FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Friday, Sept. 15, 2017

Contact: Kristen Schulze Muszynski

626-8404/ 441-7638



Special election set to fill District 56 House seat

AUGUSTA – A special election for the Maine House District 56 seat is scheduled to coincide with the statewide Referendum Election on Tuesday, Nov. 7, 2017.

The House seat, which covers the Town of Lisbon, was previously held by Rep. Gina M. Mason, who died unexpectedly on Sept. 5.

Governor Paul LePage and Secretary of State Matthew Dunlap signed the proclamation announcing the special election on Friday, Sept. 15, 2017.

Maine’s four political parties – the Democrats, Green Independents, Libertarians and Republicans – will now caucus to choose their candidates for the seat. Candidate nominations are due to the Office of the Secretary of State by 5 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 3.

Non-party candidates must circulate petitions and obtain the signatures of at least 50 registered voters in House District 56. The deadline to submit the petitions to the Secretary of State is by 5 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 3, after first having the signatures certified by the Town of Lisbon. Write-in candidates must declare their candidacy by 5 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 10. Non-party petition forms and write-in candidate declaration forms may be obtained by contacting the Elections Division of the Secretary of State at 624-7650.

The candidate who is elected in the Nov. 7 special election will serve out the remainder of Rep. Mason’s term, through November 2018.