BRUNSWICK — Two Democrats will square off in a June primary to run against a Republican in House District 50.

They are three of many candidates seeking office in an election year that includes another primary race and potentially two, three-way state Senate races.

This election year will be the first to implement the state’s new districts for state Senate and House races, which were approved last year. The deadline for party candidates to file was Monday, March 17; unaffiliated candidates have until June 2.

Democratic primary

The House District 50 seat is being vacated by Rep. Charles Priest, D-Brunswick. Priest, who first served from 1984-1990 and returned in 2006, has reached his four-term limit in what was District 63, which covers east Brunswick.

To replace him, Ralph Tucker, a retired Maine District Court judge, and Jacqueline Sartoris, an elder law attorney, are seeking the Democratic nomination in the June 10 primary. Both are former town councilors, while Tucker has also been a School Board member.

Both candidates have other ties, past and present, with local government. Tucker’s son, Ben Tucker, was a two-term District 2 town councilor. Sartoris’ husband, Steve Walker, is the sitting District 2 councilor.

The Republican candidate is Mark Holbrook, of Given Shipyard Road, a consultant who provides training services to law enforcement agencies, banks and community mental health agencies.

Republican race in Topsham

In Topsham, Susan Dolan, of Barrows Drive, and Kim Talbot, of West Schoolhouse Crossing Road, are seeking the Republican nomination  in House District 54 (formerly District 60).

The seat is currently held by state Rep. Andrew Mason, D-Topsham, who is seeking a second term. He previously served on the Topsham Development Board before being elected in 2010 to the Board of Selectmen; he stepped down from that post when he was elected in 2012 to the House of Representatives.

Maine Green Independent Daniel Stromgren is also on the ballot. He is a social worker who unsuccessfully ran in a special election last year against state Sen. Eloise Vitelli, D-Arrowsic, for what is now Senate District 23.

Senate Districts 23, 24

Vitelli, meanwhile, is seeking a second term in the former District 19. She currently serves as director of program and policy at Women, Work and Community, an economic development organization for women in Maine.

Also on the ballot in Senate District 23 are Republican candidate Linda Baker, of Homeplace in Topsham, and Maine Green Independent candidate Alice Knapp, of Alexander Reed Road in Richmond.

State Sen. Stan Gerzofsky, D-Brunswick, is seeking his fourth term in Senate District 24 (formerly District 10), which covers Brunswick, Freeport, Harpswell, North Yarmouth and Pownal. He previously served four terms as a state representative.

Maine Green Independent candidate Fred Horch, of Pleasant Street, and Republican candidate Jennifer Johnson, of Wadsworth Road, both in Brunswick, are also running.

Horch, who founded the now-defunct F.W. Horch Sustainable Goods & Supplies on Maine Street, ran unsuccessfully against state Rep. Matthea Daughtry, D-Brunswick, in 2012 and former state Rep. Alex Cornell du Houx, D-Brunswick, in 2010.

Johnson co-owns Johnson’s Sporting Goods.

House Districts 49, 51, 52

Daughtry is seeking her second term in what is now House District 49, which covers west Brunswick. Daughtry runs her own photography and video company, and also works as a freelance writer and researcher.

Also on the ballot is Republican candidate Michael Stevens, of Perry Drive.

State Rep. Jeremy Saxton, D-Harpswell, is also seeking his second term in what is now House District 51 (formerly District 64), which covers Harpswell, West Bath and the northern, inland portion of Brunswick. He helps run Dolphin Marina and Restaurant in Harpswell and has helped open other restaurants.

Saxton is joined on the ballot by Republican candidate Byron Watson, of Beverly Drive, Brunswick, a former Brunswick School Board member who unsuccessfully sought re-election bids in 2010 and 2013. Watson, who also lost a bid for a Town Council in 2012, has worked on several political campaigns, including for former U.S. Sen. Olympia Snowe, R-Maine.

State Rep. Jennifer DeChant, D-Bath, is seeking her second term in House District 52 (formerly District 62), which covers Bath. She previously worked as the public service manager for Maine’s Department of Community and Economic Development.

Republican candidate Ryan Daniels, of York Street, is also on the District 52 ballot.

County ballots

In Cumberland County, incumbent Sheriff Kevin Joyce of Standish is opposed in the Democratic primary by former Maine State Police Sgt. Michael Edes, of Cumberland.

District Attorney Stephanie Anderson, a Cape Elizabeth Republican, is the only candidate for her office, as is incumbent Judge of Probate Joseph Mazziotti of Falmouth, a Democrat.

In Sagadahoc County, Democrat Jane Scease of Topsham is the only candidate on the ballot for county treasurer. Republican Lynn Moore of Woolwich is running for register of deeds.

Alex Lear and David Harry contributed to this story. Dylan Martin can be reached at 781-3661 ext. 100 or dmartin@theforecaster.net. Follow him on Twitter: @DylanLJMartin.

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