FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 8, 2014
Contact:  Matt Dunlap
207-626-8400


Secretary of State Dunlap Declares Vacancy in Androscoggin County Register of Probate Office

Vacancy to be Filled at Special Election on November 4th


AUGUSTA, MAINE – Secretary of State Matthew Dunlap announced today that the Register of Probate vacancy in Androscoggin County will be filled at a special election to be held in conjunction with the General Election on November 4, 2014. This vacancy was created by the resignation of Wendy Sanborn earlier this year.


In the Vacancy Declaration, Secretary Dunlap explained that the Maine Constitution and the Maine Revised Statutes provide that, in the event of a vacancy in the office of Register of Probate caused by the resignation of the incumbent, a new Register of Probate must be chosen at the next biennial election, to serve for the remainder of the term, which in this instance is until December 31, 2016.


Dunlap further indicated that Title 21-A, Maine Election Law, provides that if a vacancy occurs by the resignation of an incumbent, the vacancy must be declared and the appropriate qualified political committees notified of the deadline to meet to nominate a qualified candidate to fill the vacancy.  As required, the Democratic, Green Independent and Republican political party committees for Androscoggin County have been notified.  Each party committee that plans to nominate a candidate must file a Certificate of Nomination of the candidate with the Secretary of State on or before 5 p.m., on Monday, July 28, 2014.  Additionally, the candidate must file the Certificate of Acceptance of Party Nomination with the Secretary of State by this same deadline.


Dunlap noted that candidates who are not enrolled in one of Maine’s officially recognized political parties may qualify for placement on the special election ballot by submitting a minimum of 300 signatures and a maximum of 400 signatures of registered voters in Androscoggin County. Any registered voter, regardless of enrollment status, may sign the petitions. Candidates may obtain nomination petitions from the Elections Division in the Department of the Secretary of State.  The candidate must also complete and submit a “Candidate’s Consent”. The petitions must be submitted to the Elections Division on or before 5 p.m., July 28, 2014.


Additional information is available by calling the Elections Division at (207) 624-7650 or by sending a message to Elections.CEC@maine.gov.