Here’s a look at what’s on the ballot in Kennebec 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 Kennebec County, the following county offices are elected: Judge of Probate, Register of Probate, County Treasurer, Register of Deeds, Sheriff, County Commissioner (three seats), and District Attorney. 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 five county races on the ballot: judge of probate, two county commission seats, sheriff 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.
Ronda Snyder, of Sidney, spent 20 years in the legal field, including as a senior paralegal in probate and family law. She also spent seven years as the director of administration for a Boston-based law firm. Snyder is a former member of the Sidney Selectboard and writes for the controversial online outlet the Maine Journal News.
Tell us a bit about your relevant experience for this position.
I spent over 20 years in the legal field. While I worked in many areas of the law, I spent a substantial amount of time as a senior paralegal in the field of probate and family law. I also spent seven years as the Director of Administration for a Boston based law firm.
Why should voters choose you?
Most folks will need the Probate Court at some point in their lives whether it be probating an estate, a divorce, child custody, a conservatorship or adoption. For the people who use the probate court, it is also an emotional time. I’ve been through the adoption process, and while that’s a happy process, it is also anxiety ridden and stressful. I want to ensure that people needing the Probate Court are dealt with on an individual basis with respect and professional — just as they would be as a law firm client.
What do you see as the biggest challenge facing the office you are running for, and how do you plan on addressing it?
There are a couple challenges I see facing me as Register of Probate. The first is ensuring the Probate Court gets back and stays within its budget. While I am not presumptuous enough to think I’ll make changes in the first week or month, I want to work with staff to ensure the Probate Court with the efficiency and professionalism as a high quality law firm would run its operations. Staff input is absolutely needed and respected.
Anything else you think voters should know?
My experience and skills in the legal field make me extremely qualified to fulfill the position of Kennebec County Register of Probate.
Abigail St. Valle, of Augusta, is the incumbent. She is an at-large member of the Augusta City Council. St. Valle was appointed to the position by Gov. Janet Mills following the retirement of Kathleen Ayers. St. Valle has a degree in animal science and chemistry from the University of Maine and has worked in political organizing since 2018, including for Democrat Zak Ringelstein, U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders and for Maine People’s Alliance. St. Valle ran unsuccessfully for the Maine House of Representatives in 2018.
Tell us a bit about your relevant experience for this position.
Abigail has experience running the Kennebec County Probate Court. Abigail took over the court from Kathy Ayers upon her retirement and has continued to lead by the example left by previous generations. Kennebec County Probate Court continues to be a standard to use when comparing how a Probate Court should be run. Kennebec County is efficient, agile, and, most importantly, people-focused and statute-driven.
Why should voters choose you?
Abigail hopes to earn the people’s vote on November 5th because of her ability to lead the Court into the future while preserving its legacy of being the gold standard. When the public needs Probate Court, it doesn’t come down to politics. When you walk into Abigail’s office, you’re walking into our community’s office. When people come to probate, they could be there because their mom has dementia and can’t live by herself anymore and has been wandering the street. Maybe their young nephew has been couch surfing because he doesn’t have a safe home, and they’re the only family members who can help. Or perhaps they’re going through a messy estate with multiple siblings? Or do they need to change their last name? Whatever it is, if it falls within Probate matters, Kennebec County Probate Court is here to help. Under the leadership of Register Abigail St. Valle, we will listen, get your petitions filed, and get your case heard promptly, as we always have.
What do you see as the biggest challenge facing the office you are running for, and how do you plan on addressing it?
One of the biggest challenges facing most county positions is budgetary. As a current city councilor and working mom, Abigail understands the difficulties around setting budgets. As the Kennebec County Register of Probate, Abigail also serves as the legislative chair for the Maine Association of Registers of Probate “MARP” — through this capacity, she is working with her counterparts across the state to create and propose legislation to our local representatives to increase the fees charged when petitions and motions are filed with the court. One of Abigail’s goals is to make Kennebec County Probate Court net zero, where the work being done within the court is being charged appropriately through the cost of petitions, surcharges, and motions instead of tax increases.
Anything else you think voters should know?
Thank you so much for the opportunity to serve as your Register of Probate; doing this work has been an honor. I hope to earn your vote this November 5th. If you have any questions about my answers or questions about my campaign, please feel free to reach out to me at stvalle4maine@gmail.com.
Patsy Crockett, of Augusta, is the incumbent. She was born and raised in Kennebec County, where she worked as an office supervisor for John Hancock Financial Services for 30 years. Crockett has been a lobbyist for organizations including the Maine County Commissioners Association and the Maine Sheriffs Association for the past 10 years, served one term in the Maine House of Representatives and has been the chair of of the Kennebec County Commissioners for the past eight years.
Tell us a bit about your relevant experience for this position.
While I worked as a lobbyist one of my clients was Maine County Commissioners Association another was Maine Sheriffs Association this gave me a good background of the issues that county government faces. The past 8 years that I have served as Commissioner I have learned one of the biggest issues that takes the most funding are jails, it takes time working with the Sheriff and Jail Administrators to learn the many issues that face running a jail. Not the least of which is many unfunded mandates required by the legislature. I want to see that any person in our county jail has the best opportunity to turn their life around and not be returned to the jail but have a successful family life.
Why should voters choose you?
I feel that my experience and dedication to community service and hard work make me well suited for this position. As always I appreciate hearing the thoughts, concerns and suggestions of all citizens of the county.
What do you see as the biggest challenge facing the office you are running for, and how do you plan on addressing it?
Each of the county departments has its own unique issues and each department provided a much-needed service for the citizens of Kennebec County. For the family that wants to adopt a child or protect a senior the Probate Court is important, the young couple purchasing a first home the Register of Deeds is important, when we have the awful weather that causes so much damage the EMA office is important, the Sheriff’s Office works protecting all citizens. I believe my experience working with many individuals helps me address the many issues. Working to keep the tax rate down is a very important part of the job as that is a big concern for the citizens and is always a challenge. We have made some changes in the budget process and I will work for more.
Anything else you think voters should know?
I was born and raised in Kennebec County, have served in many organizations, Chair of Board of Directors Old Fort Western, Chair Kennebec Historical Society, Board of Directors Kennebec Behavioral Health, Chair Directors Children’s Center, member Capital Riverfront Improvement District to name just a few, each of these organizations has helped me understand the issues that face county citizens every day and I enjoy working to help everyone. In Kennebec County, just as across the state we have drug issues, I am working to provide Sheriff Mason the resources needed to identify and arrest the drug dealers that are spreading this poison in our area.
I’m proud of the work my colleagues and I in county government have been working on and It is an honor to represent the citizens of Augusta, Chelsea, China, Manchester, Sidney, Vassalboro and Windsor. I ask for your vote to continue to serve as your Kennebec County Commissioner, District 1, Patsy Crockett.
Elizabeth Mitchell, of Vassalboro, is the incumbent. She has served in both houses of the state Legislature, including as president of the Maine State Senate in 2004. She was elected as judge of probate for Kennebec County in 2016, a position previously held by her husband for more than 37 years. Libby was also appointed to serve as probate judge representative on the Family Law Advisory Committee.
Tell us a bit about your relevant experience for this position.
For the past 8 years I have had the honor of serving as Kennebec County Probate Judge. During that time Maine adopted a new uniform probate code and I have worked diligently to transition our Court to the new code. My experience as a court mediator and Guardian ad Litem also add depth to my understanding. I’ve also served in leadership roles in the Maine Probate Judge Assembly.
Why should voters choose you?
My commitment to fairness and justice for all who come before Probate Court. Guardianships of adults and children must be handled with compassion and legal knowledge. Families dealing with loss need respectful attention dealing with wills and estates. I am devoted to this service to the people of Kennebec County.
What do you see as the biggest challenge facing the office you are running for, and how do you plan on addressing it?
We need more quality facilities to care for those in need of residential care. I will continue to review wait times for such care and help educate policymakers about this need.
Anything else you think voters should know?
No response was provided to this question.
Kenneth Mason, of Readfield, is the incumbent. Before he was elected in 2016, Mason worked for 12 years as chief deputy in Lincoln County and as a patrolman and field training officer for the Augusta Police Department. Mason also serves on the Board of Directors for the Sexual Assault Crisis & Support Center and is an adjunct professor at the University of Maine at Augusta who teaches about mental health in the corrections field.
Mason 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 Bradlee Farrin (R) and Ethan Brownell (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 Russell Black (R) and Kathleen O’Donnell (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 Cameron Reny (D) and Dale Harmon (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 Hickman (D) and Shannon McDonnell (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 Raegan LaRochelle (D) and Richard Bradstreet (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 Nathaniel White (D) and Scott Cyrway (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 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.
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 Michael Lemlin (R) and Judy Tunkle (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 Karen Montell (D) and Scott Williams (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 Shagoury (D) and Joe Boyd (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 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 Tavis Hasenfus (D) and Donna Piccininni (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 Newman (R) and Sharon Frost (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 David Rollins (D) and Marcus Emerson (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 William Bridgeo (D) and Wendy MacDowell (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 Laura Jones (D) and Alicia Collins (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 Katrina Smith (R) and Pamela Swift (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 Lee Trahan (D) and Paul Flynn (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 Flavia DeBrito (D) and Ruth Malcolm (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 Cassie Julia (D) and Tammy Brown (R). Additionally, Jeremy McArthur (I) is running as a declared write-in candidate.
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 Robert Nutting (R) and Alicia Barnes (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 Shelley Rudnicki (R) and Matthew Townsend (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 Amanda Collamore (R) and Brian Blake (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.
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 Kennebec County that reside in Albion, Benton, China, Clinton, Litchfield, Pittston, Unity Township, Vassalboro, Waterville, West Gardiner, Windsor and Winslow 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)
U.S. House of Representatives — 2nd District
Both of Maine’s congressional districts are on the ballot this November. Voters in Kennebec County that reside in Augusta, Belgrade, Chelsea, Farmingdale, Fayette, Gardiner, Hallowell, Manchester, Monmouth, Mount Vernon, Oakland, Randolph, Readfield, Rome, Sidney, Vienna, Wayne and Winthrop 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.
