Contested races in Oxford Hills: 

State House District 71 — Norway, Waterford, West Paris and Sweden

Democrat Dennise Whitley

Republican Tom Winsor 

State House District 72 — Oxford, Mechanic Falls, Otisfield

Democrat James Bradley

Republican Kathleen Dillingham

State House District 73 — Paris, Buckfield, Hebron

Republican Lloyd Herrick

Democrat Robert Kirchherr

Oxford County Commission, District 3

Democrat Lee Holman of Hartford

Republican Timothy Turner of Buckfield

Oxford County Treasurer

Democrat Roy Gedat of Norway

Republican Marc Vanderwood of Oxford

Oxford County Register of Deeds

East: Democrat Patricia Shearman of Norway

West: Republican Jean Watson of Brownfield

Oxford County Sheriff

Democrat Wayne Gallant of Rumford

Republican Michael Parshall of Upton

OXFORD COUNTY — Contested races across the county were too close to call late Tuesday evening with forty percent of towns’ tallies reported. 

Some 11,924 voters from 14 towns had reported. In countywide elections, incumbent Oxford County Sheriff Wayne Gallant, D-Rumford, carried a strong lead against opponent Mike Parshall, R-Upton, with 6,973 votes to 3,500. Gallant is seeking a third term as sheriff, and cited his record of expanding the Sheriff’s Office and becoming a larger, more visible presence as accomplishments during his tenure.

Parshall, a Monmouth police officer, is looking to return to law enforcement in the county, where he was employed as a deputy from 2007-12. Parshall ran on a campaign of bringing transparency to the department and getting a new contract for deputies. 

Former Maine State Trooper Timothy Turner, R-Buckfield, carried a lead over opponent and longtime Selectwoman Lee Holman, D-Hartford, in the race for the District 3 seat for Oxford County Commissioner 2,212 to 1,539 — 41.03 percent to 58.97. Both candidates are seeking their first term as commissioner. 

Incumbent Oxford County Treasurer Candidate Roy Gedat, D-Norway, was locked in a close race with Marc Vanderwood, R-Oxford, and led by just 84 votes, 50.4 percent to 49.6.  

In the statewide elections, voters showed an early, strong support for Republican Gov. Paul LePage, who carried a 1,800 vote-lead over Democrat candidate Mike Michaud, 54.41 percent to 37.03 percent. Independent Elliot Cutler was polling at 8.55 percent. Voters in 2010 supported LePage 38.25 percent over Cutler, who received 36.56 percent of the vote.

Voters also showed early opposition to Question 1 — a referendum ending bear trapping, baiting and the use of dogs — with 40.07 in support and 59.93 against. 

The elections are expected to have high voter participation with an estimated turnout of more than 60 percent. 

According to the Maine Department of Corporations, Elections and Commissions, as of Oct. 23, there were 41,558 registered voters in Oxford County.

That number includes 11,359 Democrats, 11,015 Republicans and 1,769 members of the Green Party. The remaining 17,415 voters were not affiliated with a political party. 

Oxford County’s five largest towns ranked by registered and enrolled voters, not including same-day registrants.

1. Rumford: 4,265 voters; 1,760 Democrats, 702 Republicans, 154 Green Party, 1649 unaffiliated

2. Norway: 3,658 voters; 973 Democrats, 1,036 Republicans, 166 Green Party, 1,483 unaffiliated

3. Paris: 3,569 voters; 947 Democrats, 1,022 Republicans, 208 Green Party, 1,392 unaffiliated

4. Oxford: 3,052 voters, 717 Democrats, 925 Republicans, 118 Green Party, 1,292 unaffiliated

5. Fryeburg: 2,714 voters, 625 Democrats, 792 Republicans, 123 Green Party, 1,174 unaffiliated

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