Harpswell voters approved the town’s annual contribution to the Brunswick library and elected four town officials, each unopposed, at the polls on Saturday, March 8.
The library referendum passed 550-211. The vote approves Harpswell’s contribution of $159,089 to Curtis Memorial Library. The amount has held steady for four years. Curtis provides Harpswell residents with library cards and its electric bookmobile makes regular stops in Harpswell.
Voters elected two newcomers: Matt Gilley to the Select Board and Tracy Gaudet as tax collector. They also reelected two incumbents, each to their second terms: Town Clerk Cathy Doughty and school board member Ryan Larsen. All terms are three years.
Doughty was the top vote-getter, receiving 769 votes to 751 for Gaudet, 709 for Larsen, and 669 for Gilley, according to unofficial results from the town clerk’s office. In each race, some voters left their ballots blank or wrote in another name.
Gaudet has served as deputy town clerk since 2021. She will replace retiring Tax Collector Jill Caldwell. Gilley is a member of several local and state boards and committees. He will replace two-term Select Board member Jane Covey, who did not seek reelection.
The election and referendum were part of Harpswell’s annual Town Meeting. The event has two parts: the secret-ballot election and referendum, with polls open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; and a business meeting, which starts at 10 a.m. and continues until voters dispose of a few dozen questions about the town budget and other matters of local governance.
This year, town officials postponed the business meeting when an overflow crowd motivated by high-profile issues exceeded the capacity of the gym at Harpswell Community School. The meeting will be rescheduled and moved to a larger venue.
