ELLSWORTH, Maine — Two of three Ellsworth city councilors whose terms are ending this year will not have their names on the city’s election ballots in November.
Marc Blanchette, who has served on council since 2013, and Michelle Kaplan, who has served one 3-year term, did not turn in candidacy papers at City Hall by the 5 p.m. deadline on Monday, according to staffers in the city clerk’s office.
In all, seven people have filed candidacy papers for three available seats on the council. Robert Miller, an incumbent councilor who has served on the board since 2019, is up for reelection and will have his name on the city’s November ballot.
Others who submitted council candidacy papers by the Monday deadline include former Ellsworth City Manager Michelle Beal, local businessman John Linnehan, former Deputy City Manager Tammy Mote, Kristen Schlaefer, Jonathan Stein and Gordon Workman.
Linnehan ran unsuccessfully for Ellsworth City Council in 2016 and again last year. Beal, Mote, Schlaefer, Stein and Workman have not previously run for Ellsworth office.
Blanchette said that he decided not to run again so he and his wife, who is retiring from her job, can travel more.
Paul Markosian, an incumbent on the city’s school board, was the only person to submit papers in that race, even though two seats will be available in November. Tara Young, who was elected last year to a one-year term on the school board, is not running for re-election.
With only one candidate’s name printed on the ballot, the other seat is expected to be filled by whoever gets the most write-in votes. Write-in candidates for elected city positions in Ellsworth are not required to declare their candidacy or to otherwise register with the city before an election is held, according to City Clerk Toni Dyer.
There will be one seat available on the city library’s board of trustees, but no one turned in candidacy papers in that race. A term being served by Anne Lusby, the board’s treasurer, is expiring this year.
