Recounts for 3 legislative races, Kennebec County commissioner seat set for next week

The Maine Secretary of State’s Office announced Thursday that it will hold four recounts next week, three for races for Maine Legislature and one for a Kennebec County commissioner seat after several close finishes in last week’s midterm election. 

First up will be Maine Senate District 18, which includes parts of Oxford, Androscoggin and Cumberland counties, which will begin Monday at 9 a.m. 

The seat was previously held by Sen. Rick Bennett, who left the Republican Party last year before running for governor as an independent.

Democrat Elizabeth Bosworth and Republican John Andrews are currently neck and neck. The Portland Press Herald/ Associated Press reported Andrews with a lead of less than 20 votes, but the Bangor Daily News, which works with Decision Desk HQ, called the race for  Bosworth, with her ahead by 50 votes. 

In a Facebook post Wednesday, Bosworth declared victory and said it was Andrews’ right to request a recount. 

“I’m looking forward to being sworn in this December and getting to work lowering costs and delivering for working Mainers in our district,” Bosworth said. 

On Tuesday, the secretary’s office will hold the recount for Maine House of Representatives District 96. The Lewiston district is currently represented by outgoing Democrat Michael LaJoie, but Republican Kerryl Clement appears to have a narrow lead over Democrat Luke Jensen. 

The AP/Portland Press Herald has both candidates at 50% but with Clement ahead by 38 votes.

“Given the many occurrences of voter intimidation that have happened in Lewiston throughout this election cycle, a recount is entirely appropriate and the right thing to do for voters in District 96,” Jensen wrote in a Facebook post.

The recount for House District 106 will be held on Wednesday. Republican Barbara Bagshaw currently holds the Windham seat, and is running for reelection against Democrat Bradley Youngs. Bagshaw appears to be lagging behind Youngs, The AP/Portland Press Herald reported Youngs ahead by just over 130 votes. 

Bagshaw told Maine Morning Star she received dozens of calls from constituents encouraging her to ask for a recount. 

“Nobody believes that I lost,” she said, pointing to the number of signs supporting her she saw around town. 

In a Facebook post, Youngs said he was aware of the recount and is confident in the results. 

Following a wave of Democratic victories nationally and in Maine, the party expanded its power in both chambers last week. If Bosworth retains her hold on Senate District 18, Democrats will hold a supermajority in the upper chamber. In the House, Republicans lost roughly a dozen seats and are expected to begin the next session with 61 of 151 seats if neither House Republican prevails in their recounts.

The final recount will be held Thursday, for the District 2 seat on the Kennebec County Commission. The Morning Sentinel reported last week that Republican Joseph Pietroski Jr. was reelected to the position, defeating Noel Madore by just 57 votes. 

The recounts will all take place at the Maine Public Safety Building at 45 Commerce Ave., Augusta and will be open to the public, and streamed online at the secretary’s office Youtube page. 

Eesha Pendharkar contributed reporting to this story.