Election Returns: Big Win on Council, Lose seat on School Committee

Portland Greens raised their number of elected city councilors to three in the non-partisan city council. John Anton came in first for two seats with 29% of the total vote, incumbent Jill Duson was returned to the council as well. John Anton will join district 1 Councilor Kevin Donoghue and district 2 Councilor Dave Marshall on the council. While the council is technically non partisan, party affiliation is well known. On December third, when Mr. Anton is sworn in the board will be made up of five Democrats, three Greens, and one Republican. Before the election in 2006 the board was made up of eight Democrats and one Republican.
A second Green candidate, Captain Bill Linnell, came in second of four for the open district three council seat. Bill ran a good competitive campaign garnering 24.1% to winner Dan Skolnik's 33.5%, also running was Tony Donovan (24%) and Richard Farnsworth (18.4%). Skolnik, Donovan and Farnsworth are Democrats.

School Committee races were not as kind to the Portland Green Party. Two Term incumbent Ben Meiklejohn was turned out in a race for two seats. Ben came in fifth out of five with 13% of the total vote. A second registered Green came in fourth with 14%. Greens stake on the committee, with this election has been decreased from 3 to 2 of the nine member non-partisan board. Greens Rebecca Minnick and Susan Hopkins remain on the School Committee.