Portland, Maine mayoral election, 2011
Encyclopedia
The 2011 Portland, Maine
mayoral election took place on November 8, 2011. In November 2010, Portland voters approved a citywide referendum changing the city charter to recreate an elected mayor
position that had previously been removed in 1923. From 1923 until 2011, city council
ors chose one of themselves each year to serve as mayor, a primarily ceremonial position. On November 8, 2011, former State Senator and candidate for U.S. Congress Michael F. Brennan
was elected.
The new citizen-elected mayor serves full-time in the position for a four year term, exercises the powers and duties enumerated in Article II Section 5 of the Portland City Charter, be elected using instant-runoff voting, and, like the rest of municipal government in Portland, be officially non-partisan
.
As of July 4, Christopher Vail was invalidated by city attorney Gary Wood from running due to his employment by the city as a firefighter but this was overturned shortly thereafter. As of July 8, Zouhair Bouzrara was in court facing charges after allegedly drinking alcohol, a violation of parole given to him a year early after being accused of threatening to kill a co-worker in July 2010. Bouzrara withdrew during the petitioning process.
.On November 1, Nicholas Mavodones received the endorsements of Carpenters Local 1996 and AFSCME Local 481. On November 5, The Portland Daily Sun endorsed Michael Brennan.
Portland, Maine
Portland is the largest city in Maine and is the county seat of Cumberland County. The 2010 city population was 66,194, growing 3 percent since the census of 2000...
mayoral election took place on November 8, 2011. In November 2010, Portland voters approved a citywide referendum changing the city charter to recreate an elected mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
position that had previously been removed in 1923. From 1923 until 2011, city council
Portland, Maine City Council
The Portland, Maine City Council is the legislative branch of government for the city of Portland, Maine. It is 9 seat council, composed of representatives from the city's five districts as well as 4 councilors elected citywide. Beginning with the Portland, Maine mayoral election, 2011, one of the...
ors chose one of themselves each year to serve as mayor, a primarily ceremonial position. On November 8, 2011, former State Senator and candidate for U.S. Congress Michael F. Brennan
Michael F. Brennan
Michael F. Brennan is a Maine politician. Brennan, a Democrat, served as State Senator from 2002-2006 and Senate Majority Leader and a 2008 Democratic candidate for Maine's 1st congressional district. On May 15, 2011 Brennan announced his candidacy in the Portland, Maine mayoral election...
was elected.
The new citizen-elected mayor serves full-time in the position for a four year term, exercises the powers and duties enumerated in Article II Section 5 of the Portland City Charter, be elected using instant-runoff voting, and, like the rest of municipal government in Portland, be officially non-partisan
Partisan (political)
In politics, a partisan is a committed member of a political party. In multi-party systems, the term is widely understood to carry a negative connotation - referring to those who wholly support their party's policies and are perhaps even reluctant to acknowledge correctness on the part of their...
.
Ballot access
The declared candidates filed paperwork with city hall to allow them to raise funds for their campaigns. The nomination papers became available on July 1 and the candidates were required to submit at least 300 valid signatures of Portland voters between August 15 and August 29 to be placed on the November ballot. As of the August 29 deadline, 16 candidates submitted their nomination petitions, and 15 petitions were validated: Bragdon, Brennan, Bryant, Carmona, Dodge, Duson, Eder, Haadoow, Lapchick, Marshall, Mavodones, Miller, Rathband, Strimling, and Vail. Bennett fell five signatures short of the required 300.Race
As of July 4, Christopher Vail was invalidated by city attorney Gary Wood from running due to his employment by the city as a firefighter but this was overturned shortly thereafter. As of July 8, Zouhair Bouzrara was in court facing charges after allegedly drinking alcohol, a violation of parole given to him a year early after being accused of threatening to kill a co-worker in July 2010. Bouzrara withdrew during the petitioning process.
Endorsements
On September 27, David Marshall was endorsed by the Maine League of Young Voters. On October 11, Portland Tomorrow, a group made up of some former charter commissioners and other supporters of the elected mayor referendum, endorsed Michael Brennan. On the same day, the Portland Education Association endorsed Nick Mavodones. On October 17, the Portland Press Herald endorsed Michael Brennan. On October 26, Jed Rathband received the sole endorsement from the Portland Regional Chamber of Commerce Political Action Committee. On November 1, Ethan Strimling received the endorsement of John Eder. On November 1, David Marshall received the endorsement of Maine Green Independent PartyMaine Green Independent Party
The Maine Green Independent Party is the oldest state Green party in the United States. It was founded following an informal meeting of 18 environmental advocates, including Bowdoin College professor John Rensenbrink and others in Augusta, Maine...
.On November 1, Nicholas Mavodones received the endorsements of Carpenters Local 1996 and AFSCME Local 481. On November 5, The Portland Daily Sun endorsed Michael Brennan.
| CANDIDATE | Maine League of Young Voters | Portland Regional Chamber of Commerce PAC | Portland Ed. Assn. | Portland Tomorrow | Portland Press Herald | Portland Daily Sun | Maine Green Ind. Party Maine Green Independent Party The Maine Green Independent Party is the oldest state Green party in the United States. It was founded following an informal meeting of 18 environmental advocates, including Bowdoin College professor John Rensenbrink and others in Augusta, Maine... | Carpenters Local 1996 | AFSCME Local 481 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Charles Bragdon | |||||||||
| Michael Brennan Michael F. Brennan Michael F. Brennan is a Maine politician. Brennan, a Democrat, served as State Senator from 2002-2006 and Senate Majority Leader and a 2008 Democratic candidate for Maine's 1st congressional district. On May 15, 2011 Brennan announced his candidacy in the Portland, Maine mayoral election... |
#2 | #2 | #1 | #1 | #1 | ||||
| Peter Bryant | |||||||||
| Ralph Carmona | |||||||||
| Richard Dodge | |||||||||
| Jill Duson | |||||||||
| John Eder John Eder John Eder is an American activist and politician from the state of Maine. Eder lives in Portland and is a member of the Maine Green Independent Party, the Maine affiliate of the national Green Party. He served in the Maine House of Representatives as the legislature's first member of the Green... |
#3 | ||||||||
| Hamza Haadoow | |||||||||
| Jodie Lapchick | |||||||||
| David Marshall | #1 | #4 | #1 | ||||||
| Nicholas Mavodones | #1 | #2 | #1 | #1 | |||||
| Markos Miller | #4 | #3 | #3 | ||||||
| Jed Rathband | #5 | #1 | |||||||
| Ethan Strimling Ethan Strimling Ethan King Strimling is a former Democratic State Senator from Maine's 8th District. He served in the Maine State Senate from 2002 to 2009. He was replaced by Justin Alfond. In July 2011, Strimling announced his candidacy for Mayor of Portland, Maine... |
#4 | ||||||||
| Christopher Vail |
On the ballot
- Charles Bragdon, Munjoy HillMunjoy HillMunjoy Hill is an historically Irish-American neighborhood and prominent geographical feature of Portland, Maine. It is located east of downtown, and south of East Deering, the neighborhood it is connected to by Tukey's Bridge.-Geography:...
resident,perennial municipal candidate & taxi-driver. Bragdon has run for office as a Democrat, Green and unenrolled. - Michael BrennanMichael F. BrennanMichael F. Brennan is a Maine politician. Brennan, a Democrat, served as State Senator from 2002-2006 and Senate Majority Leader and a 2008 Democratic candidate for Maine's 1st congressional district. On May 15, 2011 Brennan announced his candidacy in the Portland, Maine mayoral election...
, Back Cove resident, former State RepresentativeMaine House of RepresentativesThe Maine House of Representatives is the lower house of the Maine Legislature. The House consists of 151 members representing an equal amount of districts across the state. Each voting member of the House represents around 8,450 citizens of the state...
, former State Senator, unsuccessful candidate for the DemocraticMaine Democratic PartyThe Maine Democratic Party is the local branch of the United States Democratic Party in the state of Maine.-Current Democratic officeholders:The Maine Democratic Party is the minority party in both the Maine Senate and Maine House of Representatives. The party, however, holds both of the state's U.S...
nomination for the U.S. Congress in 2008, Co-Chair of the National Board of Advisors of Casey Family ServicesCasey Family Programsis the nation’s largest operating foundation entirely focused on foster care. Since 1966, they have worked to provide and improve—and ultimately prevent the need for—foster care in the United States...
, former adjunct faculty member at the University of New England, and currently works as a policy associate at the Muskie School of Public Service at the University of Southern MaineUniversity of Southern MaineThe University of Southern Maine is a multi-campus public urban comprehensive university and part of the University of Maine System. USM's three primary campuses are located in Portland, Gorham, and Lewiston...
. - Peter Bryant, Back Cove resident,retired merchant seaman and former U.S. MarineUnited States Marine CorpsThe United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...
- Ralph Carmona, Munjoy HillMunjoy HillMunjoy Hill is an historically Irish-American neighborhood and prominent geographical feature of Portland, Maine. It is located east of downtown, and south of East Deering, the neighborhood it is connected to by Tukey's Bridge.-Geography:...
resident, resident of Portland for under one year, former Bank of AmericaBank of AmericaBank of America Corporation, an American multinational banking and financial services corporation, is the second largest bank holding company in the United States by assets, and the fourth largest bank in the U.S. by market capitalization. The bank is headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina...
executive and CaliforniaCaliforniaCalifornia is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
lobbyist - Richard Dodge, Riverton resident, RepublicanMaine Republican PartyThe Maine Republican Party is the affiliate of the United States Republican Party in Maine. It was founded in Strong, Maine on August 7, 1854. The state Chairman is Charles M. Webster....
, commercial real estate brokerReal estate brokerA real estate broker, real estate agent or realtor is a party who acts as an intermediary between sellers and buyers of real estate/real property and attempts to find sellers who wish to sell and buyers who wish to buy... - Jill Duson, North Deering resident, retired lawyerLawyerA lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
, former ceremonial mayor, at-large City Councillor and three time delegate to the Democratic PartyDemocratic Party (United States)The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
National Convention, former Maine lobbyist - John EderJohn EderJohn Eder is an American activist and politician from the state of Maine. Eder lives in Portland and is a member of the Maine Green Independent Party, the Maine affiliate of the national Green Party. He served in the Maine House of Representatives as the legislature's first member of the Green...
, West EndWest End (Portland, Maine)The West End is a downtown neighborhood in Portland, Maine. It is located on the western side of Portland's peninsula primarily on Bramhall Hill and is noted for its architecture and history. The neighborhood is home to a large number of historic homes and parks and, in 2010, it was called "one of...
resident, former state legislator with the Maine Green Independent PartyMaine Green Independent PartyThe Maine Green Independent Party is the oldest state Green party in the United States. It was founded following an informal meeting of 18 environmental advocates, including Bowdoin College professor John Rensenbrink and others in Augusta, Maine... - Hamza Haadoow, East Deering resident, Somalia nativeSomali and Bantu migration to MaineSomali and Bantu migration to Maine refers to the migration of ethnic Somalis as well as people from the Bantu minority ethnic group to the American state of Maine.-Somalis:...
and small business owner. - Jodie Lapchick, West EndWest End (Portland, Maine)The West End is a downtown neighborhood in Portland, Maine. It is located on the western side of Portland's peninsula primarily on Bramhall Hill and is noted for its architecture and history. The neighborhood is home to a large number of historic homes and parks and, in 2010, it was called "one of...
resident & marketing consultant - David Marshall, West EndWest End (Portland, Maine)The West End is a downtown neighborhood in Portland, Maine. It is located on the western side of Portland's peninsula primarily on Bramhall Hill and is noted for its architecture and history. The neighborhood is home to a large number of historic homes and parks and, in 2010, it was called "one of...
resident, Maine Green Independent PartyMaine Green Independent PartyThe Maine Green Independent Party is the oldest state Green party in the United States. It was founded following an informal meeting of 18 environmental advocates, including Bowdoin College professor John Rensenbrink and others in Augusta, Maine...
affiliated fine artist and City Councilor for the West EndWest End (Portland, Maine)The West End is a downtown neighborhood in Portland, Maine. It is located on the western side of Portland's peninsula primarily on Bramhall Hill and is noted for its architecture and history. The neighborhood is home to a large number of historic homes and parks and, in 2010, it was called "one of...
, downtown and Parkside neighborhoods (District 2). Marshall was the first sitting city council member to declare his candidacy in March 2011. - Nicholas Mavodones, Back Cove resident, DemocratMaine Democratic PartyThe Maine Democratic Party is the local branch of the United States Democratic Party in the state of Maine.-Current Democratic officeholders:The Maine Democratic Party is the minority party in both the Maine Senate and Maine House of Representatives. The party, however, holds both of the state's U.S...
, current ceremonial mayor and at-large City Councillor, opposed charter change to elected mayor - Markos Miller, Munjoy HillMunjoy HillMunjoy Hill is an historically Irish-American neighborhood and prominent geographical feature of Portland, Maine. It is located east of downtown, and south of East Deering, the neighborhood it is connected to by Tukey's Bridge.-Geography:...
resident, Served as Co-Chair of the Franklin Street Arterial Study Committee and teaches at Deering High SchoolDeering High SchoolDeering High School is a public high school in Portland, Maine which educates grades 9–12. The school is part of the Portland Public Schools district. It is named after the Deering Center neighborhood it serves...
. - Jed Rathband, East Bayside resident, professional PR consultant, ran the committee that campaigned for the elected Mayor in 2010, worked for the now defunct Maine Green Energy Alliance, former Maine lobbyist, former PR consultant for the Olympia Companies on Maine State PierMaine State PierThe Maine State Pier is a municipal-owned deep water marine facility and music venue located at the intersection of Commercial Street and Franklin Street on the eastern waterfront in Portland, Maine.It was completed in 1924...
proposal - Ethan StrimlingEthan StrimlingEthan King Strimling is a former Democratic State Senator from Maine's 8th District. He served in the Maine State Senate from 2002 to 2009. He was replaced by Justin Alfond. In July 2011, Strimling announced his candidacy for Mayor of Portland, Maine...
, West EndWest End (Portland, Maine)The West End is a downtown neighborhood in Portland, Maine. It is located on the western side of Portland's peninsula primarily on Bramhall Hill and is noted for its architecture and history. The neighborhood is home to a large number of historic homes and parks and, in 2010, it was called "one of...
resident, former State Senator with the Democratic PartyMaine Democratic PartyThe Maine Democratic Party is the local branch of the United States Democratic Party in the state of Maine.-Current Democratic officeholders:The Maine Democratic Party is the minority party in both the Maine Senate and Maine House of Representatives. The party, however, holds both of the state's U.S...
, unsuccessful candidate for PortlandPortland, MainePortland is the largest city in Maine and is the county seat of Cumberland County. The 2010 city population was 66,194, growing 3 percent since the census of 2000...
City Council and for his party's nomination for the United States CongressUnited States CongressThe United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
in 2008 - Christopher Vail, North Deering resident, Portland firefighterFirefighterFirefighters are rescuers extensively trained primarily to put out hazardous fires that threaten civilian populations and property, to rescue people from car incidents, collapsed and burning buildings and other such situations...
Write-in
- Erick Bennett, Parkside resident, RepublicanMaine Republican PartyThe Maine Republican Party is the affiliate of the United States Republican Party in Maine. It was founded in Strong, Maine on August 7, 1854. The state Chairman is Charles M. Webster....
blogger and campaign media aide to Governor Paul LePagePaul LePagePaul Richard LePage is an American businessman and politician who is serving as the 74th and current Governor of Maine. A Republican, he was previously mayor of Waterville from 2003 to 2011, and was a city councilor before that...
, submitted nomination papers with insufficient valid signatures, announced Write-in candidacy on August 30 pending request of petition recount with Portland City Clerk's office
Withdrawn/Failed
- Zouhair Bouzrara
- Nicholas Hall, failed to submit nomination papers
- Robert Higgins, failed to submit nomination papers
- Steve Huston, homelessHomelessness in the United StatesHomelessness in the United States has continued to remain a focus area of concern of social service providers, government officials, and policy professionals since its resurgence among many types of individuals and families. The number of homeless people further grew in the 1980s, as housing and...
activist who announced candidacy but never picked up petitions - Paul Schafer, failed to submit nomination papers
- Jay York
External links
- PortlandVoters.com Official elections & voting information published & maintained by the Portland City Clerk
- MayorWatch 2011 a bi-weekly non-partisan column dedicated to following the mayoral race
- Portland's Mayoral Race 2011 Special coverage by Portland Press Herald/Maine Sunday Telegram
- Maine League of Young Voters Portland Voter Guide
- Maine League of Women Voters Portland Voter Guide
- Portland's Mayoral Race Begins to Take Shape Downeast.com, June 30, 2011