Lewiston City Councilors Bob McCarthy, left, and Rick Lachapelle, right, talk with supporters Tuesday night at Marco’s Restaurant on Mollison Way as they wait for results of Tuesday’s election. Both lost their bid for reelection. Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal
LEWISTON — Voters ousted a trio of city councilors who recently pushed for the removal of Linda Scott as council president.
Tossed from office Tuesday were Rick LaChappelle, the new council president, along with Lee Clement and Bob McCarthy.
In the only other contested ward, newcomer Eryn Soule-Leclair narrowly defeated Billie Jayne Cooke to claim the Ward 5 seat that has been held by Larry Pease.
LaChappelle was defeated in Ward 4 by Michael Roy, who said he enjoyed talking to people during the campaign. Roy collected 682 votes to LaChappelle’s 612, a margin of 53% to 47%.
David Chittim, president of the Androscoggin Historical Society, knocked Clement from office in Ward 6 by a vote of 808-687.
In Ward 2, Susan Longchamps crushed McCarthy, racking up 1,038 votes to McCarthy’s 627.
In three wards, there was no opposition.
Elected in Ward 1 was Josh Nagine, while Scott Harriman will again represent Ward 3 and Tim Gallant won Ward 7, where Stephanie Gelinas chose not to run for reelection.
In the weeks leading up to the election, the current council became increasingly divided, including a council vote to censure Harriman, and to remove Scott as council president due to previous comments the pair had made relating to four councilors attending a meeting at a local bar.
The current council has also sparred over issues such as homelessness, substance use, public safety, housing and has waded into school district policy.
The City Council seats for Wards 2, 4 and 6 will be three-year terms as the city shifts to staggered terms. Wards 1, 3, 5 and 7 will remain two-year terms.
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