Beth Edmonds

Infobox_State_Senator
name=Beth Edmonds


width=
state_senate=Maine
state=Maine
district=10th
term_start=2001
term_end=
preceded=
succeeded= Incumbent
date of birth= Birth date and age|1950|10|27|
place of birth=Keene Valley, New York
date of death=
place of death=
spouse=Daniel Nickerson
profession=librarian
religion=Protestant
party=Democratic

Betheda G. 'Beth' Edmonds is a Democratic member of the Maine Senate, representing the 10th District since 2001 and becoming President after winning re-election in 2004. Her district includes the towns of Brunswick, Freeport, Harpswell and Pownal.

Pre-Political career

Edmonds is from a small town in the Adirondack Mountains of New York. She attended Clark University beginning in 1967 and graduated in 1972. She married Dan Nickerson, and moved to Freeport, Maine, where she has lived ever since. Since moving to Maine, Edmonds has been actively involved in the National Organization for Women (NOW) and worked as an activist on the Equal Rights Amendment. She has worked at the Freeport Community Library since 1982, and became director of the library in 2005. [cite web
url= http://www.freeportlibrary.com/staff.htm
accessdate= 2008-08-09
title= Our Staff
publisher= Freeport Public Library]

Political career

She has been a member of the State Senate since winning a seat in 2000. In 2000, 2002, 2004, and 2006, Edmonds won elections to the State Senate. In December 2003, Edmonds became President of the Maine State Senate, making her first in the line of succession for the governorship. She is only the second female Senate President in Maine history and the first to serve a second term as president.

Achievements as State Senator

While a member of the State Senate, Edmonds was instrumental in raising the state minimum wage, as well as resolving a longstanding conflict on the Workers' Compensation Board. She has supported eco-friendly measures such as the electronic waste recycling initiative. She also helped to establish the Baxter School for the Deaf Compensation Fund.

Election 2006

Many different groups endorsed Edmonds for re-election in 2006, including conservation-minded organizations like the Sierra Club and the Maine League of Conservation Voters. Gay rights groups, like the Maine Lesbian Gay Political Alliance and Equality Maine, have similarly endorsed Edmonds. Likewise, labor and education groups like the Maine AFL-CIO COPE (Committee on Political Education), the Maine State Employees Association, and the National Association of Social Workers supported Edmonds' re-election. She was re-elected with 67% of the vote. [cite web
url= http://www.maine.gov/sos/cec/elec/2006g/gen06ss.html
accessdate= 2008-08-09
title= General Election Tabulations, November 7, 2006, State Senator by District
publisher= State of Maine Department of the Secretary of State]

References

External links

* [http://www.bethedmonds.com/ Beth Edmonds] official website
* [http://www.maine.gov/legis/senate/offices/president/index.htm Maine Senate President] official government website
* [http://www.mainesenate.org/edmonds/index.htm Maine Senate Democrats - Senate President Beth Edmonds] profile
* [http://www.vote-smart.org/bio.php?can_id=19583 Project Vote Smart - Senator Beth Edmonds (ME)] profile
*"Follow the Money" - Beth Edmonds
** [http://www.followthemoney.org/database/StateGlance/candidate.phtml?si=200621&c=417559 2006] [http://www.followthemoney.org/database/StateGlance/candidate.phtml?si=200421&c=398425 2004] [http://www.followthemoney.org/database/StateGlance/candidate.phtml?si=200221&c=60048 2002] [http://www.followthemoney.org/database/StateGlance/candidate.phtml?si=200021&c=622 2000] [http://www.followthemoney.org/database/StateGlance/candidate.phtml?si=199821&c=360453 1998] campaign contributions
* [http://www.clarku.edu/alumni/lifeafterclark/testimonials/edmonds.cfm Clark University testimonial]

Persondata
NAME = Edmonds, Betheda
ALTERNATIVE NAMES = Edmonds, Beth
SHORT DESCRIPTION = American politician
DATE OF BIRTH =
PLACE OF BIRTH =
DATE OF DEATH =
PLACE OF DEATH =