AUGUSTA, Maine — A special election has been called for Tuesday, March 10, to fill the vacancy created when Democratic Rep. Elizabeth Dickerson of Rockland announced she was resigning.
Dickerson’s letter was received Thursday by the Maine secretary of state’s office after being sent to the speaker of the Maine House. Gov. Paul LePage called for the election on Friday to fill the House 93 seat which represents the residents of Rockland and Owls Head.
The Rockland City Council voted unanimously Wednesday night to ask for the election. Owls Head selectmen approved the same request Tuesday.
Five people have announced their intention to run for the seat — three Democrats, one Republican and a Libertarian who is unenrolled. The Maine Green Party also has indicated it would try to field a candidate. All the announced candidates for the post are from Rockland.
The parties each must nominate a candidate and file the name of the nominee by 5 p.m. Monday, Feb. 9. Each party nominee will be selected at a caucus of party members.
Nonparty candidates can pick up nomination papers from the secretary of state and must file completed forms by 5 p.m. Monday, Feb. 9. Write-in candidates need to file their intent with the same office by 5 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 17, for votes for them to count.
The announced Republican candidate is James Kalloch, who operates Penobscot Bay Ferry and Transport out of Rockland, and who lost narrowly (1,744 to 1,612) to Dickerson in November.
The Democratic candidates are Pinny “Anne” Beebe Center, a former county commissioner; Steve Roberts, Regional School Unit 13 board chairman; and Carol Bachofner, a RSU 13 board member. Ralph Newbert, a former RSU 13 special education director, announced Friday evening he was dropping out and voiced support for Beebe-Center.
Also announced is Shawn Levasseur, who is a Libertarian activist but an unenrolled candidate.
Dickerson moved to Colorado for personal and professional reasons a month after being sworn in to a second term. She posted a photo on social media earlier this week of herself holding up the letter she was mailing to the secretary of state.