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Cumberland County District Attorney Jacqueline Sartoris won the Democratic primary against former colleague Valerie Adams on Tuesday, capturing 56% of the vote.

After all 28 municipalities were accounted for, Sartoris had 33,024 votes to 25,734 for Adams.

The race had been defined by the two Democratic candidates’ history as former colleagues turned political opponents — Sartoris running on a track record of progressive reform, and Adams arguing that a change in course was needed to improve morale at the office.

On Wednesday morning, when a majority of the county’s most populous cities showed Sartoris with a commanding lead, both candidates issued statements.

Sartoris said it “looks like Cumberland County has voted to continue the reforms I’ve been talking about and working toward.” She also thanked everyone, including her opponent, who participated in the race, which she said crystalized the issues facing southern Maine and highlighted “why this stuff matters.”

Adams, 41, congratulated Sartoris and said she’s proud of the campaign she ran.

“This campaign was about doing what’s right, even when it was hard,” she said. “I didn’t win, but I will continue to advocate for the change that I want to see and that I believe we need.”

The district attorney oversees prosecution of all criminal cases (except murder, which is handled by the attorney general) and serves four-year terms. As of 2024, total compensation for the position was $155,800.

Sartoris, elected in 2022, fired Adams last year after Adams informed her boss that she intended to run for the seat, a falling out that shaped the tone of the campaign.

As a prosecutor in the office for seven months, Adams said she got a first-hand look at how “ineffective the current leadership is.”

Sartoris, 61, has said she fired Adams after being informed that Adams had been using office hours to begin her campaign, which she believed to be an “inappropriate” use of public resources.

Leading up to the Democratic primary, the candidates attempted to separate their overlapping policy platforms — like prioritizing the most serious crimes and expanding diversion opportunities — by focusing on who would do the best job in the role. They also rolled out lists of local officials who had offered endorsements.

In Portland, elected officials were split on the race, with Councilors Pious Ali, April Fournier, Regina Phillips and Kate Sykes endorsing Sartoris, and Councilors Wes Pelletier, Sarah Michniewicz and Anna Bullett endorsing Adams.

Sartoris also boasted endorsements from Westbrook Mayor David Morse, South Portland Rep. Deqa Dhalac and state Rep. Grayson Lookner of Portland. Adams shared a list of some 50 attorneys who had endorsed her for the office.

Once the primary numbers are finalized, Sartoris will turn her attention to the general election in November, where she is expected to face former longtime district attorney Stephanie Anderson, who previously said she would run as an independent if Sartoris won the Democratic primary. No Republicans have declared candidacies.

Sartoris said she’s “excited and ready” for November, and that she believes Anderson is not aware of how voters in the county have changed.

Anderson did not respond to a message left Wednesday.

COUNTY COMMISSION

Two contested races for the Cumberland County Board of Commissioners were also decided Tuesday.

For the District 4 seat, which represents Cape Elizabeth, South Portland, Westbrook and a portion of Portland, incumbent Patricia Smith won 8,710-3,038 over Sigrid Olson.

Smith was first elected to the county commission in 2022.

In District 3, Amy Leshure defeated Joel Vincent Mahaffey by taking 80% of the vote. The district represents Brunswick, Cumberland, Chebeague Island, Freeport, Harpswell, Long Island, North Yarmouth, Pownal and Yarmouth.  

The Cumberland County Board of Commissioners is made up of five commissioners who are elected to four-year terms. While the District 5 seat is also up this year, only Districts 3 and 4 were contested in the primary. Marpheen Chann, of Portland, will represent Democrats for District 5 on the November ballot.