JUNE 2022.VOL. 22, NO. 06. PORTLAND, MAINE.
PORTLAND’S COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER. FREE!
Portland Election 2028 Analysis:What municipal elections may look like if voters approve the Portland Charter Commission’s recommendations A lot of questions remain today about redistricting. But the new districts may include boundaries that line-up with the neighborhoods of Portland, and in 2028 the Parkside, Libbytown/St. John Valley, and Deering Center districts are on the ballot. These districts are about half the size of the current ones, but they line up better with the state house districts.
By Tony Zeli
The Portland Charter Commission has presented its preliminary report to the city council. The most dramatic proposals are to the city’s governance model. If approved by voters, the amended charter would include an executive mayor and an expanded twelve-member legislative council. But the changes to municipal elections are among the most controversial, CAMPAIGNS 2028 including a noncitizen voting proposal and There are new strategies this cama clean elections program that includes paign season. Municipal candidates begin the report’s only fiscal note. with a new decision, whether to run as a Below is look at how the changes to publicly financed candidate or a traditioncity elections could impact future cam- ally financed one.The new municipal “clean paigns in Maine’s largest city. Plus, find a elections” program may be modeled after brief look at some of the other recom- the state’s program. Many candidates run mendations from the charter commission with public funding and in exchange refuse report. Copies of the preliminary report to except campaign contributions. are available at the Portland Public Library For the district seats, campaigns are and City Hall, Room 211. Or find the pregrassroots oriented with lots of door-toliminary report, background documents, door work. Districts are smaller than ever and a look inside the charter commission’s and knowing the neighborhood counts. process and reasoning on their website at For the at-large races, money, media, and https://portlandcharter.me. mailers are still important. Depending on PORTLAND ELECTION 2028 funding amounts, at-large candidates may be more likely to be privately funded, raisThe Presidential election 2028… ing the tens of thousands of dollars needPortland’s first executive mayor in gen- ed to win in a citywide race. erations, elected four years ago in 2024, In 2028, candidates are courting is running for reelection. An incumbent, the so-called immigrant vote, registering running down ticket from a popular Demnon-citizens and educating them about ocrat for President, the mayor is entering their new enfranchisement. Legal resithe municipal election in an extraordinaridents regardless of citizenship status are ly strong position – especially in solidly allowed to vote for mayor, city council, blue Portland. It’s a nonpartisan race, but and school board (if the proposal survives voters know whose team everyone is on. legal challenges). The non-citizen vote is In 2028, three district seats and one not necessarily a likeminded voting bloc, at-large city council seat are on the ballot. but in tiny districts the new voters may be Three school board districts are up for enough to sway elections. How much so grabs, too. In 2028, the school board no will likely be directly proportional to the longer has at-large seats, only nine district effort candidates put into targeted get out seats. the vote efforts.
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Blazing the Eastern Trail South from Kennebunk: Eastern Trail secures funding to expand 11-miles south. Read more on Page 4. With proportional ranked choice voting, coalitions are more important than ever. The coalitions are not as simple as liberal/conservative. In most districts, multiple Democrats are facing off against each other. Added to this dynamic, ranked choice voting provides the opportunity to rank each candidate. Many will be vying for your second preference and will want to run friendlier campaigns. But the biggest factor in each city council and school board race? Who has the popular mayor’s endorsement?
OTHER RECOMMENDATIONS The Portland Charter Commission recommends replacing the current police review board with an independent civilian police oversight board consisting of nine members. The board will take complaints directly from residents and members of the police department and make policy recommendations.
Education recommendations include a new school budget process that removes city council approval from the process, allowing the budget to go from school ELECTION DAY 2028 board approval directly to a public vote, Portland Election 2028 has a large though city council can still offer nonbindturnout driven by the Presidential cam- ing recommendations to the school board. paigns. The ranked choice experience for In addition, new charter language inthe voter is the same as today. The countstructs city council to create a participaing is done differently when there are ractory budget process that would empower es with more than one seat available. In residents to provide ideas and feedback. these races, rather than a majority winner, Also, recommended is a new preamble candidates compete to reach a winning that includes a land acknowledgement – threshold. Otherwise, the voters’ task is a statement acknowledging that Portland the same: rank their preferred candidates in order. Cont'd on Pg. 3
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Portland Voting Information for June 14th Election
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