take place in July. The reason is that the town is waiting for the school district (K-8) to finish its audit, and the school budget to get finalized. On Election Day June 11, however, there will be local and state warrants for voters to consider at the polls. The municipal warrant concerns Hope municipal offices and school board seats (uncontested races); the other including the $17.1 million Five Town CSD budget.

State Primary Notice of Election

Five Town CSD Warrant & Notice of Election

Town of Hope Municipal Warrant & Notice of Election

There is one single-sided ballot for each party.

Sample Democratic Primary Ballot

Sample Green Independent Primary Ballot

Sample Republican Primary Ballot

There is one double sided ballot for the Town & CSD

Town of Hope & Five Town CSD Ballot

LINCOLNVILLEtown.lincolnville.me.usLincolnville will start its annual town meeting June 11 at the polls, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., at the Lincolnville Central School, to act on warrant articles 2 and 3 (concerning elections of municipal officials, school board members and the Lincolnville School budget. Then, on Thursday, June 13, citizens will gather at the Lincolnville Central School at 6 p.m. to act upon the remaining articles in the warrant. The 2023 warrant can be read here. The municipal ballot includes two incumbent candidates, Ladleah Dunn and Keryn Laite, who are seeking reelection to the Select Board. . The municipal ballot also presents two candidates running unopposed for the Lincolnville School Committee. They are Vina Lindley and Kirsten Survey. Andrew Wolff is running unopposed for a three-year term on the Five Town CSD School Board. Gerald Knight and Lori Knight are running unopposed for two three-year terms on the Budget Committee and Lena Stoutenberg is running unopposed for a two-year on that same committee. The Lincolnville School Budget, K-8, is $1.8 million, up 4.8 percent from last year. The $17.1 million Five Town CSD budget up 10.4 percent from last year. The town shares with Appleton, Camden, Hope and Rockport to govern Camden Hills Regional High School. Lincolnville town meeting ballots and warrants can be read here. On June 13, citizens will consider the town’s 2024-2025 proposed$3.1 million budget and address other municipal business.NORTHPORTnorthportmaine.orgThe Northport Annual Town Meeting will take place June 17, 6:30 p.m. at the Edna Drinkwater School (56 Bayside Road) ROCKPORTrockportmaine.govRockport’s Annual Town Meeting will take place at the polls June 11, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., at the Rockport Public Library in Rockport Village.

Four candidates are running for two open seats on the Rockport Select Board. Three are competing for two three-year seats, and one is running for a one-year term that opened up when James Annis stepped down last winter for health reason.

The three running for the two open seats are Denise K. Munger, Delores Michelle Hannan and Tiffany Ford. John Viehman is the only candidate running for the one-year term.

They will also vote for school board (Marcia Dietrich), library (David Bannister and Helen Shaw) and budget committee members (Walker Angell and Helen Shaw), also running uncontested. See ballot here. Voters will also consider the $17.1 million Five Town CSD budget and the $20.4 million SAD 28 budget. The municipal warrant contains a $11.4 million municipal budget, up 26 percent from the current budget, a number of land use ordinance amendments, as well as Articles 3, to fund and build a new wastewater treatment facility at Pen Bay Medical Center for municipal use. Rockport considers two-track approach to resolve sewer issues: going it alone, with attempt to maintain Camden connection A town produced Voter’s Guide can be found here. A town produced explanation of land use amendments can be found here.

State Sample Ballot

Town Sample Ballot

THOMASTONthomastonmaine.govThomaston’s Annual Town Meeting will take place over two days, beginning June 11 at the polls, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., at the Thomaston Municipal Building (former Lura Libby School, 13 Valley Street) where voters will consider electing one Select Board member for a three-year term, and one Board of Assessors member for a three-year term, and one RSU 13 School Board member. Two Thomaston citizens have stepped forward to run for one open seat on the Thomaston Select Board Kimberly Matthews

Emily McBrayer Douglas Erickson is running for the Board of Assessors and there are no candidates for the RSU 13 School Board. Thomaston to vote on Select Board member, primary contenders and zoning changes Voters will also consider the RSU 13 budget at the polls June 11. The $39 million RSU 13 budget, up $2.3 million from the current budget, is available here. On June 12, citizens will gather at the Thomaston Municipal Building at 6 p.m. for annual Town Meeting.

All current election information is available on the town website thomastonmaine.gov under the Government tab under the June 2024 State, Municipal, and RSU 13 Election Information page. On this page you will find links to each portion of this year’s election with additional information.

June 2024 State, Municipal and RSU 13 Election Information

UNIONunion.maine.govUnion’s Annual Town Meeting takes place June 13 at the polls, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., at the William L. Pullen Municipal Building Meeting Room. At the polls, voters will consider three candidates running for one open two-year seat on the Select Board. The candidates are Gregory Grotton, Ben Ledger and Steven Migliorini. They will also choose between two candidates running for one three-year seat on the Select Board. They are Martha Johnston-Nash and Yvonne Pitzi. Voters will also choose between two candidates for one seat on the RSU 40 board. Those candidates are Rachel Wilcox and Timothy Wood. And, voters will consider voting for Irene Hawes, who seeks to be a trustee on the William L. Pullen Fund. There are three candidates running for four open seats on the Budget Committee: Erik Amundsen, Michael Beardsley and John Shepard. There is also a June 11 municipal ballot that includes the town warrant with 34 additional articles. That warrant proposes $4.5 million in municipal expenditures. Voters will consider multiple proposals, such as: Proposed Land Use Ordinance changes to increase housing opportunites in Maine (LD2003) / Article 3 on the June 11, 2024 Referendum Ballot
Amendment to the Town of Union Land Use Ordinance to Permit Metallic Mineral Mining within the Industrial District / Article 4 on the June 11, 2024 Referendum Ballot
Metallic Mining Ordinance Amendment / Article 5 on the June 11, 2024 Referendum Ballot
Proposed Canine Ordinance Change / Article 6 on the June 11, 2024 Referendum Ballot.pdf. This amendment simply adds a stipulation that: No more than one kennel license of 10 dogs, is permitted per property which includes personal pets. Voters will also consider approving a $38 million budget for RSU 40. See RSU 40 budget information here. RSU 40 comprises Waldoboro, Warren, Friendship, Washington and Union K-12 public schools. Read: RSU 40’s $38.7 million budget heads to voters June 11 WALDOBOROwaldoboromaine.orgWaldoboro’s Annual Town Meeting will take place June 11 at the polls, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., at the Waldoboro Municipal Building, 1600 Atlantic Highway (Route 1), where voters will consider electing two Select Board members for a three-year term from a slate of three, two members to the RSU 40 Board of Directors from a slate of three, and candidates running for seats on the Utility District and Budget Committee. Candidates for the Select Board are William Bragg, Brendan McGuirl, Sandra O’Farrell, Abden Simmons, and Rebecca Stephens. A candidates night was held on May 29.

Candidates for RSU 40 are Steven Karp, Tabatha MacArthur, and Benjamin Stickney, Leah Shipps is running a write-in campaign.

Voters will also consider approving a $38 million budget for RSU 40. See RSU 40 budget information here. RSU 40 comprises Waldoboro, Warren, Friendship, Washington and Union K-12 public schools.

The Town Meeting Warrant will be addressed entirely by secret ballot, and includes a $8.1 million municipal budget, up 18.9 percent from 2024’s budget. The warrant also includes proposed ordinances concerning a broadband grant, changes to the land use ordinance, as well as the tax increment financing district (These changes shall include amending the project list for eligible uses of funds and adding parcels into the program. The parcels are known as the former Sylvania site, the Hoffses House, and 3425 Atlantic Highway into the Program and including projects that would allow potential redevelopment without using the Town of Waldoboro General Fund. The amended projects also include allowing funds for environmental protection of the water and sewer lines, upgrades to the town office, and covering administrative costs associated with the TIF program.) WARRENwarrenmaine.orgWarren’s Annual Town Meeting will take place over two days, beginning June 11 at the polls, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., at the Warren Masonic Hall, 105 Camden Road, where voters will consider electing two Select Board members for a three-year term, two members to the Sanitary District and one member to the RSU 40 Board of Directors. Two candidates run unopposed for two seats on the Select Board: Justin M. Humes is running Select Board Seat #3; Jan M. MacDonald for Select Board Seat #4. The candidates for RSU40 School Board of Directors are Naomi Aho and Terry Verrill. The 2024 Town Meeting will reconvene June 18, again at the Masonic Hall. On the secret ballot as well will be three land use ordinance amendments:

Question A: Shall amendments to the Metallic Mining Ordinance be enacted to add new Exploration review criteria, require a publicly negotiated Contract Re-zoning Agreement that would require Town Meeting approval for any proposed Metallic Mining use that meets robust review criteria and must demonstrate that the use will not harm or damage the environment, watershed, public health and safety? (A copy of the amended ordinance is available from the Town Clerk)

Question B: Shall an amendment to the Land Use Ordinance be enacted to generally prohibit Metallic Mining, subject to a possible Contract Re-zoning Agreement which would require approval at Town Meeting? (A copy of the amended ordinance is available from the Town Clerk)

Question C: Shall an amendment to the Shoreland Zoning Ordinance be enacted to generally prohibit Metallic Mining, subject to a possible Contract Re-zoning Agreement which would require approval at a Town Meeting? (A copy of the amended ordinance is available from the Town Clerk)

Voters will also consider approving a $38 million budget for RSU 40. See RSU 40 budget information here. RSU 40 comprises Waldoboro, Warren, Friendship, Washington and Union K-12 public schools.

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