Voters Reject Question 1, Elect O’Connell as Representative

Voters, on Tuesday, rejected Question 1, and chose Kevin O'Connell to the House of Representatives for District 128.

Secretary of State Matt Dunlap says the turnout was greater than expected on Super Tuesday, for the Presidential primary, and for the question about whether to overturn a vaccination law. If residents had voted 'yes' on Question 1, it would have overturned Maine's expanded vaccination law and allow parents to opt out of vaccinating their children for religious or philosophical reasons. But the majority of residents voted no, which means the law stays on the books.

The BDN reports Brewer voters elected former Mayor Kevin O'Connell to the House of Representatives, by a margin of nearly 400 votes. O'Connell has been a line worker for more than thirty years, first for Bangor Hydro, and now for Emera Maine, and also spent 24 years serving the country in the Air National Guard. He's been involved in Brewer's city politics for many years, including serving two terms as mayor, in 2013 and 2017. Kevin O'Connell will replace Representative Arthur C. Verow, who passed away of a heart attack in December, at the age of 77.