Incumbent Registrar of Deeds Diane Godin held a comfortable lead Tuesday night as she sought to fend off a challenge from the department’s second-in-command.

With towns representing about 40 percent of the county population reporting results, Godin had folled up a substantial lead, 5,043 to 2,404 for deputy registrar Laura Price.

The deparatment is responsible for recording and keeping track of papers that show evidence of land ownership, mortgages and liens on real estate and other property Godin, 52, is herself a former deputy registrar who was appointed to the top post in 2001 after her predecessor, Marguerite Libby retired in 2001. Godin was elected on her own the following year, and defeated opponents to win new terms in 2006 and 2010.

Results with about 40 percent of the votes counted by press time showed Godin was in the lead.

COUNTY COMMISSIONER

District 4

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Canaan and Skowhegan

Clarke: 1,928, Graf : 2,155

Newcomers Jeffrey Clarke, a self-employed plumber, and Newell Graf, a Skowhegan selectman and owner of a remodeling business, faced off in the race for District 4. Graff won by 238 votes.

Clarke, 53, of Canaan, said he hoped to work with local state representatives on laws surrounding green energy and said he sees Maine’s Wind Energy Act as an infringement of property owners’ rights in Somerset County.

Graf, 58, said his experience as a Skowhegan selectman has familiarized him with some of the issues facing the county and that if elected he hopes to work on resolving the disagreement between the state and county over federal money that the Somerset County Jail is owed.

District 3

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Cambridge, Detroit, Palmyra, Pittsfield, Ripley and St. Albans

Four-time state Rep. Dean Cray faced incumbent Robert E. Frost, both of Palmyra, in the race to represent District 3.

Cray, 56, said he hoped to use his experience in state government to serve the county and that if elected the Somerset County Jail would be his first priority.

Frost, 64, agreed that resolving funding issues at the jail would be a top priority and also said he would like to expand information technology partnerships with other communities and counties.

District 5

Athens, Bingham, Cornville, Caratunk, Dennistown Plantation, Embden, Harmony, Hartland, Highland Plantation, Jackman, Lexington, Moose River, Moscow, Pleasant Ridge, Solon, The Forks, unorganized territories, West Forks

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Incumbent Lloyd Trafton was re-elected to represent District 5, unopposed on the ballot.

A former Maine Game Warden and customs official in Jackman, Trafton, 68, said he plans to address domestic violence awareness and wind energy as a member of the board.

In the race for Somerset County Judge of Probate, Robert Washburn was in the lead by press time with 2,822 votes.

Four candidates entered the race to succeed John Alsop as Judge of Probate,

Mark Fortier, 55, has practiced law in Skowhegan for 30 years, concentrating in probate, real estgate and family law issues. He made improving the efficiency of the court a priority. He had 1,517 votes.

A member of the Somerset County Private Defenders Project, John Martin, 44, has worked as an attorney in Hartland and Newport, and for the past seven years, in Skowhegan. Martin was running in second place with 1,550 votes.

Robert Washburn and John Youney both have worked 34 years practicing law, Youney, 60 has practiced in Skowhegan for a quarter century. Previously he was an administrative law judge in Arizona. Washburn has practiced in Skowhegan for 34 years, including 13 years as a state court mediator. By press time Youney had 452 votes.

County Treasurer

Incumbent Tracey H. Rotondi, was reelected running unopposed for a four-year term.


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