2011 Portland, Maine, mayoral election

Portland, Maine, held an election for mayor on November 8, 2011.

2011 Portland, Maine, mayoral election

November 8, 2011 2015 →
 
Candidate Michael F. Brennan Ethan Strimling Nicholas Mavodones
Party Nonpartisan Nonpartisan Nonpartisan
First round vote 5,211 4,392 2,931
First round percentage 25.5% 22.3% 14.9%
Final round vote 8,971 7,138 eliminated
Final round percentage 55.7% 44.3% eliminated

 
Candidate David Marshall Jed Rathband
Party Nonpartisan Nonpartisan
First round vote 1,506 1,393
First round percentage 7.6% 7.0%
Final round vote eliminated eliminated
Final round percentage eliminated eliminated

Mayor before election

Nicholas Mavodones

Elected mayor

Michael F. Brennan

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.[1] From 1923 until 2011, city councilors 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. On December 5, 2011, he was sworn in as the first citizen-elected mayor in 88 years.

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,[2] be elected using instant-runoff voting,[3] and, like the rest of municipal government in Portland, be officially non-partisan.[4]

Ballot access

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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.[5] 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.[6][7]

Race

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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.[8] Bouzrara withdrew during the petitioning process.[9]

Endorsements

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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.[9] On October 17, the Portland Press Herald endorsed Michael Brennan.[10] On October 26, Jed Rathband received the sole endorsement from the Portland Regional Chamber of Commerce Political Action Committee.[11] On November 1, Ethan Strimling received the endorsement of John Eder.[12] On November 1, David Marshall received the endorsement of Maine Green Independent Party.[9] On November 1, Nicholas Mavodones received the endorsements of Carpenters Local 1996 and AFSCME Local 481.[13] On November 5, The Portland Daily Sun endorsed Michael Brennan.[14]

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 Carpenters Local 1996 AFSCME Local 481
Charles Bragdon
Michael Brennan #2 #2 #1 #1 #1
Peter Bryant
Ralph Carmona
Richard Dodge
Jill Duson
John Eder #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 #4
Christopher Vail

Candidates

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On the ballot

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Write-in

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  • Erick Bennett, Parkside resident, Republican blogger and campaign media aide to Governor Paul LePage,[36] submitted nomination papers with insufficient valid signatures,[6] announced Write-in candidacy on August 30 pending request of petition recount with Portland City Clerk's office[9]

Withdrawn/Failed

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  • Nicholas Hall, failed to submit nomination papers[6]
  • Robert Higgins, failed to submit nomination papers[6]
  • Steve Huston, homeless activist who announced candidacy but never picked up petitions[9]
  • Paul Schafer, failed to submit nomination papers[6]
  • Jay York[9]

Results

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Portland, Maine mayoral election, 2011
Party Candidate FPv% Count
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15
Nonpartisan Michael Brennan 26.5 5,211 5,214 5,228 5,251 5,307 5,362 5,455 5,508 5,578 5,652 5,858 6,107 6,537 7,515 8,971
Nonpartisan Ethan Strimling 22.3 4,392 4,399 4,406 4,435 4,452 4,505 4,554 4,601 4,674 4,754 4,859 5,072 5,472 5,934 7,138
Nonpartisan Nicholas Mavodones 14.9 2,941 2,947 2,957 2,968 2,984 2,998 3,023 3,072 3,124 3,237 3,303 3,504 3,793 4,075  
Nonpartisan David Marshall 7.6 1,506 1,507 1,526 1,542 1,548 1,616 1,636 1,653 1,677 1,717 1,894 2,002 2,306    
Nonpartisan Jed Rathband 7.0 1,393 1,394 1,405 1,411 1,423 1,444 1,465 1,495 1,530 1,623 1,745 1,807      
Nonpartisan Jill Duson 4.2 839 840 858 867 879 898 922 948 960 989 1,049        
Nonpartisan Markos Miller 3.6 717 718 721 727 731 748 766 775 815 856          
Nonpartisan Richard Dodge 3.3 662 666 667 667 675 680 691 740 789            
Nonpartisan Christopher Vail 2.0 403 407 416 417 425 429 440 460              
Nonpartisan Peter Bryant 1.8 366 367 371 373 385 392 403                
Nonpartisan Ralph Carmona 1.6 316 317 320 324 339 344                  
Nonpartisan John Eder 1.3 274 275 278 291 298                    
Nonpartisan Charles Bragdon 1.1 218 220 223 226                      
Nonpartisan Hamza Haadoow 0.9 185 187 192                        
Nonpartisan Jodie Lapchick 0.6 130 130                          
Nonpartisan Write-in 0.4 81                            
Valid: 19,634   Spoilt: 578   Quota: {{{quota}}}   Turnout: 20,212  

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Maine Voices | Why Portland doesn't have an elected mayor by Abraham Peck, Portland Press Herald, September 27, 2010
  2. ^ Portland City Charter Archived 2011-09-08 at the Wayback Machine SEE: Article II Section 5. Mayor’s powers and duties.
  3. ^ Ranked Choice Voting City of Portland, Maine
  4. ^ Portland, Maine, to get popularly elected mayor Boston Globe, November 4, 2010
  5. ^ a b Mayoral hopefuls taking first step with finance forms Portland Daily Sun, March 22, 2011
  6. ^ a b c d e f g Nomination Papers Archived 2011-10-06 at the Wayback Machine listing of candidate status & contact information maintained & published by Portland City Clerk
  7. ^ Four gone 15 left: Field for Portland mayor now fits in a van, Portland Press Herald, August 31, 2011
  8. ^ Mayoral candidate held for violating probation Portland Press Herald, July 8, 2011
  9. ^ a b c d e f g Mayor Watch 2011 Archived 2013-02-08 at archive.today The West End News
  10. ^ Our View: For Portland mayor, Brennan gets our vote, Portland Press Herald, October 17, 2011
  11. ^ Portland Chamber Political Action Committee Endorses Rathband for Mayor Archived 2011-10-31 at the Wayback Machine, October 26, 2011
  12. ^ Eder endorses Strimling, Portland Daily Sun, November 1, 2011
  13. ^ Mavodones gets more labor endorsements, Portland Daily Sun, November 1, 2011
  14. ^ Endorsement, Portland Daily Sun, November 5, 2011
  15. ^ a b Three candidates file for mayor of Portland Portland Press Herald, January 20, 2011
  16. ^ Who’s running for mayor? (Yes, already!) Archived 2011-07-17 at the Wayback Machine Portland Phoenix, December 1, 2010
  17. ^ "Charles Bragdon - City Council District 1 — The League of Young Voters". Archived from the original on October 2, 2011. Retrieved May 24, 2011.
  18. ^ Former legislator expected to announce bid for mayor Portland Press Herald, May 16, 2011
  19. ^ LULAC leader ponders mayoral bid Portland Daily Sun, May 21, 2011
  20. ^ Portland mayoral field expected to sort itself out, Portland Daily Sun, August 19, 2011
  21. ^ "Board of Visitors biography". Archived from the original on November 5, 2010. Retrieved January 6, 2011.
  22. ^ a b c First mayoral election likely to draw a crowd [Portland Press Herald], November 4, 2010
  23. ^ Lobbyist Profile Jill Duson[permanent dead link] Year of Last Registration: 2004, Maine Ethics Commission
  24. ^ a b Rumors and Other Truths Archived 2011-02-20 at the Wayback Machine West End News
  25. ^ Two more candidates register for mayor’s race Portland Daily Sun, June 17, 2011
  26. ^ Lapchick becomes seventh to file as mayoral candidate "Portland Press Herald", April 12, 2011
  27. ^ Marshall to announce mayoral run Portland Daily Sun, March 25, 2011
  28. ^ a b Time for Portland's mayoral candidates to make an appearance Portland Press Herald, March 2, 2011
  29. ^ Mavodones enters Portland mayors race Portland Press Herald, August 19, 2011
  30. ^ [1] Archived 2010-12-11 at the Wayback Machine
  31. ^ Another candidate announces for position of Portland's elected mayor Portland Press Herald, June 6, 2011
  32. ^ By Naomi Schalit, Senior reporter, Maine Center for Public Interest Reporting[permanent dead link] Brunswick Times Record, February 8, 2011
  33. ^ Probe finds mismanagement, but no fraud at Maine Green Energy Alliance Archived 2011-11-13 at the Wayback Machine, Portland Press Herald, August 23, 2011
  34. ^ Lobbyist Profile Jed Rathband[permanent dead link] Year of Last Registration: 2009, Maine Ethics Commission
  35. ^ The Bollard Archived 2012-03-31 at the Wayback Machine December 24, 2007
  36. ^ Bennett steps into mayoral ring Portland Daily Sun, March 22, 2011
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