One of the two candidates in a Bucksport-area school board race that went to a recount that ended in a tie and is now in a runoff election now says she does not plan to accept the seat if elected on Dec. 30.
Emily Fitzgerald, who challenged incumbent Keith Kneeland Jr. for a three-year term representing the town on the RSU 25 board of directors, recently learned from the school district that her husband’s volunteer role as a coach for the middle school robotics team is a legal conflict with her serving on the board.
Because he loves the work and has goals for the future of the program, which has found national success at the high school level in recent years, she plans not to accept the seat if she wins instead of him stepping down, Fitzgerald said.
Absentee voting has already started, and Bucksport can’t call off the election, according to Town Manager Jacob Gran. He said town officials were unaware of the conflict previously.
“There are a lot of children that benefit from this program, it is by no means small,” Fitzgerald wrote on Facebook, noting that it has been difficult to find volunteers for the robotics team. “Without him, there is a big risk of the program stopping. I cannot in good conscience put this program at risk.”
It’s the latest twist in a drawn-out election that both Fitzgerald and her opponent have described as a “roller coaster.”
Kneeland said last month that he was initially told on election night that he won, then found out the town office hadn’t counted absentee ballots, which then appeared to give the race to Fitzgerald. He requested a recount, which ended in a tie.
Kneeland didn’t immediately return a request for comment Tuesday.
The town then scheduled a runoff election on Dec. 30 with a month of absentee voting beforehand.
This election will likely cost the town $800 to $1,000, according to Gran, primarily in wages for ballot clerks. If Fitzgerald wins but doesn’t accept, the town council can appoint an interim candidate until the next municipal election, likely in November.
Fitzgerald apologized to those who helped with her campaign, thanked them for their work and said she would be reaching out to state representatives to try to change the law that prohibits her and her spouse from holding both roles.
“Although the statute has good intentions, it goes too far and is particularly cumbersome to small communities,” she wrote Monday.
Fitzgerald said Tuesday that she would continue to be involved with local nonprofits and committees. She started her campaign in part to find ways to budget carefully without cutting enrichment and programs, she said, along with a desire to be a voice for all students, including the LGBTQ+ and those with disabilities.