Due to errors in the original reporting this story has been changed since publication.



By Ward Peck

Editor

    A much hyped midterm election brought Cape Elizabeth
voters out in force to weigh in on a host of contests with implications
ranging from national to decidedly local.

More than 5,000 of the town’s voters cast ballots for or against a
resolution intended to gauge public support for instituting parking
fees at the landmark Fort Williams Park. The measure was defeated
soundly, with more than three in five voters (62 percent) voting to
keep the fort free. While the defeat was beyond doubt, it was hardly
overwhelming. Nearly 40 percent or 1,951 voters supported the measure.

    These results will be interpreted by a town council
that itself saw changes following Tuesday’s election. Council Chair
David Backer won reelection to the body in a four-way race for three of
the council’s seven seats.  That vote count is higher than the
fort fee question due to the fact that voters could choose up to three
council candidates. In fact, many voters declined to vote for a full
slate of council members. Replacing councilors Michael Mowles and
Carolyn Fritz, who both chose not to run for reelection, will be former
school board member Jim Rowe and political newcomer Sara Lennon. Rowe
was the overall top vote getter in the race. Trailing the three winners
was Greg Altznauer.

    Following the decision by school board members Anne
Belden and Elaine Moloney to not seek reelection, the school board will
also see changes when it reconvenes. Incumbent Kevin Sweeney will
remain in his seat. Like the town council, voters could choose three of
four candidates in the school board election. Political novice Karen
Burke was the people’s favorite, nearly 600 more than Sweeney and
nearly 1,000 more than the third-place finisher, Peter Cotter. Piotr
Stamieszkin missed the cut, finishing fourth.

    As was the theme across the nation, in partisan
legislative races Cape voters largely went with the democratic
candidates.

    In the closest race of the night, Democrat and
sitting town councilor Cynthia Dill narrowly defeated first-time
candidate Jennifer Duddy for the Maine House of Representatives
District 121 seat being vacated by Connie Goldman. Dill won by 176 of
4,688 votes cast; a margin of 52 percent to 48 percent.

    The slice of Cape Elizabeth in House District 123
chose incumbent Democrat Jane Eberle over Republican challenger Gary
Crosby. Of the 634 votes cast in that election, 410, or 66 percent went
to Eberle. In South Portland, Eberle won by a (similar margin of x to
x).

Cape voters helped Democratic Senate District 7 incumbent Lynn Bromley
secure her reelection against challenger Kevin Glynn by a margin of 58
percent to 36 percent. Green candidate Keith Louis won over five
percent of Cape voters weighing in on that race.

    In statewide races, Cape voters also helped to
defeat TABOR (59.5 percent to 40.5 percent) and reelect Gov. Baldacci
(43 percent) over Republican Chandler Woodcock (26 percent),
Independent Barbara Merrill (22 percent) and Green Independent Pat
LaMarche (9 percent). Congressman Tom Allen prevailed (60 percent) over
challengers Republican Darlene Curley of Scarborough (32 percent) and
Independent Dexter Kamilewicz (7 percent).

    Bucking the national tend and preserving the
increasingly endangered species known as the Yankee Republican, Cape
voters overwhelmingly voted for the popular U.S. Senator Olympia Snowe.
Snow won 70 percent of the Cape vote, beating democratic challenger
Jean Hay Bright (26.4 percent) and independent Bill Slavick (4 percent).