Special election for Lewiston House seat to be held Feb. 24

A special election for the vacated Maine House of Representatives seat representing part of Lewiston will be held on Feb. 24. 

Former Rep. Kristen Cloutier resigned on Oct. 31 to take a job as the chief of staff in Maine Senate President Mattie Daughtry’s office, leaving the seat for House district 94 open in the middle of the two-year legislative cycle. 

It also means the Democrats’ slim majority could be altered. Before Cloutier stepped down, the House had 74 Democrats, 73 Republicans and three unenrolled representatives. Whoever wins the seat will serve the remainder of the term, which ends in December 2026. 

Lewiston representative resigns to take job in Senate president office

Maine’s political parties will caucus to choose candidates for the seat and nominations are due to the Office of the Secretary of State by 5 p.m. on Dec. 17. Cloutier has already thrown her support behind Lewiston City Council member Scott Harriman. 

Non-party candidates have to collect 50-80 signatures from registered voters in the district. The deadline to submit these petitions to the Secretary of State is also by 5 p.m. on Dec. 17, but they first have to get the signatures certified by the municipal clerks. 

Write-in candidates have to declare their candidacy by Dec. 23. Non-party petition forms and write-in candidate declaration forms can be obtained by contacting the Elections Division of the Secretary of State at 207-624-7650.