2023 Portland, Maine mayoral election explained

Type:Presidential
Country:Maine
Ongoing:no
Previous Election:2019 Portland, Maine, mayoral election
Previous Year:2019
Next Election:2027 Portland, Maine mayoral election
Next Year:2027
Election Date:November 7, 2023
Mayor
Before Election:Kate Snyder
After Election:Mark Dion
3Data5:Eliminated
3Data4:Eliminated
3Data2:10,107
48.45%
3Data1:10,750
51.55%
1Data5:1,771
7.90%
3Blank:Final round
Image1:Mark Dion (cropped).png
Image4:Pious Ali (cropped).png
Image5:Justin Costa (cropped).png
1Data4:4,894
21.83%
1Data2:5,902
26.33%
1Blank:First round
1Data1:8,839
39.43%
Color5:c0c0c0
Color4:c0c0c0
Color2:c0c0c0
Color1:c0c0c0
Candidate1:Mark Dion
Candidate2:Andrew Zarro
Candidate4:Pious Ali
Candidate5:Justin Costa

The 2023 Portland, Maine mayoral election was held on November 7, 2023, to elect the mayor of Portland, Maine.

Since 1923, municipal elections in Portland have not included formal partisan nominations. In September 2022, Mayor Kate Snyder announced that she would not seek re-election to a second term in office.[1] [2] Mark Dion was elected mayor after five rounds of voting.[3]

Background

Since 2011, all mayoral elections in Portland have used instant-runoff voting,[4] a form of ranked-choice voting.

Nomination papers for the mayor, city council, and school board were available on June 30 and had to be returned between August 14 and August 28.[5]

Candidates

Official

Declined

Endorsements

Campaign

The major issues in the mayoral campaign included the ongoing housing crisis and homelessness crisis in the city.[13] The 2023 point-in-time count noted 4,258 unhoused individuals, 25% of which were considered chronically homeless.[14]

Another issue discussed on the campaign trail was a rise in hate speech. Ali faced threats and harassment from the New England White Network,[15] City Council meetings faced zoom bombing,[16] and anti-semitic flyers were placed around the community on September 11.[17]

Results

2023 Portland, Maine mayoral election
CandidateRound 1Round 2Round 3Round 4Round 5
Votes%TransferVotes%TransferVotes%TransferVotes%TransferVotes%
Mark Dion8,83939.43%+ 108,84939.50%+ 608,90939.88%+ 5169,42542.56%+ 1,325BGCOLOR=PaleGreen10,750BGCOLOR=PaleGreen51.55%
Andrew Zarro5,90226.33%+ 265,92826.46%+ 3636,29128.16%+ 6366,92731.28%+ 3,18010,10748.45%
Pious Ali4,89421.83%+ 234,91721.95%+ 3625,27923.63%+ 5155,79426.16%BGCOLOR=pink- 5,794Eliminated
Justin Costa1,7717.90%+ 41,7757.92%+ 861,8618.33%BGCOLOR=pink- 1,861Eliminated
Dylan Pugh9084.05%+ 269344.17%BGCOLOR=pink- 934Eliminated
George Rheault
(Write-in)		1000.45%BGCOLOR=pink- 100Eliminated
Total votes22,414100.0%

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Ohm . Rachel . Portland Mayor Kate Snyder won't seek reelection in 2023 . . 23 September 2022 . https://archive.today/20220913150837/https://www.pressherald.com/2022/09/12/portland-mayor-kate-snyder-wont-seek-re-election-in-2023/ . 13 September 2022 . 12 September 2022 . live.
  2. Web site: Hirschkorn . Phil . Portland mayor opts out of second term, will campaign to preserve current system of government . . 23 September 2022 . 13 September 2022.
  3. News: Schroeder . Nick . Dion, Portland's version of a law-and-order candidate, wins mayoral race . Maine Morning Star . 8 November 2023.
  4. http://www.portlandvoters.com/rankchoicevoting.pdf Ranked Choice Voting
  5. Web site: 2023-05-09 . Race for Portland mayor heats up as City Councilor Andrew Zarro enters . 2023-06-03 . Yahoo Finance . en-US.
  6. Web site: Hoey . Dennis . 2023-08-01 . City Councilor Pious Ali joins growing field in Portland mayoral race . 2023-08-10 . Press Herald.
  7. Web site: Ohm . Rachel . 2023-07-18 . Former Portland city councilor enters race for mayor . 2023-08-10 . Press Herald.
  8. Web site: Bartow . Adam . 2023-06-29 . Portland city councilor, former sheriff, announces run for mayor . 2023-08-10 . WMTW . en.
  9. News: New candidate for Portland mayor throws hat in the race.
  10. News: Ohm . Rachel . 9 May 2023 . Race for Portland mayor heats up as City Councilor Andrew Zarro enters . Press Herald .
  11. Web site: Ohm . Rachel . With Kate Snyder stepping aside, who will run for Portland mayor? . . 23 September 2022 . https://archive.today/20220914174504/https://www.pressherald.com/2022/09/13/with-kate-snyder-stepping-aside-who-will-run-for-portland-mayor/ . 14 September 2022 . 13 September 2022 . live.
  12. News: Despite Election Day failures, progressive reforms could still be in Portland's future. Strimling, who lost to Snyder in 2019, said he has "no plans" to run for a vacant mayor position in 2023.
  13. News: Cover . Susan . Portland mayoral candidates address homelessness crisis . 1 October 2023 . . 21 September 2023 . en.
  14. News: Bader . Emily . Homeless people ponder next destination as Portland housing crisis intensifies . 1 October 2023 . The Maine Monitor . 21 May 2023.
  15. Web site: Pious Ali on LinkedIn: Hello, Portland community! I don't usually share the racist attacks I... 16 comments . www.linkedin.com . 1 October 2023 . en.
  16. News: Clarke . Talia . Hate speech disrupts Portland City Council meeting, brings Mayor to tears . 1 October 2023 . WMTW . 20 September 2023 . en.
  17. News: Bennett . Troy R. . Antisemitic 9/11 flyers appear in Portland on anniversary of attacks . 1 October 2023 . Bangor Daily News . 11 September 2023.

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