AUBURN — In July, Mayor Jason Levesque became the first official candidate for mayor, announcing he would seek a third term. He turned out to be the only one, too.
Jason Levesque
By the end of the day Thursday, the deadline to submit nomination papers for local offices, nobody had stepped up to challenge him.
Levesque is OK with that.
“While I have and will continue to enjoy a free exchange of ideas during a campaign,” Levesque said Thursday, “it’s pretty clear the residents of Auburn are happy with the direction we are moving and want more growth, prosperity and opportunity. Even the curmudgeons are running out of criticism!”
The election season is officially underway with a typical list of candidates vying for seats on the City Council and School Committee. A month ago, that list seemed like it might be underwhelming.
In July, Auburn city officials said the number of people taking out nomination papers for this year’s election was lagging behind previous election cycles. That trend, however, did not continue.
“Early on, we didn’t have many coming in to take out papers,” Clements-Dallaire said Thursday, “but they’ve been trickling in here and there so we what we have now is about average.”
The municipal election will be held Tuesday, Nov. 2.
Wards 1 and 2 will vote at the Auburn Senior Community Center, 48 Pettengill Park Road.
Wards 3 and 4 will vote at Auburn Hall, 60 Court St.
Ward 5 will vote at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Southern Maine Auburn/Lewiston, 43 Second St.
Here’s the final list of candidates:
City Council
Ward 1: Two candidates have thrown their hats in to replace Holly Lasagna, who did not take out papers. They are Eric L. Gould and Richard S. Whiting.
Ward 2: Timothy MacLeod is seeking his second term and will run against Ryan A. Hawes.
Ward 3: Stephen G. Milks will run unopposed to to keep his seat.
Ward 4: Joseph R. Morin will run unopposed to replace Councilor Brian S. Carrier.
Ward 5: Leroy G. Walker Jr. will run unopposed to keep his seat.
At-large: Three candidates are incumbent Belinda A. Gerry, James M. Lashua and Dan N. Staples.
School Committee
Ward 1: No candidate submitted nomination papers for Ward 1. If a write-in steps forward and collects 25 or more votes, that person will be sworn in for the seat, according to Clements-Dallaire. Otherwise, a special election will be required to fill the seat.
Ward 2: Pamela B. Hart will run unopposed.
Ward 3 : Karen R. Mathieu will run unopposed.
Ward 4: Brian J. Belknap II will run unopposed.
Ward 5: Daniel F. Poisson Sr. will run unopposed.
At-large: Faith G.Fontaine is seeking re-election. Patricia M. Gautier, Pamela F. Albert, David E. Simpson and Jodi L. Goldrop are seeking the second seat.
Send questions/comments to the editors.
