SCARBOROUGH — Election Day was unkind to incumbents.

All but one were defeated Tuesday in Town Council and Board of Education elections, and in the races for trustees of the Scarborough Sanitary District and Portland Water District.

William Donovan scored big in his second council campaign, leading the four-candidate field with 2,177 votes. Donovan lost to current Councilor Kate St. Clair in 2012.

“I thought voters felt strongly they needed a voice for providing better control over our budgets and tax rate,” Donovan said Wednesday.

Jean-Marie Caterina received 2,065 votes, earning the second, three-year seat in the town-wide race. Caterina ran unsuccessfully in state House District 128 in 2012, losing to Republican Rep. Heather Sirocki.

Incumbent Councilor Judy Roy, the current vice chairwoman, finished third with 1,482 votes, while former Councilor and School Board member Carol Rancourt trailed with 1,208 votes. Rancourt was attempting to return a year after local term limits laws prevented her from seeking a fourth consecutive term.

Caterina said she sensed change was coming as she campaigned.

“I heard about dogs, taxes and change, probably in that order,” she said.

After council Chairman Ron Ahlquist’s withdrawal from the race in September, four of seven councilors are new or have served less than one full term. Councilor Jessica Sullivan, first elected in 2009, now has the longest continuous service. Councilor Richard Sullivan Jr. lost a re-election bid that year, but was returned to the council in 2011.

Roy found the loss surprising.

“I was feeling really positive vibes. I got a lot of nice comments from folks,” Roy said. “I’m very disappointed, but will move on,”

Incumbent School Board member John Cole was unsuccessful in his bid for a third consecutive, three-year term, trailing newcomers Jane Leng and Jodi Shea in the race for two seats. Leng topped all candidates with 2,522 votes, Shea received 2,193 votes, and Cole finished with 1,834 votes.

Leng said the victory was an honor and a challenge.

“I had such a wonderful experience during the campaign,” she said. “(But) we jump in right away, the hard work is just starting.”

Newcomer Seth Garrison made the races for trustee positions unique because they were contested. Then he won a three-year term as Sanitary District Trustee with 1,942 votes.

Incumbent David Nelson, who had 2,127 votes in the race for two seats on the quasi-governmental board, finished first. Incumbent Herbert “Bud” Waldron trailed with 1,733 votes.

Garrison also won a five-year seat as the town’s representative on the Portland Water District Board of Trustees. He defeated incumbent Robert McSorley (also a Sanitary District Trustee), 1,949 to 1,238.

Voter turnout was about 27 percent, with 4,028 ballots cast, Town Clerk Tody Justice said.

David Harry can be reached at 781-3661 ext. 110 or dharry@theforecaster.net. Follow him on Twitter: @DavidHarry8.

Sidebar Elements

---

Caterina

Garrison

Donovan

Leng

Nelson

Shea