See complete Election Results from L-A on Pages 4 and 6 of Digital Edition

By Peter A. Steele

TCT Editor

The Lewiston Casino question won over Lewiston voters, but lost statewide and in Auburn; Mark Paradis and Bob Macdonald topped a field of five candidates to face each other in a December 13 run-off election for Lewiston mayor; and a hotshot young professional, Jonathan LaBonté, 31, is Auburn’s new mayor and perhaps its youngest ever.

A familiar and vocal figure in local politics, LaBonté ran unopposed for Auburn mayor, scaring away any would-be challengers. In Lewiston, five competed for mayor. Paradis was the top vote getter with 2,967 votes (32%). Macdonald was a close second with 2,853 votes (31%).

The other three candidates for mayor were: Walter M. Hill, who got 1,442 votes (16%); Stanley Pelletier, who took 1,226 votes (13%); and Ronald Jean, who won 790 votes (9%).

Since the Lewiston mayor must be elected with more than 50% of the vote, Paradis and Macdonald will challenge each other in a run-off election, scheduled for December 13.

The Lewiston City Council will consist of John T. Butler Jr. in Ward 1; Donald A. D’Auteuil in Ward 2; Nathan Lloyd Libby in Ward 3; Doreen M. Christ in Ward 4; Craig O. Saddlemire in Ward 5; Mark A. Cayer in Ward 6; and Ricahrd R. Desjardins in Ward 7. Four of the seven councilors ran unopposed: Butler, Christ, Saddlemire and Desjardins

In Auburn, the City Council will consist of: Tizz Crowely in Ward 1; Robert P. Hayes in Ward 2; Mary J. LaFontaine in Ward 3; David Young in Ward 4; Leroy G. Walker Sr. in Ward 5; and Joshua Shea and Belinda Gerry as at-large councilors. Young and Hayes ran unopposed.

The big race in Auburn was for the two at-large council seats. Shea topped the field with 2,237 votes with veteran councilor Gerry right behind him. She won 2,198 votes, just 39 votes fewer than Shea.

Other at-large candidates were: Jeremiah Bartlett with 1,891 votes; Ron Potvin with 1,536 votes; and Michael Lemay with 1,006 votes.

In school committee races, the Lewiston School Committee members are: Linda M. Scott in Ward 1; Paul R. St. Pierre in Ward 2; Eugene P. Dumont in Ward 3; James R. Handy in Ward 4; Sonia G. Taylor in Ward 5; and Thomas P. Shannon in Ward 7. In two write-in elections for the school committee, Elizabeth Dube won in Ward 6 and Robert V. Connors won the at-large seat.

Of the eight Lewiston School Committee members, six ran unopposed: Scott, St. Pierre, Dumont, Handy, Taylor and Shannon. Two others filled vacant seats as write-in candidates: Dube and Connors.

The Auburn School Committee members are: write-in candidate Horton in Ward 1; Bonnie Hayes in Ward 2; Thomas M. Kendall in Ward 3; Tracey Levesque in Ward 4; Lawrence Pelletier in Ward 5; and Francois Bussiere in the at-large seat. Kendall, Levesque and Pelletier ran unopposed.

Of Lewiston’s 22,950 voters, 10,106 turned out (44%) for the election. They voted down the racino proposal in Biddeford, but approved the Lewiston casino proposal 5,565 to 4,311 (56% to 44%). The rest of the state rejected both the Biddeford and Lewiston proposals. The Lewiston casino proposal got crushed statewide with 63% opposed to 37% in favor. Even Auburn voted to reject it with 56% opposed to 44% in favor.

Of the 959,074 voters statewide, 343,376 participated in the election (almost 36%). They repealed a law that prohibited Election Day Registration with 60% in favor of allowing same-day registration and 40% opposed.

They rejected the Biddeford racino proposal, which would have allowed a racino in Washington County, with 45% in favor and 55% opposed. Statewide, voters approved (53% to 47%) a proposal that changed the date for the 10-year redistricting for state, county and congressional districts.

Statistics sourced from: Bestuscasinos.org/legal/california/