Former city councilor Steve Aucoin was nominated to run as the Democratic candidate for Waterville mayor Tuesday evening after he received unopposed support from about 50 attendees at the city caucus.
Aucoin said he was approached multiple times by people encouraging him to run and decided to seek the nomination with the goal of building unity among city government officials.
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“I have a really good history of getting people to the table and getting them to work together and getting them to create things. It’s getting them to not exclude anyone,” he said.
Party members from the city gathered at Waterville Senior High School to nominate 11 candidates for 19 other positions including seats on City Council, the Board of Education and other positions.
In elections in November, Aucoin will face Republican mayoral candidate Nick Isgro. Isgro is controller for Skowhegan Savings Bank. Aucoin is maintenance director for Alfond Youth Center.
Mayor Karen Heck, who ran for mayor as an unenrolled candidate, is not seeking re-election.
Positions up for grabs are city councilors and school board members in wards 2, 4, and 6; two citywide seats on the Kennebec Water District board of trustees; wardens and ward clerks in wards 2, 4, and 6; ward clerk in Ward 1; wardens and ward clerks, wards 3 and 5; and warden and ward clerk in Ward 7.
Three members of the city council who were elected as Democrats are up for reelection. All three are seeking another term, but only two are seeking the Democratic nomination.
Councilors Erik Thomas, Ward 4, and Dana Bushee, Ward 6, were nominated to run again for their seats. Councilor Edward Lachowicz of Ward 2, elected as a Democrat, is running again, but didn’t seek the party’s nomination.
Planning board member Nathanial White, Ward 2, was nominated to run for City Council.
White said he has had an interest for years in getting involved with the council. He said as a councilor, he would focus on listening to what the ward residents want from the council and formulating proposals from that feedback.
“I’m a great listener. I want to listen to what the people want and serve them,” he said.
Jibryne Karter III has returned petition papers to the city clerk’s office to run unenrolled for the Ward 6 council position now held by Bushee.
Democrat school board members Maryanne Bernier, Ward 4, and Elizabeth Bickford, Ward 6, were granted a party nomination to run again for their seats. Susan Reisert, Ward 2, was nominated for the seat held by Lionel “Lee” Cabana, who held the spot for 17 years but is not seeking re-election.
Other nominees at the convention include Joan Sanzanbacher and Patricia Gorman who were nominated for Kennebec Water District trustee, which is a citywide position. In Ward 6, Heather Merrow was nominated for ward clerk, and Roland Hallee was nominated for warden.
In order to officially be a candidate, the nominees and anyone running unenrolled will need to return signed nomination papers and have the signatures verified.
Petition signatures and formal declaration of candidacy letters must be turned in to the city clerk’s office before 4:30 p.m. Sept. 4. Candidates must have at least 25 but not more than 50 valid signatures from residents who are registered voters in the ward in which they seek the position.
Mayoral candidates must submit at least 15 but not more than 25 signatures from each city ward and file a declaration letter designating the position sought.
Kaitlin Schroeder — 861-9252
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