HALLOWELL — Mayor Charlotte Warren said Monday that she won’t run for re-election in November, and a city councilor said he’ll run to replace her.
City Council President Mark Walker, a 10-year resident of the city with a lobbying-focused law office on Water Street, announced his candidacy and Warren’s exit in a Monday press release.
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Warren said she is stepping out of the post to focus on her political consulting firm, and she’s endorsing Walker’s candidacy.
“He’s competent, he’s got a strong vision of Hallowell and what I go back to is he’s a great listener,” she said. “He’s somebody that I completely support to be our next mayor.”
However, nobody is officially running for mayor in Hallowell yet: Deputy City Clerk Diane Polky said nomination papers aren’t available until the first Tuesday in August, which would be Aug. 6.
To run, candidates must get at least 50 signatures from city residents and return the papers by the second Tuesday in September.
Walker has served on the council for more than six years, serving as the body’s president, elected by the council, for the past four years. He was appointed to the council by councilors in 2006 after a vacancy on the body.
“Moving to Hallowell 10 years ago was a terrific decision for my family,” Walker said in a statement. “Hallowell is a great place to live, work and raise a family.” He previously lived in Augusta.
His tenure overlapped with Warren’s service on the council. She began serving in 2001 before winning the 2009 mayoral election. Running unopposed, she won the post again in 2011.
As mayor, Warren has been outspoken on a number of state and national issues, including voicing opposition to eliminating state aid to municipalities. She’s also a member of Mayors Against Illegal Guns, a gun-control advocacy group launched by New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg.
Warren said she isn’t ruling out a return to politics, but she wouldn’t specify an office she’s considering.
“I will always be interested in public service,” she said.
Michael Shepherd — 621-5632
mshepherd@mainetoday.com
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