Cape council to consider special election for Dill’s seat

Now that Democrat Cynthia Dill is safely ensconced in the State Senate, having easily won a May 5 special election, her former House seat is up for grabs.

According to Cape Elizabeth Assistant Town Manager Debra Lane, councilors will consider calling a special election at the June 13 session. Nothing obligates the council to request an election to fill the vacancy in House District 121. The Maine Constitution only says that the town “may” ask for special election. If they do so, the law states, then the governor “shall” set a date.

Caitlin Chamberlain, deputy secretary for communications at the Secretary of State’s Office, said the governor has fairly wide latitude in picking an anointed time.

“It’s kind of a gray area,” she said, suggesting that, because the seat cannot be filled before the current legislative session ends next month, the regular November election might be the most appropriate time.

However, the governor’s press secretary, Adrienne Bennett, declined Tuesday to suggest what date Gov. Paul LePage might have in mind. The matter can’t even be considered, she said, until the Cape Elizabeth Town Council acts.

According to Chamberlain, the minimum timeframe would be “six to eight weeks” from whenever Cape Elizabeth pulls the proverbial firing pin. It takes three to four weeks to schedule party caucus, she said, then at least three to four weeks as a minimum campaign cycle, to allow for ballots to be printed.

“Because this district only includes Cape Elizabeth, it probably can be done that quickly,” Chamberlain said.

That would push the election out until late July or early August at the very soonest.

Chamberlain said that once the election date is set, any candidate not enrolled in a political party may get on the ballot by collecting 50 signatures from registered Cape Elizabeth voters and submitting the notarized petition to the town clerk by the deadline for party caucuses.