Biddeford’s mayor announced Wednesday he will seek a sixth term, joining a race that already includes a former city councilor and state representative.

If both candidates qualify, Mayor Alan Casavant will run against Victoria Foley, who announced in late July that she is running for mayor for the first time. Foley represented Biddeford in the Maine Legislature from 2018 to 2020 and was a city councilor from 2017 to 2018.

They are the only two candidates to take out nomination petitions since they were made available Aug. 2. Candidates must turn in valid signatures by Sept. 2 to get on the ballot.

The mayoral race comes at a critical time in Biddeford, where housing costs have increased significantly because of high demand and a downtown revitalization is fueling economic growth and development across the city.

Casavant, a retired teacher, was first elected in 2011 and said if re-elected in November it would be his last term as mayor. His top priority is adding housing inventory to help ease the unprecedented housing crunch in the city.

“Voters know inherently that a strong leader needs to understand a city’s history and its people. I’ve lived here all my life, and in fact I taught our history when I was at the high school,” Casavant said in a statement. “A mayor must be completely in tune with the people who live here, and that means everyone. Those who have more recently been attracted by the changes we’ve made in this exciting community, making Biddeford now the youngest city in Maine, and those who have lived and worked here their entire lives.”

Foley, who is director of marketing and communications for New England Cancer Specialists, said she was honored to represent Biddeford in her pervious elected roles.

“Biddeford has a rich history and a deep love of community. As we look to the future, we need to make sure there is room for everyone here,” Foley said when she announced her campaign. “Ensuring affordability, managing property taxes, thinking about smart and sustainable growth, and developing even better ways to get information out to residents are all critical to the continued success of our city.”

Foley currently sits on the Zoning Board of Appeals and the Downtown Development Commission, and is subcommittee chair in the city’s comprehensive planning process. During her time as a city councilor, she was appointed chair of the mayor’s ad hoc committee to review infrastructure needs at the JR Martin Community Center.

The Nov. 2 election in Biddeford will also include races for all nine City Council seats, School Committee seats and ward clerks.

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