To the Editor:

On Tuesday, Aug. 27, we vote in a special election to elect a state senator to replace Sen. Seth Goodall, who resigned to accept a federal position. He asked Eloise Vitelli to become the candidate to replace him and Rep. Seth Berry nominated Eloise at a caucus of Sagadahoc County Democrats on July 22, where she won a majority vote.

In her 30-year career, Eloise has cooperated with governors of both parties and with the Legislature as she successfully worked to secure funding for Women, Work and Community, where she is director of program and policy; this is the only statewide women’s economic development organization in Maine and operates under the University of Maine at Augusta.

She is the person who began New Ventures, the program that has successfully reached more than 3,000 new entrepreneurs and helped launch many of their startup businesses. (Eloise is a member of the Maine Economic Growth Council.)

Eloise served as chair of the Sagadahoc Democratic Committee from 2004-08. During that time, I was elected chair of the Bath Democratic Committee, where I had an opportunity to work closely with her. She provides the kind of quiet, competent leadership we need to represent us in Augusta.

Eloise’s Facebook page can be found here: https://www.facebook.com/Vi telliForSenate

My vote will be cast for Eloise Vitelli to become the senator of District 19 for Sagadahoc County and Dresden.

Polly Shaw
Bath