- Portland, Maine City Council
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City Hall in September 2011
The Portland, Maine City Council is the legislative branch of government for the city of Portland, Maine. It is 9 seat council, composed of representatives from the city's five districts as well as 4 councilors elected citywide. Beginning with the Portland, Maine mayoral election, 2011, one of the four at-large councilors will be a full-time elected Mayor of Portland. 8 of the 9 City Councilors are elected for three year terms, while the 2010 recreation of the elected Mayor serves for four years. The Council is officially non-partisan, though councilors are well known for their political party affiliation. In 1923, the system changed from a strong mayor system to a weak, largely ceremonial mayor position due to the influence of the Maine Ku Klux Klan, which resented the perceived growing political power of ethnic and religious minorities.[1]
The Portland City Council meets at Portland City Hall, an historic 1909 building on Congress Street.
Contents
Current Councilors pending the November 8, 2011 election
- District 1: Kevin Donoghue, Green Independent (since 2006)
- District 2: David A. Marshall, Green Independent (since 2006)[2]
- District 3: Edward Suslovic, Democrat (since 2010)
- District 4: Cheryl Leeman, Republican (since 1984)
- District 5: John Coyne, Democrat (since 2008)
- At-Large: John Anton, Green Independent (since 2007)
- At-Large: Jill Duson, Democrat (since 2001)[3]
- At-Large: Dory Waxman, Democrat (since 2008)
- At-Large: Nicholas Mavodones, Democrat (since 1997)[4]
District 1: Kevin Donoghue
Donoghue was elected in 2006 to represent District 1 along with friend David A. Marshall. He was re-elected in 2009 by defeating cab driver Charles Bragdon.
District 2: David A. Marshall
David A. Marshall (born March 7, 1978) is an American artist and politician. Marshall is a member of the Maine Green Independent Party and a City Councilor representing the West End, Parkside and Oakdale neighborhoods of Portland, Maine. He was elected to Portland's City Council in 2006 at the age of 28 and re-elected in 2009 unopposed. In March 2011, Marshall announced his candidacy for Mayor of Portland, becoming the first of three city councilors to announce their campaign.[5] The November 2011 election will elect the first directly elected mayor of the city since the 1923 change to a largely ceremonial mayor position.
Marshall owns and restores an historic house in the West End as well as owning and managing Constellation Art Gallery on Congress Street. In 2005, he and other Portland artists, with the support of the Maine Civil Liberties Union, protested city ordinances that regulated street artists, claiming that Freedom of Expression was being compromised. The city responded by creating an exemption to the street vendors ordinances, allowing artists to create and sell art in public. The following year, he ran for Portland City Council and won, becoming the first professional artist elected as a Councilor. He also sits on the Board of Directors of the Portland Downtown District, which promotes economic vitality in downtown Portland.[6]
District 3: Edward Suslovic
Suslovic is a former state representative and city councilor. He was elected to represent District 3 in 2010, defeating Will Mitchell, son of Democratic nominee for Governor Libby Mitchell.[7]
District 4: Cheryl Leeman
Leeman was first elected to the City Council in 1984. In 2011, she is challenged by lawyer Ezekiel Callanan.
District 5: Jon Coyne
Coyne first ran for District 5 in 2008 and won. He ran for re-election in 2011 unopposed.
At-Large: Jon Anton
At-Large: Jill Duson
At-Large: Dory Waxman
At-Large: Nick Mavodones
References
- ^ Peck, Abraham. "Maine Voices: Why Portland doesn't have an elected mayor". Portland Press Herald. http://www.pressherald.com/opinion/why-portland-doesnt-have-an-elected-mayor_2010-09-27.html. Retrieved 29 October 2011.
- ^ Singer, Jason (October 14, 2011). "David Marshall: A list of successes, ability to ‘get things done’". Portland Press Herald. http://www.pressherald.com/news/A-list-of-successes-ability-to-get-things-done.html?searchterm=david+marshall. Retrieved 29 October 2011.
- ^ Singer, Jason (October 27, 2011). "Jill Duson: Strong resume, plus life experience". Portland Press Herald. http://www.pressherald.com/news/strong-resume-plus-life-experience_2011-10-25.html?searchterm=Jill+Duson. Retrieved 29 October 2011.
- ^ Singer, Jason (October 27, 2011). "Nicholas Mavodones: Ready for chance to build on his record". Portland Press Herald. http://www.pressherald.com/news/Ready-for-chance-to-build-on-his-record_10-26-11.html. Retrieved 29 October 2011.
- ^ Carkhuff, David (March 25, 2011). "Marshall to announce mayoral run". Portland Daily Sun. http://portlanddailysun.me/news/story/marshall-announce-mayoral-run. Retrieved 14 October 2011.
- ^ "Board of Directors - Portland Downtown District". http://www.portlandmaine.com/about-pdd/board-of-directors/. Retrieved 16 October 2011.
- ^ "Voters’ Guide 2010: City Council District 3". The Bollard. October 18, 2010. http://www.thebollard.com/bollard/?p=7990. Retrieved 11 November 2011.
External links
Categories:- Government of Portland, Maine
- United States city councils
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