Brunswick voters on Tuesday elected three new town councilors, a new school board member and weighed in on a series of statewide measures, including establishing the state-run Pine Tree Power electric utility.
Nathan MacDonald. Courtesy photo
Nathan MacDonald defeated Chris Teel and Camden Reiss for an at-large seat on the Town Council; it was the only contested race on the ballot. MacDonald earned 3,981 votes, while Teel earned 2,256 and Reiss earned 665.
MacDonald, 27, is the development and community engagement director for the Maine-based Family Violence Project, a domestic violence resource center. He is board president of Queerly ME, a local nonprofit that works with the LGBTQ community.
He said he will focus on affordable housing, climate-friendly initiatives, economic development and fiscal responsibility. He said he was inspired to run due to soaring housing costs and “to build upon the efforts of those who came before me to make Brunswick a more affordable, climate-resilient and inclusive place to live.”
MacDonald has served on the Maine School Administrative District 11 board and held leadership roles on several Democratic committees across the state.
MacDonald joined Steve Weems and James Ecker as the new members of the council. Weems was elected to the District 7 seat being vacated by James Mason, the council chairperson who chose not to run for reelection. Ecker will finish the term of at-large Councilor Dan Ankeles, who is stepping down to focus on his work as a state representative and care for an ailing family member.
Steve Weems. Courtesy photo
Weems, a former two-term councilor who served from 1991–1995, is a business owner who has served as a trustee of the Midcoast Regional Redevelopment Authority and vice chairperson of the town’s Sustainability Committee. He stressed the importance of “looking ahead, not backwards, to anticipate, plan and get ahead of the many potentially tumultuous pressures that are heading our way (homelessness, waves of climate and other refugees, serious population pressures), with a goal of anticipating challenges rather than reacting to crises, accommodating positive change while protecting the essence of what we cherish about living in Brunswick.”
Ecker is director of project management for Waste Management and chairperson of the town’s Sustainability Committee.
He said he decided to run “with the hope of maintaining balance and rational decision-making on the council as we address both the challenges and opportunities facing the community in the years to come.”
James Ecker. Courtesy photo
He said his priorities are controlling the budget, supporting schools and driving sustainability.
“I intend to listen well as we navigate keeping Brunswick affordable while also tackling the significant challenges associated with a rapidly changing economy, a growing population and protection of the environment,” he said.
Incumbent District 5 Councilor Jennifer Hicks was reelected Tuesday. MacDonald won the seat being vacated by Kathy Wilson, who chose not to run for reelection.
For school board, Sarah Singer (District 7) and William Thompson (at-large) were reelected, while William Walsh (District 5) joined the board, replacing Lauren Watkinson, who did not run for reelection.
Singer is the board’s vice chairperson and has served on the board since 2014.
Sarah Singer. Courtesy photo
She said she is committed to implementing the board’s strategic plan and expanding vocational programs to give students more access to training in the trades.
“We have excellent schools, but it requires work to maintain our standards,” Singer said. “We should continue to invest in our schools and community. Our schools are producing and supporting incredible programs from academics to performing arts and athletics.”
Thompson has served on the board since 2011, including stints as chairperson in 2014 and 2021.
A majority of Brunswick residents voted against the Pine Tree Power initiative and approved a right-to-repair law for vehicles and to restore voting rights to people in guardianship. Statewide, the Pine Tree Power initiative and guardianship question failed, while the right-to-repair law passed.
A total of 8,021 Brunswick voters cast ballots, representing a turnout of about 50% of active registered voters.
Below is a tally of how Brunswick residents voted on the eight statewide measures.
Brunswick results for statewide referendum questions Nov. 7
Question 1: Requiring voter approval for $1 billion in public debt.
| Yes 4,732 | No 3,004 |
Question 2: Banning foreign government spending on elections.
| Yes 7,028 | No 871 |
Question 3: Creating Pine Tree Power, a publicly owned electric utility, to replace Central Maine Power and Versant.
| Yes 3,402 | No 4,514 |
Question 4: Approving a right-to-repair law that would require vehicles makers to standardize diagnostics and make access to vehicle systems available to owners and third-party shops.
| Yes 6,851 | No 1,013 |
Question 5: Extending time for the state to review citizen petitions.
| Yes 5,215 | No 2,426 |
Question 6: Including all sections in printed state constitutions.
| Yes 6,241 | No 1,476 |
Question 7: Repealing the requirement that petitioners live in Maine.
| Yes 2,941 | No 4,722 |
Question 8: Restoring voting rights for people in guardianship.
| Yes 4,448 | No 3,272 |
Send questions/comments to the editors.
