Harpswell voters will weigh in on the proposed school budget and two other education spending questions, a change to town leash rules, and party nominees for county, state and federal offices on Tuesday, June 9.
Local ballots include a question on whether to validate the Maine School Administrative District 75 budget for the 2026-27 school year. The district includes Harpswell, Topsham, Bowdoin and Bowdoinham.
The MSAD 75 Board of Directors has endorsed a $61.2 million budget, up 5.7% from the current year. Voters at a district budget meeting on May 21 approved the spending plan, sending it to the June referendum for final validation.
Voters also will decide whether to authorize up to $102,100 in borrowing through Maine’s School Revolving Renovation Fund for an Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant restroom at Bowdoin Central School. The district would receive up to $55,379 in loan forgiveness and repay up to $46,721 at 0% interest over five years.
A separate ballot for Region 10 Technical High School asks whether voters will authorize up to $115,772 in borrowing for life safety improvements to the Brunswick school building, including fire alarm and main entrance security upgrades. The project would include up to $52,943 in loan forgiveness, with up to $62,829 repaid at no interest over five years.
On the municipal ballot, voters will decide whether to amend Harpswell’s Animal Control Ordinance. The proposed change, backed by the Select Board, would let officials issue citations to dog owners who violate leash rules on town-owned properties such as Cliff Trail and George J. Mitchell Field.
Harpswell hosted a public hearing on the proposed amendment during the May 7 Select Board meeting, but no residents got up to speak.
The draft amendment doesn’t specify fine amounts. Town officials have said state law appears to allow municipal fines of $50-$250 for leash violations on public property. The Select Board will determine the penalty if voters approve the amendment.
Some residents have called for Harpswell to require dog owners to leash their dogs at all times when on town property. Select Board Chair Kevin Johnson has said that could happen if imposing fines doesn’t solve the problem.
The party primary ballots include races for governor, U.S. Senate, U.S. House, Maine Senate, Maine House and Cumberland County offices.
Democrats will choose among David Costello, Gov. Janet Mills and Graham Platner for U.S. senator. A sample ballot provided by the town still shows Mills as a candidate even though she suspended her campaign on April 30. Republican U.S. Sen. Susan Collins is unopposed in her primary.
Both major parties have contested primaries for governor. Democrats Shenna Bellows, Troy Jackson, Angus King III, Hannah Pingree and Nirav Shah are seeking their party’s nomination. Republicans Jonathan Bush, Robert Charles, David Jones, James Libby, Garrett Mason, Owen McCarthy, Benjamin Midgley and Robert Wessels are running in the Republican primary.
In the 1st Congressional District, which includes Harpswell, Republicans Joshua Pietrowicz and Ronald Russell are competing for the nomination to challenge Democratic U.S. Rep. Chellie Pingree, who is unopposed in her primary.
For local legislative seats, Democratic state Sen. Mattie Daughtry and Republican Bernard “Ben” Porter are unopposed in their primaries for Senate District 23. Democratic state Rep. Cheryl Golek and Republican Braeden Webber are unopposed in their primaries for House District 99.
The Democratic ballot also includes Cumberland County races for judge of probate, sheriff, district attorney and county commissioner. The Republican ballot does not list primary candidates for those offices.
The only contested county primaries affecting Harpswell are for district attorney and county commissioner. Democrats Valerie Adams and Jacqueline Sartoris, the incumbent, are running for district attorney. Democrats Amy Leshure and Joel Mahaffey are running for county commissioner in District 3, a seat currently held by Stephen Gorden.
The primary is semi-open, meaning that party-enrolled voters may vote only in their own party’s primary, while unenrolled voters may choose one party primary without having to enroll in that party.
Polls will be open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, June 9, at Harpswell Community School. Absentee ballots are available from the town through Thursday, June 4. Sample ballots are available on the town’s website.
