HOULTON, Maine — Twenty-four percent of registered voters turned out Nov. 5 to cast their ballots for municipal elections and state bond issues.
Town Clerk Cathy O’Leary stated 921 ballots were cast during the election. There are about 3,800 registered voters in the town, resulting in the 24 percent turnout.
For the Houlton Town Council, Wade Hanson was the top vote getter with 620 ballots cast. Incumbent John White Jr. was also re-elected to the board with 407 votes. Both won three-year terms on the council.
Others receiving ballots were: Priscilla Monroe, 258; Gerald Adams, 166; Carl Lord Jr., 119; and Stanley Ginish, 85. Michael Jenkins, who was ineligible to be elected after moving outside of the town limits, received 58 votes.
Elected to the RSU 29 school board were Fred Grant, 776; and Jeremiah Crockett, 760. Both candidates were unopposed for the two, three-year seats on the school board.
Named to the Houlton Water Company board of trustees were Albert Fitzpatrick (729) and Scott Austin (514), while Micah Swallow received 386 votes.
Named to the Board of Budget Review was Philip Bernaiche with 560 votes, while Leigh Cummings was named to the Cary Library trustees with 822 votes.
While all five of the bond questions passed at the state level, the same cannot be said locally.
Question 1, which read “Do you favor a $14,000,000 bond issue to provide funds for the state’s share of maintenance, repair, capital improvements, modernization and energy efficiency projects for Maine Army National Guard readiness centers and support facilities and the purchase of land for training and to draw down federal matching funds?” passed in Houlton by a vote of 508-400.
Question 2, which read “Do you favor a $15.5 million bond issue to enhance educational and employment opportunities for Maine citizens and students by updating and improving existing laboratory and classroom facilities of the University of Maine System statewide?” passed locally by a vote of 518-389.
Question 3, which read, Do you favor a $100,000,000 bond issue for reconstruction and rehabilitation of highways and bridges and for facilities or equipment related to ports, harbors, marine transportation, freight and passenger railroads, aviation and transit, to be used to match an estimated $154,000,000 in federal and other funds?” passed in Houlton by a vote of 605-301.
Question 4, which read, Do you favor a $4,500,000 bond issue to provide funds for a public-private partnership for a building project for a new science facility at the Maine Maritime Academy to be matched by other funds?” failed locally by a vote of 364 in favor, 541 opposed.
Question 5, which read “Do you favor a $15,500,000 bond issue to upgrade buildings, classrooms and laboratories on the seven campuses of the Maine Community College System in order to increase capacity to serve more students through expanded programs in health care, precision machining, information technology, criminal justice and other key programs?” passed locally by a vote of 557-357.