FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 13, 2011
Contact: Dave Lackey
207-626-8400

Secretary of State Summers Sets Special Election March 1st For Maine House District 11

Special election will fill legislative vacancy caused by the death of Rep. Everett McLeod Sr.

AUGUSTA, MAINE -- Secretary of State Charles Summers announced Thursday that a special election in Maine House of Representatives District 11 will be held on Tuesday, March 1, 2011. The election is required to fill a vacancy created by the death of Rep. Everett McLeod Sr. on December 20, 2010.

House District 11, centered in Lee, covers an array of eastern Maine communities in Penobscot and Washington counties, including: Burlington, Carroll Plt., Chester, Codyville Plt., Danforth, Drew Plt., Lakeville, Lee, Lowell, Mattawamkeag, Passadumkeag, Prentiss Plt., Princeton, Springfield, Talmadge, Topsfield, Twombley Plt.. Vanceboro, Waite, Webster Plt., Winn, and Woodville; as well as East Central Penobscot Twp., East Hancock Twp.; Grand Lake Stream Twp., North Washington Twp.; and Whitney Twp.

In accordance with Maine election laws (Title 21-A), Governor Paul R. LePage issued a proclamation on Wednesday declaring the vacancy and ordering the appropriate political committees to meet. The Democratic, Green Independent and Republican committees in State Representative District 11 have until 4:00 p.m. on Thursday, January 27, 2011 to file a Certificate of Nomination with the Office of the Secretary of State to place the name of a candidate on the March 1st ballot. A joint caucus of each party’s committee will be held to nominate a candidate. The caucus will be called and conducted under the applicable party rules.

Nomination petitions for candidates who are not enrolled in a party are available through the Elections Division and must be filed by the January 27th deadline. Non-party candidate petitions may be signed by any registered voter residing in State Representative District 11.

Voters in House District 11 may now request an absentee ballot from their municipal clerk. Blank (write-in) absentee ballots will be provided to each municipality in the district. Regular absentee ballots will be made available once those names are reported to the Secretary of State by the respective political parties, or once any non-party candidates file the required petitions.

The Department of the Secretary of State is responsible for accepting and reviewing the Certificates of Nomination, printing the ballots, providing information and assistance to municipal officials as needed, and confirming the election results.