2021 Election Results (Official)
In the race for City Council, former School Committee and Budget Committee member Becky Brink was the largest vote getter with 2,271, and will be sworn in to the Council in January. Incumbent Ayn Hanselmann has been re-elected for a second term with 1,692 votes. Former Councilors Fred Smith (1,476 votes) and Victor DiGregorio (726 votes), and Michael Termath (1,097 votes) were also on the ballot.
On the School Committee, Jennifer Davie narrowly defeated Tonya Pickering by a vote of 1,984 to 1,902.
Incumbent John Cochin, Jr., won re-election to the Board of Water District Trustees, with 1,473 votes. He was challenged by longtime Sanford resident Shawn Parker, who got 1,234 votes, and newcomer Melissa Alipalo, with 1,187.
Paul Demers was re-elected to the Board of Sewerage District Trustees with 3,469 votes. He ran unopposed.
All terms are three years.
The total number of votes cast in the municipal election was 4,423. This represents approximately 29% of Sanford and Springvale’s 15,457 registered voters. That is considered a good turnout for an off-year election. The numbers were no doubt bolstered by the heavy advertising for the three ballot referendum questions.
On Question 1, Sanford/Springvale voted 2,671 to 1,716 to ban construction of the New Energy Clean Energy Connect power line, which would have brought electricity from Canada to Lewiston, with most of the power destined for out-of-state customers. The question was approved (banning construction) statewide.
Question 2, a $100 million infrastructure bond issue, was favored by City voters 2,943 to 1,436. It also passed statewide.
Question 3, a State Constitutional Amendment to declare that all individuals have the right to grow, raise, harvest, produce and consume the food of their own choosing, was the most popular with Sanford/Springvale voters, with 3,027 voting in favor, and 1,322 opposed. It also passed statewide, and is considered the first “right to food” amendment to be approved in the United States.
4,426 total ballots were cast on the ballot questions.
The complete results with tallies by ward, and with numbers of absentee votes and write-ins/blanks, can be viewed on the City’s website here.
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