2019 Portland, Maine, mayoral election
Portland, Maine , held an election for mayor on November 5, 2019.[ 1] It was the third election to be held since Portland voters approved a citywide referendum changing the city charter to recreate an elected mayor position in 2010.[ 2]
Kate Snyder , the newly citizen-elected mayor, won a four-year term in the full-time position, and will exercise the powers and duties enumerated in Article II Section 5 of the Portland City Charter.[ 3] She was elected using ranked choice voting .[ 4] With rest of the elected municipal government in Portland, the post is officially non-partisan .[ 5] Incumbent Mayor Ethan Strimling running for re-election,[ 6] was challenged by city councilor Spencer Thibodeau, former Portland School Board Chair Kate Snyder and East End resident Travis Curran.[ 7]
Every candidate running for mayor in the heavily Democratic city was a registered member of the Maine Democratic Party .
Travis Curran, waiter, East End resident[ 7]
Kate Snyder , nonprofit executive, former Chair of the Portland School Board, Oakdale resident[ 8]
Ethan Strimling , incumbent mayor, West End resident[ 6]
Spencer Thibodeau, real estate lawyer, City Councilor for District 2, Parkside resident[ 9]
Failed to qualify for ballot [ edit ]
Mark Hodgdon, Libbytown resident[ 10]
Ronald E. Gordius III, West Bayside resident[ 10]
Thaddeus St. John, businessman, Munjoy Hill resident[ 10] [ 11]
Justin Costa, City Councilor for District 4 and East Deering resident[ 12]
Belinda Ray, City Councilor for District 1 and East Bayside resident[ 13]
Joseph Bernatche, Riverton resident, Army veteran[ 7] [ 10]
Kate Snyder
Individuals
Kim Cook, Portland City Councilor[ 15]
Justin Costa, Portland City Councilor (also endorsed Thibodeau) [ 12]
John Spritz, Co-Founder, Back Cove Neighborhood Association[ 16]
Media outlets
Ethan Strimling
Governors
Mayors
State legislators
Benjamin Collings, State Representative[ 19]
Annette Hoglund, former State Representative[ 19]
Christopher Kessler, State Representative[ 19]
Anne Rand , former State Senator[ 19]
John G. Richardson , former State Representative, former Speaker of the Maine House of Representatives [ 19]
Diane Russell , former State Representative, candidate for Governor of Maine in 2018 [ 19]
Mike Sylvester , State Representative[ 21]
Gerald Talbot , former State Representative, first African-American elected official in Maine history[ 19]
Rachel Talbot Ross, State Representative[ 18]
Eliza Townsend , former State Representative[ 19]
Charlotte Warren , State Representative[ 19]
Municipal officials
Pious Ali, Portland City Councilor[ 19]
Marshall Archer, Saco City Councilor[ 18]
Tim Atkinson, Member of the Portland Board of Education[ 19]
Deqa Dhalac, South Portland City Councilor[ 19]
Emily Figdor, Member of the Portland Board of Education[ 6]
Thomas Kane, former Mayor of Portland (1998–1999)[ 22]
Micky Bondo M'bambi, Member of the Portland Board of Education[ 19]
Marianne Morrione, Member of the Portland Board of Education[ 6]
Roberto Rodriguez, Chair of the Portland Board of Education[ 19]
Nasir Shir, Member of the Cape Elizabeth School Board[ 18]
Other individuals
El Hadi Adam, President of the Sudanese Community of Portland[ 18]
Papy Bongibo, President of the Congolese Community of Portland[ 18]
Mark Dion , candidate for Governor of Maine in 2018 , former State Representative, former State Senator, former Cumberland County Sheriff[ 18]
John Eder , former State Representative, former Portland Board of Education member[ 19]
Mahmoud Hassan, President of the Somali Community of Portland[ 18]
Nsiona Nguizani, President of the Angolan Community of Portland[ 18]
John Ochira, President of the South Sudanese Community of Portland[ 18]
Diane Russell , candidate for Governor of Maine in 2018 , former State Representative[ 18]
Betsy Sweet, candidate for Governor of Maine in 2018 and candidate for US Senate in 2020 [ 23]
Organizations
Maine People's Alliance[ 22]
Progressive Portland[ 23]
Trade unions
Spencer Thibodeau
Former Portland mayors
Michael F. Brennan , State Representative (1992–2000; 2018–present), former State Senator (2002–2006), former Mayor of Portland (2011–2015)[ 22]
Jim Cohen, former Mayor of Portland (2005–2006)[ 22]
Philip J. "Jack" Dawson, former Mayor of Portland (1986–1987; 1995–1996)[ 22]
Karen Geraghty, former Mayor of Portland (2001–2002)[ 22]
Cheryl Leeman, former Mayor of Portland (2000–2001)[ 22]
Pamela Plumb, former Mayor of Portland (1981–1982)[ 22]
Anne B. Pringle, former Mayor of Portland (1993–1994)[ 22]
Nathan Smith, former Mayor of Portland (2003–2004)[ 22]
City councilors
Brian Batson, Portland City Councilor[ 15]
Justin Costa, Portland City Councilor (also endorsed Snyder) [ 12]
Jill Duson , Portland City Councilor, former Mayor of Portland[ 15]
Nicholas Mavodones, Portland City Councilor, former Mayor of Portland[ 15]
Belinda Ray, Portland City Councilor [ 15]
Other individuals
Organizations
Portland Police Benevolent Association[ 24]
Poll source
Date(s) administered
Sample size
Margin of error
Travis Curran
Kate Snyder
Ethan Strimling
Spencer Thibodeau
Change Research [ 27]
October 4–6, 2019
347
±5%
5%
24%
29%
29%
The official election results were:[ 28]
Portland, Maine mayoral election, 2019
Party
Candidate
Round 1
Round 2
Round 3
Votes
%
Transfer
Votes
%
Transfer
Votes
%
Non-partisan
Kate Snyder
7,119
39.33%
+ 458
7,577
42.08%
+ 2,883
10,460
61.89%
Non-partisan
Spencer Thibodeau
5,110
28.23%
+ 164
5,274
29.29%
+ 1,168
6,442
38.11%
Non-partisan
Ethan Strimling
4,575
25.28%
+ 580
5,155
28.63%
- 5,155
Eliminated
Non-partisan
Travis Curran
1,296
7.16%
- 1,296
Eliminated
Total votes
16,902
100.0%
^ The U.S. Conference of Mayors: Meet the Mayors Archived 2015-04-13 at the Wayback Machine , The U.S. Conference of Mayors
^ "Maine Voices: Why Portland doesn't have an elected mayor" . Press Herald . September 27, 2010. Retrieved June 9, 2021 .
^ Portland City Charter Archived 2011-09-08 at the Wayback Machine SEE: Article II Section 5. Mayor’s powers and duties.
^ Schroeder, Nick (November 6, 2019). "Kate Snyder unseats Ethan Strimling in Portland mayoral race" . Bangor Daily News . Retrieved October 2, 2021 .
^ "Portland, Maine, to get popularly elected mayor" . Boston.com . Retrieved June 9, 2021 .
^ a b c d "Ethan Strimling Results That Matter" . June 12, 2019.
^ a b c Zeli, Anthony (July 22, 2019). "Justin Costa Withdraws from Mayor's Race – Endorses Two Candidates (Hint: Neither is Mayor Ethan Strimling)" . West End News . Retrieved July 29, 2019 .
^ Billings, Randy (March 26, 2019). "Former school board chair announces run for Portland mayor" . Portland Press Herald . Retrieved April 14, 2019 . City Councilors Justin Costa, Belinda Ray and Spencer Thibodeau have already made announcements.
^ Billings, Randy (January 9, 2019). "Portland councilor becomes first to say he'll run to challenge Strimling for mayor" . Portland Press Herald . Retrieved April 15, 2019 .
^ a b c d "Nominating Papers Taken Out" . August 23, 2019.
^ Lusignan, Kate (July 15, 2019). "Millennial entrepreneur enters race for Portland mayor" . Portland Press Herald . Retrieved July 16, 2019 .
^ a b c Billings, Randy (July 12, 2019). "Justin Costa drops out of Portland mayoral race" . Portland Press Herald . Retrieved July 16, 2019 .
^ Billings, Randy (June 24, 2019). "Councilor Belinda Ray drops out of Portland mayor's race" . Portland Press Herald .
^ "Portland Councilor Ray announces mayoral bid" . The Forecaster . February 4, 2019. Retrieved April 14, 2019 .
^ a b c d e "Five of 7 fellow councilors endorse Spencer Thibodeau for Portland mayor" . pressherald.com . September 10, 2019. Retrieved September 10, 2019 .
^ "Team – Kate for Mayor" . Archived from the original on July 11, 2019. Retrieved July 11, 2019 .
^ "Our Endorsement: Kate Snyder is Our Choice for Mayor" . Portland Press Herald . October 17, 2019.
^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af "Endorsements – Mayor Ethan Strimling" . Archived from the original on October 19, 2019. Retrieved October 19, 2019 .
^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t "Over 20 current and former elected officials, including most of the Portland School Board endorse Mayor Strimling's re-election" (PDF) . Archived from the original (PDF) on October 19, 2019. Retrieved September 13, 2019 .
^ Emerson, Anthony [@AnthonyEmerso14] (May 23, 2019). "In a twist I did not see coming, NYC Mayor and Presidential candidate @BilldeBlasio has endorsed Ethan Strimling for Mayor of Portland #mepolitics" (Tweet ) – via Twitter .
^ "Looking Forward — Mayor Ethan Strimling" . Archived from the original on July 18, 2019. Retrieved July 18, 2019 .
^ a b c d e f g h i j Billings, Randy (October 18, 2019). "Thibodeau endorsed by 11 former mayors, including 3 who supported Strimling in last election" . Portland Press Herald .
^ a b Harry, David (January 22, 2019). "Portland mayor's unofficial campaign draws $42K in contributions, Progressive Portland endorsement" . The Forecaster . Retrieved April 14, 2019 .
^ a b Billings, Randy (October 2, 2019). "Portland's First Responders Take Opposing Sides In Mayoral Race" . Portland Press Herald .
^ "Southern Maine Labor Council Endorses Strimling for Mayor of Portland" (PDF) . Archived from the original (PDF) on August 30, 2019. Retrieved August 30, 2019 .
^ a b c d "Coming Soon" . www.spencerthibodeau.com .
^ Change Research
^ "Official Elections Results for General Election 11-5-2019" . portlandmaine.gov . Retrieved March 20, 2020 .
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