On Tuesday, November 4, Brunswick voters will fill four town council seats and three school board seats at the Recreation Center on Brunswick Landing. The state will also be voting on two referendum questions with the potential to change absentee voting laws and gun regulations.

If your address has changed since the last time you voted, you must register to vote again under your new address. Voters in Maine are able to register to vote on Election Day at the polls. Absentee ballots must be received by the municipal clerk’s office by 8 p.m. on November 4. Brunswick municipal offices use a plurality voting system in which the candidates who poll highest are elected.

Referendum

Two statewide referendum questions are on the ballot this year. Question 1 would restrict absentee voting by prohibiting family members from requesting absentee ballots via telephone, eliminating automatic absentee voter status for senior citizens and individuals with disabilities, requiring photo identification for voting and limiting available drop boxes, among other changes to the election process in the state. The Voter ID for ME campaign argues that these changes to voting aim to make elections “more secure for all voters, not appreciably more difficult for any voters.” However, Maine Democrats largely reject this claim and oppose its potential impact on voter accessibility. At “No Kings” rallies across the state last weekend, Democratic candidates and officials urged citizens to vote against this question.

Question 2 would introduce a red flag law to Maine, which would temporarily prohibit a person from possessing dangerous weapons if law enforcement, family or household members demonstrate that the person poses a significant threat to themselves or others. Maine currently has a yellow flag law in place, which requires law enforcement to take individuals into police custody until a medical evaluation certifies whether or not that the person poses a threat to themselves or others. Some, including Governor Janet Mills, who opposes Question 2, believe that introducing a new law may cause confusion and endanger public safety. However, others, such as the Maine Association of Psychiatric Physicians, have expressed their support for Question 2 and believe that this policy will help destigmatize mental health and extend the law to those who are at risk but do not have a diagnosed mental illness.

Town Council

Richard Ellis and Lisa Trombley are running to replace David Watson, who has served in District 1 since 2002. Ellis focuses on issues of property taxes and housing development to protect homeowners, particularly mobile home owners, who he says are being hit the hardest. Trombley prioritizes fiscal and sustainable financial development to manage the town budget due to the current housing crisis.

Current District 2 Councilor James Ecker is running for reelection uncontested. He asserts that he will focus on making Brunswick affordable and emphasizes the importance of centering sustainability in multiple forms: economic, social and environmental.

The new District 4 councilor will serve the remainder of Sande Updegraph’s term once she retires at the end of November. Corrine Perreault and Stephen Walker are running for this seat. Perreault, who served on the school board from 2001 to 2018, prioritizes commercial development and attracting new businesses, as well as residential development. Walker, who held the District 2 town councilor seat for 11 years, aims to promote natural resource conservation and a controlled and responsible growth plan guided by the town’s Comprehensive Plan.

Two candidates are running for the District 2 seat. Ramona Rhieme is challenging Nathaniel Shed, who has served as the District 6 councilor in Brunswick for three years. Shed emphasizes effective budget management to reduce property tax, maintaining downtown Brunswick as a center for economic growth and increasing land conservation and outdoor recreation programs. Rhieme aims to prioritize affordable housing and transportation in order to prevent gentrification, as well as improving Brunswick roadways for pedestrian and bike safety.

School Board

Each of the three school board seats are uncontested. For District 1, Elizabeth Ketner is hoping to protect families experiencing financial hardship. Beth Bission of District 2, who has served as the chairperson of the school board since 2022, plans to work with the Town Council to promote more effective budget management as well as staff recruitment and retention. Finally, Elizabeth Sokoloff of District 6, who has served as vice chairperson of the board for two years, plans to advocate for more adequate budgeting in order to protect education programs such as mental health services and special education.