SANFORD — The City Council on Tuesday is expected to formally declare a vacancy for Maine House District 19, following the untimely death on July 15 of Democratic Rep. William Noon.

The declaration precedes a similar declaration to be made by the governor. According to procedure, the governor would then call for a special election to fill the remainder of the term until November 2016.

Noon was elected to his second two-year term to represent House District 19, part of Sanford, in November.

A carpenter and sheep farmer, Noon, 66, was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer in January, 2014. A celebration of his life took place at the family farm in Springvale Tuesday.

Deputy Secretary of State for Elections Julie Flynn said the governor must set the deadline by which the appropriate political committees must meet to choose nominees, set a deadline for write-in candidates to file declarations of candidacy and set the date of the election.   

Sanford City Clerk Sue Cote said it is her understanding that candidates from the three major parties ”“ Democrats, Greens and Republicans ”“ would caucus to nominate a candidate. A non-party candidate would file traditional nomination papers obtained from the Secretary of State’s office.

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While the governor could call a special election when he so chooses, the City Council is expected to request it be set for Nov. 3, when there could potentially be a state referendum election, and when Sanford’s municipal elections are held.

Noon bested political newcomer Republican Matthew Harrington, a police officer in Kennebunk, by 143 votes, winning the district 1,697 to 1,554 in the November 2014 contest. He served on the Legislature’s agriculture, conservation and forestry committee.

So far, no one has publicly announced their interest in running for the seat.

— Senior Staff Writer Tammy Wells can be contacted at 324-4444 (local call in Sanford) or 282-1535, ext. 327 or twells@journaltribune.com.



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