Brennan takes early lead in mayoral race

Michael Brennan is holding an early lead after first place votes were counted in the crowded Portland mayoral race, followed by Ethan Strimling and Nicholas Mavodones.

Brennan is claiming about 27 percent of the No. 1 votes (5,240 votes), with Strimling around 22 percent (4,390) and Mavodones at 15 percent (2,938). There are 12 other candidates also on the mayoral ballot, and the top five are in the same order as a Maine People’s Resource Center poll conducted just more than a week ago projected.

Following Mavodones is fellow city councilor David Marshall (1,516 votes, 7.74 percent), followed by consultant Jed Rathband (1,394 votes, 7.12 percent).

This is with all the ballots counted, but still a long way to go before the race is finished. If nobody tonight finishes with more than 50 percent of the first place votes in the new ranked choice voting system, second choice votes of the lower ranked candidates will be reallocated as first place votes tomorrow.

The aforementioned poll had Deering High School teacher Markos Miller placing sixth among first choice vote receivers, but the early returns are that city councilor Jill Duson actually has that spot. Miller is coming in at seventh thus far, followed somewhat closely by Richard Dodge. But these candidates are in the 650- to 850-vote range, and are essentially out of the running to win.

Here’s the total list of candidates, their vote counts and what percentage of the pie they each have after the Election Day count:

Brennan, 5,240 votes, 26.76%

Strimling, 4,390, 22.42%

Mavodones, 2,938, 15%

Marshall, 1,516, 7.74%

Rathband, 1,394, 7.12%

Duson, 834, 4.26%

Miller, 718, 3.67%

Dodge, 670, 3.42%

Christopher Vail, 403, 2.06%

Peter Bryant, 367, 1.87%

Ralph Carmona, 317, 1.62%

John Eder, 271, 1.38%

Charles Bragdon, 213, 1.09%

Hamza Haadoow, 185, .94%

Jodie Lapchick, 127, .65%

 

Seth Koenig

About Seth Koenig

Seth has nearly a decade of professional journalism experience and writes about the greater Portland region.