Lennon, Walsh, Sullivan win three-year council terms; three newcomers sent to School Board

Results summaries:

Cape Elizabeth voters have sent one incumbent Town councilor back for a second term, but failed to re-elect a School Board member in the municipal election Nov. 3, 2009.

Unofficial results Tuesday night show council incumbent Sara Lennon as the second highest vote-getter, with 2,790 votes, in a five-way race for three seats on the council. James Walsh was the highest vote-getter at 2,858, and Jessica Sullivan will also take a council seat with 2,463 votes. (Results were officiated Nov. 4, 2009)

In a two-way race for an unexpired, one-year term on the council, Frank Governali came in with 2,461 votes, defeating Michael Jordan's 2,027.

In a six-way race for three, three-year terms on the School Board, Mary Williams-Hewitt led the vote with 2,661, followed by David Hillman, 2,536; and John Christie, 2,087. Incumbent Peter Cotter was next with 1,647; Richard Dunham, 1,513; and Fred Sturtevant, 926.

Cape Elizabeth voters also made known their desires to retain Maine's same-sex marriage law, casting 3,566 votes against Question 1, which sought to overturn it. Cape voters also overwhelmingly voted against the Question 2 citizen initiative to decrease automobile excise taxes, with 3,870 Cape voters saying "no".

Cape voters as a whole also voted against an initiative to repeal the 2007 statewide school consolidation law, and against the TABOR II spending limit initiative.

Town Clerk Debra Lane officiated the results the morning after the election. Judging by the 5,233 state-election ballots returned, voter turnout was approximately 69 percent, with 2,239 absentee ballots accounting for 43 percent of the votes.

Results summaries (officiated 11/04/09):

Municipal Election

TOWN COUNCIL - For an unexpired term until December 13, 2010. Vote for one (1)

  • GOVERNALI, FRANK J. 2461 votes
  • JORDAN, MICHAEL S. 2027 votes
  • WRITE-IN

TOWN COUNCIL - For three year term until December 10, 2012. Vote for three (3)

  • LENNON, SARA W. 2790 votes
  • MONAGHAN-DERRIG, KIMBERLY J. 2408 votes
  • STRAW, CHRISTOPHER M. 1480 votes
  • SULLIVAN, JESSICA L. 2463 votes
  • WALSH, JAMES T. 2858 votes
  • WRITE-IN
  • WRITE-IN
  • WRITE-IN

SCHOOL BOARD - For three year term until December 10, 2012.
Vote for three (3)

  • CHRISTIE III, JOHN C. 2087 votes
  • COTTER, PETER H. 1647 votes
  • DUNHAM, RICHARD B. 1513 votes
  • HILLMAN, DAVID C. 2536 votes
  • STURTEVANT, FREDERIC K. 926 votes
  • WILLIAMS-HEWITT, MARY K. 2661 votes
  • WRITE-IN
  • WRITE-IN
  • WRITE-IN

PORTLAND WATER DISTRICT BOARD OF TRUSTEES - For a five year term until November 4, 2014
Vote for one (1)

  • WRITE-IN

State Referendum

Totals represent Cape Elizabeth votes only


Question 1: People's Veto

An Act To End Discrimination in Civil Marriage and Affirm Religious Freedom. "Do you want to reject the new law that lets same-sex couples marry and allows individuals and religious groups to refuse to perform these marriages?"

Yes 1651 votes
No 3566 votes

Question 2: Citizen Initiative

An Act to Decrease the Automobile Excise Tax and Promote Energy. “Do you want to cut the rate of the municipal excise tax by an average of 55% on motor vehicles less than six years old and exempt hybrid and other alternative-energy and highly fuel-efficient motor vehicles from sales tax and three years of excise tax?”

Yes 1271 votes
No 3870 votes


Question 3: Citizen Initiative

An Act to Repeal the School District Consolidation Laws. “Do you want to repeal the 2007 law on school district consolidation and restore the laws previously in effect?”

Yes 1757 votes
No 3229 votes

Question 4: Citizen Initiative

An Act to Provide Tax Relief. “Do you want to change the existing formulas that limit state and local government spending and require voter approval by referendum for spending over those limits and for increases in state taxes?”

Yes 1699 votes
No 3403 votes

Question 5: Citizen Initiative

An Act to Establish the Maine Medical Marijuana Act. “Do you want to change the medical marijuana laws to allow treatment of more medical conditions and to create a regulated system of distribution?”

Yes 3401 votes
No 1748 votes


Question 6: Bond Issue

(Part A of Ch. 414, Public Laws of 2009)

“Do you favor a $71,250,000 bond issue for improvements to highways and bridges, airports, public transit facilities, ferry and port facilities, including port and harbor structures, as well as funds for the LifeFlight Foundation that will make the State eligible for over $148,000,000 in federal and other matching funds?”

Yes 3842 votes
No 1221 votes

Question 7: Constitutional Amendment

(Ch. 1, Constitutional Resolutions of 2009)

“Do you favor amending the Constitution of Maine to increase the amount of time that local officials have to certify the signatures on direct initiative petitions?”

Yes 2428 votes
No 2484 votes

More: Elections Results History