ROCKLAND, Maine — A former county commissioner has become the fifth announced candidate to seek the Maine House seat being vacated by Democratic Rep. Elizabeth Dickerson of Rockland.
Pinny “Anne” Beebe-Center announced Friday she would seek the Democratic nomination.
Beebe-Center served eight years as a Knox County Commissioner before deciding to not seek re-election when her term expired in 2010.
For the past five years, the Rockland woman has been the regional manager for the Penquis Community Action Program. She helped establish the Knox County Homeless Coalition and the new Hospitality House. She also has begun exploring the establishment of a federally qualified health center in Knox County.
Beebe-Center joins three other Rockland residents who have announced they would seek the Democratic nomination — Regional School Unit 13 Board Chairman Steve Roberts, RSU 13 Board member Carol Bachofner and former RSU 13 special education director Ralph Newbert.
James Kalloch has announced he will seek the Republican nomination. Kalloch operates Penobscot Bay Ferry and Transport in Rockland. He narrowly lost (1,744 to 1,612) to Dickerson in November.
The Green Party also has announced it is working to recruit a candidate for Maine House District 93, which encompasses Rockland and Owls Head.
Once Dickerson submits a signed resignation letter, the municipal officials of Rockland and Owls Head will need to ask Gov. Paul LePage to call for a special election. The Rockland City Council is scheduled to vote at its 6:30 p.m. Monday meeting to ask for such an election.
Secretary of State Matthew Dunlap has said it typically takes 45 to 90 days to hold an election from when a resignation is received.
The political parties will nominate their candidates at caucuses — meetings of registered voters of the two communities. Unenrolled candidates can circulate nomination papers once an election is called and will have to file them with the Secretary of State’s Office by a deadline that would be detailed when the governor calls for an election.
Dickerson resigned for personal and professional reasons and has moved to Colorado.