ROCKLAND, Maine — Deborah Atwell announced Sunday she will withdraw from the city council race, a little more than a week before the election.
Atwell said she was withdrawing from the race because she was afraid that she and candidate William Jillson would split the vote and end up re-electing Frank Isganitis, who is serving as mayor this year.
“He (Jillson) and I see almost eye to eye on the issues, especially the fast-tracked power plant with its lousy location next to the schools and neighborhoods. I also agree with Bill, that we have been taken over by a dictatorship run by the new city manager, James Chaousis. Bill is young and is the pulse of Rockland. He is what the city needs right now. I ask everyone who planned to vote for me to vote for Bill Jillson,” Atwell said Sunday afternoon.
Atwell said she would formally submit her withdrawal to Rockland City Clerk Stuart Sylvester on Monday. Any votes cast for Atwell will not be counted. Any votes for her by people who have already voted by absentee ballot will not count and those voters cannot have an opportunity to change their votes.
The election is Nov. 3.
Atwell is a community activist who has argued against the construction of a natural-gas power plant in Rockland. She participated Monday in a debate with Isganitis, a forum that Jillson did not attend.
Jillson said Sunday that Atwell had informed him of her decision. He said he was cautiously optimistic that he can win the seat in a one-on-one race with Isganitis.
Jillson said he said he is opposed to the way the council has handled the gas plant process by only advertising for a short-time, which he said limited the only potential buyer to be Rockland Energy Center.
The Lake View Drive resident said he also opposed the city council’s decision to get rid of the city-run recreation department and contract with the Penobscot Bay YMCA.
Isganitis said Sunday he had no comment on Atwell’s withdrawal.
This is the second candidate to withdraw in Rockland in the weeks leading up to the election. Incumbent Regional School Unit 13 Board member Esther “Tess” Kilgour withdrew Tuesday in her re-election bid.
Her withdrawal means that incumbent Nancy Jeffers and challenger Jesse Butler will be uncontested.