Voters elect legislators, town councilors, RSU 14 board members and settle charter amendment

By Ed Pierce

With the campaign season having come to an end, questions about local races have been answered and issues settled that were on the ballot in Raymond and Windham on Election Day, Nov. 5.

High turnout kept election supervisors busy counting ballots
during Tuesday's General Election in Windham and
Raymond. Voters elected candidates for four state legislative
races, two RSU 14 Board of Director positions, two Windham
Town Council seats and approved a Windham Charter
Amendment converting the Town Clerk job from elected to
one that is appointed by the town council.
COURTESY PHOTO   

These results are unofficial and were submitted to the newspaper by Town Clerk offices in Windham and Raymond.

In Windham, there were three candidates on the ballot running for two Windham Town Council non-partisan seats. Incumbent William D. Reiner was unopposed in seeking a three-year term representing the town’s West District. He received 8,237 votes to return to the council.

Competing for an At-Large council seat for a three-year term were incumbent David Nadeau and former town council chair Clayton Haskell. Nadeau received 5,180 votes to Haskell’s 4,510 to return for another term on the council.

A controversial Windham charter amendment proposing to convert the Town Clerk’s position to one appointed by the Windham Town Council instead of one elected by town residents passed, 4,743 votes in favor of the measure to 4,705 opposed. The amendment eliminates residency in Windham as a requirement for qualified candidates seeking the job of the Town Clerk when the position becomes vacant. Current Town Clerk Linda Morrell has served in the position for more than two decades as an elected official.

The town clerk position in Windham oversees Dog Licensing; Hunting/Fishing Licensing; Business Licenses and Permits; and Notary and Dedimus Service. The clerk’s office assists in Tax Collection/Auto Registration in collecting property taxes; assists in Tax Collection/Auto Registration in registering Autos, Boats, and ATVs; issues marriage licenses and has Welcome Packets available for new residents. The Town Clerk also ensures that customer service is provided to the public in a courteous and friendly manner and supervises all elections conducted in the Town of Windham. The town clerk also is tasked with ensuring that all voter registration for Windham is handled in accordance with Maine Law and the Windham Town Charter.

Three candidates were vying for two non-partisan seats in Windham on the RSU 14 Board of Directors for three-year terms in Tuesday’s election. Incumbent Jessica Bridges received 4,675 votes to return to the school board for another three-year term. She was first elected to the position which represents Windham in 2021.

For the other vacancy on the RSU 14 Board of Directors, Ginny Woodman received 3,864 votes to Frances Etheridge’s 3,857 votes. Woodman will be sworn in for a three-year term on the school board representing Windham.

For Maine State Senate District 26 representing Windham, part of Raymond, Casco, Frye Island, and part of Westbrook, incumbent Tim Nangle of Windham, a Democrat, defeated Republican challenger Kenneth J. Cianchette of Windham. With 95 percent of precincts reporting, Nangle received 12,018 votes to Cianchette’s 11,123 votes.

Cianchette received more votes, 7,325, than Nangle’s 6,991 when votes from Windham and Raymond were combined, but Nangle’s turnout in Westbrook secured the election victory for him. In Westbrook, Nangle tallied 5,027 votes to Cianchette’s 3,798.

Republican Incumbent Barbara Bagshaw won re-election to the Maine House of Representatives District 106 seat representing part of Windham over Democrat challenger Doris Poland. Bagshaw received 3,037 votes to Poland’s 2,645 votes.

Three candidates were vying for the Maine House of Representatives District 107 seat representing part of Windham. Republican Mark Cooper won the seat with 2,427 votes to Incumbent Democrat Jane Pringle’s 2,283 votes and Independent challenger Patrick Corey’s 819 votes.

In Raymond, Republican Rolf A. Olsen, a member of the Town of Raymond Select Board, defeated Democrat Craig Messigner. Olsen received 1,584 votes to Messigner’s 1,544 votes. Olsen will replace longtime incumbent Jessica Fay, a Democrat, who was term-limited.

Former state legislator Tom Tyler of Windham, an unenrolled candidate, ran unopposed and was elected to the Cumberland County Commissioner Board representing District 2.

Of the five statewide referendum questions in the election, four passed and one was defeated.

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? Approved statewide, 460,549 votes to 159.494 votes.

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? Approved statewide, 338,218 votes to 279,606 votes.

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 percent local match requirement from either private or nonprofit sources? Approved statewide, 319,753 votes to 301,985.

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? Approved statewide, 343,120 votes to 273,634 votes.

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, as the official flag of the State? Failed statewide, 343,963 votes to 281,444 votes. <