Here’s a look at what’s on the ballot in Cumberland 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 Cumberland County, the following county offices are elected: Judge of Probate, Register of Probate, Register of Deeds, Sheriff, County Commissioner (five seats), and District Attorney. In Cumberland 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 three county races on the ballot: two 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.
Susan G. Schwartz, of Portland, is the incumbent. Schwartz is an attorney who graduated from the University of Pennsylvania and Vermont Law School. After law school, she worked for various law firms in Philadelphia and Maine, and also worked as a guardian ad litem and trustee.
Tell us a bit about your relevant experience for this position.
My background as an attorney, guardian ad litem, and trustee serves me well for this position. My experience has taught me that an efficient and helpful clerk’s office is necessary to make the experiences of the public as simple and streamlined as possible. Furthermore, my legal training in reading and deciphering the details of wills, trusts, and other pleadings and documents is useful. Additionally, my legal and especially my trust practice has provided me with an understanding of the personal challenges that the public coming to the probate office encounters when filing estates, guardianships, adoptions, name changes, and contested matters.
Why should voters choose you?
I am committed to ensuring that every aspect of the probate office continues to serve the public efficiently and humanly. I think that commitment coupled with my legal background, which has involved clients from all walks and conditions of life, makes me uniquely qualified to continue in the role of Cumberland County Register of Probate.
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 challenge is keeping up with the large number of diverse and emergent natures of the filings that the Cumberland County probate office manages on a daily basis, so that the public receives timely results in their matters. Since I have been appointed to this position, the clerks and I have dealt with this challenge by being mindful of timelines and developing flexibility in each staff member’s workload to create a collaborative approach to serving the public.
Anything else you think voters should know?
When I was appointed to fill out the term of the prior register, I was fortunate to join an already well-trained, efficient, knowledgeable, and caring group of county employees. Serving as Register of Probate since March 2023 has been interesting and fulfilling. Working with our office’s clerks, within the court system, and serving the public in what are often challenging times in their lives has been an honor and I am hopeful that I will be elected in order to continue this important work.
Jerry DeWitt, of New Gloucester, worked for 28 years in the Army medical field. After retiring, he worked as a veterans outreach specialist at Tri-County Mental Health Services. DeWitt previously served as chairman of the Lewiston-Auburn Veterans Council and worked as a nurse in the emergency department for St. Mary’s Health System.
DeWitt did not respond to The Monitor’s survey.
Jean-Marie Caterina, of Scarborough, has served for ten years on the Scarborough Town Council. Caterina has worked as Maine’s assistant commissioner of labor, a Latin teacher and in child protective services. She holds a B.S. in political science/public administration from the University of Maine and an MSW in social services administration from Boston College.
Tell us a bit about your relevant experience for this position.
I am keenly aware of the intersection of municipal and state government at the County level. I look forward to serving the people of District Five by advocating for services that benefit all.
Why should voters choose you?
I would be the seventh woman to serve on the Commission since 1831. My platform is: Address the inadequate supply of safe and reasonably priced housing in Cumberland County. Provide excellent municipal partnerships in public health service, especially around violence intervention programming and substance abuse disorder prevention/treatment. Ensure that superior public safety services are provided for the safety of people and property in Cumberland County. Continue to provide excellence in legal services for all citizens through the Registry of Deeds, Probate Court, and the District Attorney’s office.
What do you see as the biggest challenge facing the office you are running for, and how do you plan on addressing it?
I was amazed at how many people at the doors have no idea of the services provided to them by the County. Municipalities pay for the services through taxes. I plan to meet regularly with municipal officials within my district to ascertain how best to “get the word out” on services and discover deficiencies that might be met at the County level.
Anything else you think voters should know?
I would appreciate your vote!
Thomas Tyler, of Windham, is president of the Sportmans Alliance of Maine and owner of Hidden Brook Associates. He served two terms in the Maine House of Representatives and is chairman of the Board of Trustees of Cross Insurance Arena in Portland. Tyler has also served as deputy fire chief in Windham and volunteered as an assistant coach at Windham High School as well as at his church and with the Boy Scouts of America.
Tyler 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 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 are James Libby (R) and Anne McMahon (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 Matthea Daughtry (D) and Michael Lawler (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 Teresa Pierce (D) and James Read (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 Timothy Nangle (D) and Kenneth Cianchette (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 Jill Duson (D) and Dale Holman (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 Rachel Talbot Ross (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 Anne Carney (D) and Christopher Howell (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 Stacy Brenner (D) and Donald Hamill (R).
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 Carrye Castleman-Ross (D) and Marygrace Cimino (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 Mark Walker (R) and Cassandra Dove (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 Kimberly Pomerleau (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 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.
Running for the seat are Cheryl Golek (D) and Sean Hall (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 Daniel Ankeles (D) and Ivon Prescott 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 Poppy Arford (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 Melanie Sachs (D) and James Finegan 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 Arthur Bell (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 Amy Arata (R) and Colleen Strickler (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 Anne Graham (D) and Susan Austin (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 Barbara Bagshaw (R) and Doris Poland (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 Jane Pringle (D), Mark Cooper (R) and Patrick Corey (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 Parnell Terry (D) and Thad Moody (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 Eleanor Sato (D) and Alan Livingston (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 Christina Mitchell (D) and Scott Jordan (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 Amy Kuhn (D) and John Jones (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 Ed Crockett (D) and Steven Wolejko (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 Grayson Lookner (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 Dylan Pugh (D) and Jacob Wakem (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 Michael Brennan (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 Samuel Zager (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 Matt Moonen (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 Yusuf Yusuf (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 Charles Skold (D) and Peter Doyle (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 Deqa Dhalac (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 Christopher Kessler (D) and Tammy Walter (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 Matthew Beck (D) and Michael Pock (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 Michelle Boyer (D) and Annie Christy (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 Sophia Warren (D) and Annalee Rosenblatt (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 Kelley Murphy (D) and Kayla Sterling (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 Andrew Gattine (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 Morgan Rielly (D) and Ryan Poitras (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 Suzanne Salisbury (D) and Charles Ellis (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 — 1st District
Both of Maine’s congressional districts are on the ballot this November. Voters in Cumberland County are in the 1st Congressional District. Chellie Pingree, a Democrat, is the incumbent and has held the seat since January 2009. Ronald Russell, a Republican, is an Army veteran and business owner. Ethan Alcorn, an Independent, has had various jobs and previously ran for governor.
Candidates:
Chellie Pingree (D)
Ronald Russell (R)
Ethan Alcorn (I)
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.
