Here’s a look at what’s on the ballot in Androscoggin County this November. For information on how and where to vote, see our resources page. If you have questions about the upcoming election, please contact your town clerk.
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County races
In Androscoggin County, the following county offices are elected: Judge of Probate, Register of Probate, Sheriff, County Commissioner (seven seats), and District Attorney. In Androscoggin County, the county treasurer and register of deeds are appointed positions. You can read about what each of these offices do by clicking the dropdowns below.
County commissioners are elected to oversee county government operations in each of Maine’s 16 counties, from the budget to the county jail to emergency management services. In recent years, they have been responsible for distributing millions of dollars from the American Rescue Plan Act and opioid settlement funds.
Counties have either three, five or seven commissioners, each of whom serves a separate district within the county. This year, Franklin County is expanding from three to five commissioners to reflect its growing population.
Commissioners serve four-year terms. At least two county commissioners in each county are on the ballot this November. Of the 37 county commissioner seats up this year, only 15 are contested races.
The sheriff is the top law enforcement officer in the county, responsible for enforcing laws and ensuring public safety. The sheriff oversees the county jail, manages deputies and other staff, and works with other law enforcement agencies.
Duties include enforcing state and local laws, providing security for county courts, serving legal documents and executing warrants. A county sheriff can be either appointed or elected. This year, the sheriff position is up for election in Aroostook, Franklin, Kennebec and Sagadahoc counties.
There has been some concern over mental health training protocols within sheriff departments across the state in the wake of the Lewiston shooting.
Treasurers are the bookkeepers of a county’s finances: they manage county expenditures, ensuring funds are spent where directed by county commissioners, and provide annual reports on county revenues.
Androscoggin, Cumberland and Knox county commissioners all appoint their treasurers, while voters in the rest of Maine’s counties elect their treasurer every four years. Only the Waldo County treasurer is up for election this November.
County treasurers must be residents of their county but do not require any licenses or qualifications. This caused some controversy in 2018, when Hancock County elected a treasurer without finance experience.
Probate judges oversee wills, estates, name changes and guardianships of adults and minors. They must be attorneys and are elected to four-year terms. Maine’s probate courts operate independently in each county, and the judges are generally part-time elected officials.
Probate judges handle disputes related to wills and estates, approve the appointment of guardians (who have the authority to make decisions for adults the court deems incapacitated), and hear cases related to trusts and adoptions.
Probate judges are up for reelection this year in nine counties: Aroostook, Kennebec, Lincoln, Oxford, Piscataquis, Sagadahoc, Somerset, Waldo and York.
Samantha Hogan’s Maine Monitor series on Maine’s probate courts, which won her a Livingston Award for Young Journalists, uncovered systemic problems. Among her findings were that the probate courts do not employ investigators to check on adults under guardianships or conduct financial audits, and that eight adults under public guardianship died in unexplained ways in three years.
A register of probate serves as the custodian and record-keeper for all documentation relating to wills, guardianships and conservatorships, adoptions, trusts and name changes filed with a county’s probate office.
Paramount among the register’s responsibilities is ensuring that all documents, from name-change petitions to the transfer of real estate dictated by a will, are properly recorded and submitted into the public record. Among the register’s other duties are to certify and record name changes and account for and report to the county treasurer all fees paid to the probate office.
This year, registers of probate are on the ballot in Androscoggin, Cumberland, Franklin, Hancock, Kennebec, Knox, Oxford, Penobscot, Sagadahoc, Somerset, Waldo and York counties.
The register of deeds is responsible for managing county property records: recording all documents and survey plans that affect property in the county as well as maintaining an index of buyers’ and sellers’ names.
Some countries are now providing fraud alerts as scams in which people attempt to sell or mortgage a property by impersonating an owner are growing.
The register of deeds is appointed in Androscoggin, Cumberland and Knox counties, and elected every four years in Maine’s other 13 counties. This year, only the Somerset register of deeds is on the ballot.
District attorneys are prosecutors that represent the government against people who have been charged with a crime, and are responsible for prosecuting the majority of criminal cases that occur within their districts (there’s an exception for murders, which are handled by the attorney general’s office).
After police charge an individual with a crime, the district attorney’s office determines whether there is enough evidence to bring a charge to court. Maine has a large backlog of criminal cases and is building a new network of public defender’s offices across the state to represent poor clients in cases brought by the district attorney’s offices.
All of the state’s eight district attorneys are elected to serve four-year terms and are up for reelection in 2026; none are on the ballot this year.
Here are the state’s eight prosecutorial districts and district attorneys:
First District — York: Kathryn Slattery
Second District — Cumberland: Jacqueline Sartoris
Third District — Androscoggin, Franklin, and Oxford: Neil McLean Jr.
Fourth District — Kennebec and Somerset: Maeghan Maloney
Fifth District — Penobscot and Piscataquis: Christopher Almy
Sixth District — Knox, Lincoln, Sagadahoc, and Waldo: Natasha Irving
Seventh District — Hancock and Washington: Robert C. Granger
Eighth District — Aroostook: Todd Collins
This year, there are four county races on the ballot: three county commission seats and register of probate. You can read about the candidates and see how they responded to our county office candidate survey by clicking on the races below.
Thomas Reynolds, of Lewiston, is the incumbent. Reynolds is a community organizer with Maine-Wabanaki REACH and an independent title specialist.
Reynolds did not respond to The Monitor’s survey.
Shukri Abdirahman, of Lewiston, is an activist and declared write-in candidate who has been involved with Maine Youth Power and Refugee Congress. Abdirahman’s family moved to Maine from Kenya when she was ten.
Tell us a bit about your relevant experience for this position.
As a community organizer in Downtown Lewiston, I understand the challenges facing my constituents. I know what we deserve from our county government, and how little we get. And I know the way our criminal system both overpolices communities of color, and fails to protect children and families from crime.
Why should voters choose you?
I would be the first Black member of the Androscoggin County Board of Commissioners in our county’s 170-year history. I would be the youngest member of the Board of Commissioners, and would be one of the only women in county government. Most importantly, however, I will be the hardest working, most dedicated advocate possible for Downtown Lewiston.
What do you see as the biggest challenge facing the office you are running for, and how do you plan on addressing it?
The biggest immediate challenge facing the Androscoggin County Board of Commissioners is the fate of our historic Androscoggin County Courthouse. Though some in the county government want to abandon it, I will fight tirelessly to instead devote the money necessary to repair and restore our courthouse so that it can continue to serve the people of Androscoggin County into the future.
In addition to saving the county courthouse, commissioners must also tackle the biggest problem in our community generally: housing. As a county commissioner, I will put forward a revenue-neutral plan to build new, owner-occupied housing throughout Androscoggin County, making it possible for more residents to become homeowners. I am tired of hearing that our government can’t do more to address the tough challenges; as your county commissioner, I’ll fight to make sure the county government is actually responding and delivering for Androscoggin County residents.
Anything else you think voters should know?
No response was provided to this question.
Thomas Shannon, of Lewiston, is a declared write-in candidate who spent 25 years on the Lewiston School Committee, including as chairman. He was also chairman of the building committee for the Robert V. Conners Elementary School.
Tell us a bit about your relevant experience for this position.
Served 25 years of the last four decades on the Lewiston School Committee, often the chairman. Chaired the Connors School Building Committee. Chaired the subcommittee on Building Maintenance. Spent two years in the Maine Legislature.
Why should voters choose you?
Experience in public office. Availability for the job. Quick study, and a sharp pencil.
What do you see as the biggest challenge facing the office you are running for, and how do you plan on addressing it?
Androscoggin County is moving its sheriffs department to a new already purchased location. This will require investment to refurbish to needed standards. This will also leave the old sheriff’s department to address some overcrowding at the jail. This reuse of space will require retrofitting as well, and to state standards. I have heard a figure of 2 million dollars for the jail conversion. I won’t commit to funding this in one budget. Perhaps a bond issue?
There is much to learn and interpret in a new job. Currently, I have no hands-on experience with the county budget. Should I get the most write-in votes, I will spend the needed time with the county manager to begin the process of learning about the budget process for the county.
Anything else you think voters should know?
I have an opponent in this race. She is a write-in candidate also. She is a Democrat as well. She is younger than me by 46 years. This should not be an issue in this or any other election.
Garrett Mason, of Lisbon, is the incumbent. Mason has served in the Maine State Senate, including as Senate Majority Leader from 2014 to 2018, where he was instrumental in the passing of a law allowing charter schools in Maine. Mason ran unsuccessfully for governor in 2018.
Mason did not respond to The Monitor’s survey.
Katharyn Cormier, of Auburn, is a declared write-in candidate.
Cormier did not respond to The Monitor’s survey.
Jane Pentheny, of Poland, is a declared write-in candidate. She has served as a library trustee in Poland and ran unsuccessfully for the Poland Board of Selectpersons in 2024.
Pentheny did not respond to The Monitor’s survey.
Senate races
The Maine Senate is the upper chamber of the Maine Legislature and has 35 elected members. Senate terms are two years, and senators are limited to four consecutive terms. Counties can consist of multiple districts, which may cross county lines.
Running for the seat are Jeffrey Timberlake (R) and Thomas Watson (D).
To learn more about this legislative district, visit our statehouse directory. On election night, the page will display real-time race results.
Running for the seat are Richard Bennett (R) and Linda Miller (D).
To learn more about this legislative district, visit our statehouse directory. On election night, the page will display real-time race results.
Running for the seat are Bettyann Sheats (D), Bruce Bickford (R) and Dustin Ward (U).
To learn more about this legislative district, visit our statehouse directory. On election night, the page will display real-time race results.
Running for the seat is Margaret Rotundo (D).
To learn more about this legislative district, visit our statehouse directory. On election night, the page will display real-time race results.
House races
The Maine House of Representatives, the lower chamber of the Maine Legislature, has 151 elected members. Representatives are elected for a two-year term, and are limited to four consecutive terms. Counties consist of multiple districts, which may cross county lines.
Running for the seat are Randall Greenwood (R) and Kent Ackley (I).
To learn more about this legislative district, visit our statehouse directory. On election night, the page will display real-time race results.
Running for the seat are Sheila Lyman (R) and Tamara Hoke (D).
To learn more about this legislative district, visit our statehouse directory. On election night, the page will display real-time race results.
Running for the seat is Tammy Schmersal-Burgess (R).
To learn more about this legislative district, visit our statehouse directory. On election night, the page will display real-time race results.
Running for the seat are Craig Messinger (D) and Rolf Olsen Jr (R).
To learn more about this legislative district, visit our statehouse directory. On election night, the page will display real-time race results.
Running for the seat is David Boyer Jr (R).
To learn more about this legislative district, visit our statehouse directory. On election night, the page will display real-time race results.
Running for the seat are Stephanie Damien (D) and Quentin Chapman (R).
To learn more about this legislative district, visit our statehouse directory. On election night, the page will display real-time race results.
Running for the seat are Adam Lee (D) and John Janelle (R).
To learn more about this legislative district, visit our statehouse directory. On election night, the page will display real-time race results.
Running for the seat are Laurel Libby (R) and Daniel Campbell (D).
To learn more about this legislative district, visit our statehouse directory. On election night, the page will display real-time race results.
Running for the seat is Joshua Morris (R).
To learn more about this legislative district, visit our statehouse directory. On election night, the page will display real-time race results.
Running for the seat are Stephen Wood (R) and Scott Girardin (I).
To learn more about this legislative district, visit our statehouse directory. On election night, the page will display real-time race results.
Running for the seat is Julia McCabe (D).
To learn more about this legislative district, visit our statehouse directory. On election night, the page will display real-time race results.
Running for the seat are Kristen Cloutier (D) and Kendil Snow-Black (R).
To learn more about this legislative district, visit our statehouse directory. On election night, the page will display real-time race results.
Running for the seat is Mana Abdi (D).
To learn more about this legislative district, visit our statehouse directory. On election night, the page will display real-time race results.
Running for the seat are Michel Lajoie (D) and Kerryl Clement (R).
To learn more about this legislative district, visit our statehouse directory. On election night, the page will display real-time race results.
Running for the seat is Richard Mason (R).
To learn more about this legislative district, visit our statehouse directory. On election night, the page will display real-time race results.
Running for the seat are Kilton Webb (D) and Guy Lebida (R).
To learn more about this legislative district, visit our statehouse directory. On election night, the page will display real-time race results.
Federal races
This November, Maine voters will see three federal races on the ballot: the presidential race, a U.S. Senate race, and a U.S. House of Representatives race.
U.S. President & Vice President
Foremost for many this election is the presidential race. Vice President Kamala Harris, who became the Democratic nominee after President Joe Biden dropped out in July, is running alongside Minnesota Governor Tim Walz. She is facing former president Donald Trump, who chose Ohio Senator J.D. Vance as his running mate.
In an arrangement unique to Maine and Nebraska, Maine awards two electoral votes based on the statewide total and one for each congressional district. In 2020, Joe Biden won three of Maine’s four electoral votes, carrying Maine overall with 9 percentage points and the 1st congressional district by 23 percentage points. The 2nd congressional district went for Donald Trump by 7 percentage points. In 2016, Hillary Clinton won three of the four electoral votes, carrying the state by 3 percentage points, and Trump was awarded one for the 2nd congressional district.
Candidates:
Kamala Harris & Tim Walz (D)
Donald Trump & J.D. Vance (R)
Chase Oliver & Mike ter Maat (L)
Jill Stein & Rudolph Ware (G)
Cornel West & Melina Abdullah (Justice for All Party)
Declared write-in candidates:
Shiva Ayyadurai & Crystal Ellis (I)
Claudia De la Cruz & Karina Garcia (Party for Socialism & Liberation)
Robert Dyer & Daniel Whitten (Defenders of America Party)
Peter Sonski & Lauren Onak (American Solidarity Party)
U.S. Senate
Senator Angus King, the incumbent, has held this seat as an Independent since January 2013, and served as Maine’s governor from 1995 to 2003. (He has voted overwhelmingly in line with Democrats over the years.) Jason Cherry, a former criminal defense attorney and FBI special agent, is also running for the seat as an Independent. Long-time government employee David Costello is running as a Democrat. Former Maine GOP chair Demi Kouzounas is running as a Republican. Senator Susan Collins, a Republican who has held her seat since 1997, is not on the ballot this year; she is up for re-election in 2026.
Candidates:
Angus King (I)
Demi Kouzounas (R)
Jason Cherry (I)
David Costello (D)
U.S. House of Representatives — 2nd District
Both of Maine’s congressional districts are on the ballot this November. Voters in Androscoggin County are in the 2nd Congressional District. Jared Golden, a Democrat, is the incumbent, having served in the seat since January 2019. Austin Theriault, a Republican, is a former NASCAR driver and has been a state representative since 2022.
Candidates:
Jared Golden (D)
Austin Theriault (R)
Declared write-in candidates:
Diana Merenda (U)
State Referendum Questions
There are five statewide referendum questions that will appear on the ballot this November:
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?
This question, which stems from a citizen initiative, asks whether voters want to impose a cap on contributions to super PACs, political action committees that raise and spend unlimited amounts of money to advocate for or against political candidates. Supporters of the measure believe it would curb the amount of dark money influencing elections, and expect it to be challenged in court.
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?
This question, a bond issue that stems from a bill passed earlier this year, asks whether voters want to designate funds to the Maine Technology Institute to bolster scientific research and technological innovation among public and private organizations.
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?
This question, a bond issue that stems from a bill passed earlier this year, asks whether voters want to designate funds to the Maine Historic Preservation Commission, which will offer grants to nonprofits and government agencies looking to restore historic buildings in their communities.
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?
This question, a bond issue that stems from a bill passed earlier this year, asks whether voters want to designate funds to create the Maine Trails Program, which would develop and maintain trails across the state designated for activities such as hiking, biking, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing and horseback riding; for ATVs and snowmobiles; and for both kinds of use.
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?
This question, which stems from a bill passed last year, asks whether voters want to replace the current flag — blue with a coat of arms featuring a farmer and a fisherman — with the former pine tree and blue star design that was in use before 1909. The Secretary of State held a contest for the model flag design and selected a winner in August.
