A look at what’s on the ballot in Gorham
Mary Moreno votes at the Gorham Municipal Center on Tuesday, June 10, 2025. (Daryn Slover/Staff Photographer)
Read all of our coverage of Maine's 2026 election or stay up to date with the latest developments through the Maine Political Report in your inbox or text messages from politics editor Kirby Wilson.
Absentee voting is underway in Gorham ahead of Election Day on Nov. 3. On their ballots, Gorham residents will see Town Council and school committee races, a referendum to borrow money for high school renovations, and notable races for Maine House, Senate, governor and federal positions.
Where you’ll vote on Election Day in Gorham depends on where you live. Voters in the northern parts of town will vote at Great Falls Elementary School, voters in the western and southern parts will vote at the Shaw Gym by the Gorham Municipal Center and voters in the eastern parts will head to Gorham Middle School. Election Day voting hours are 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., and a list of addresses in each ward and a map is available on the town’s website.
In-person absentee voting is held in the town clerk’s office until Oct. 15 and will move to the council chambers of the Gorham Municipal Center from Oct. 19-29. There will be special absentee voting hours from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Oct. 27, and regular hours are 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays and 7 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Tuesdays.
TOWN COUNCIL
Two Gorham town councilors — four-term Chair Suzanne Phillips and one-term Councilor Lou Simms — are up for reelection. Newcomers Sam Purinton and Roger Kramer are running for the open seats.
In her responses to the Press Herald Voter Guide, Phillips said her priorities include affordability, planning ahead in development and strengthening the town’s tax base, as well as making Gorham a friendlier place for businesses. She emphasized the importance of managing the large housing projects in the pipeline and making sure businesses have room to grow, and improving communication between the town and residents.
Simms wrote in his responses that he is focused on supporting schools and considering the costs and benefits of prospective developments. He said he wants the Town Council to prioritize the input of residents and quality of life over corporate interests, and emphasized that mixed-use development generates significant property tax revenue without adding kids to schools, and provides gathering spaces for community.
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Purinton said his priorities are ensuring schools are funded while keeping property taxes to a minimum by focusing development pressure on land that is already developed. He added that he wants to bring more transparency to the Town Council, as he believes it should not have discussed its purchase-and-sale agreement with Amazon in executive session before voting to sell land to the corporation in August 2025.
Simms and Purinton are campaigning together.
Kramer did not respond to the Voter Guide Survey.
SCHOOL COMMITTEE
Three seats are open on the seven-person Gorham School Committee. Incumbent Michelle Littlefield is up for reelection, and five newcomer candidates — Nancy Flagg, Sheldon Jones, Karl Krebs, Michael Lund Ziegler and Matthew Steinback — are seeking seats.
In her responses to the Press Herald Voter Guide, Littlefield said she wants to ensure children receive the best education possible, support educators and their expertise and identify solutions to reduce burdens on local taxpayers.
Flagg wrote that her priorities are fostering a healthy community, supporting diverse types of achievement and managing technological changes available to students and schools.
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Jones said he is focused on supporting the resources teachers and students need, balancing school spending with what Gorham families can afford and listening to parents, educators and residents in decision making.
Krebs said he wants to make sure schools in Gorham have resources for students that perform better in alternative learning environments, center diversity and support community engagement opportunities for students.
Lund Ziegler said he intends to support teachers and families with thoughtful long-term strategies.
Steinback explained that he will prioritize ensuring that Gorham schools are safe, supportive and academically strong, strengthen mental health resources and substance-use prevention, and guide responsible and transparent budgeting.
$6.7M HIGH SCHOOL RENOVATIONS BOND
A referendum on the Gorham ballot will ask voters to borrow nearly $6.7 million to finance capital improvement projects at Gorham High School.
The projects include improving the parking lot, sidewalks, ADA access and drainage for $763,000, replacing six old portable classrooms for $4.6 million, and replacing windows, doors and brick veneer work for $1.3 million.
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The bond is part of Gorham Schools’ 10-year plan for capital improvements after the district learned it wouldn’t receive state funding for renovations for at least 10-15 years, according to Superintendent Heather Perry.
“This is looking for some of those larger ticket items, those bigger projects that go out 15, 20-plus years that could be bonded as a way to move these projects forward and get the necessary changes made for our schools,” Perry said at the Aug. 4 Town Council meeting.
The last large renovation at the school was completed in 1992, Perry said.
The Gorham Town Council voted 7-0 to send the bond question to voters. If voters approve, the council will decide the bond period.
MAINE SENATE & HOUSE
In Maine Senate District 30, which covers Gorham and part of Scarborough, voters will decide between Republican Thad Moody and current Maine House District 124 Rep. and Democrat Sophie Warren.
Gorham Town Councilor and Republican candidate Kelly Dearborn is up against one-term Democrat incumbent Parnell Terry for Maine House District 108, which covers the west part of Gorham.
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In Maine House District 109, covering the east part of Gorham, Republican Diana Kushnar is facing Gorham Town Councilor and Democrat Seven Siegel.
CUMBERLAND COUNTY RACES
Democrat Paul Aranson is running uncontested for Cumberland County judge of probate, as is incumbent Democrat Kevin Joyce for Cumberland County sheriff.
Incumbent Jacqueline Sartoris and challenger Stephanie Anderson are facing off for the District 2 attorney seat.
Read more about candidates’ campaign goals on the Press Herald Voter Guide.
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Tagged: ballot question, election 2026, public service
Madeleine is a community reporter for Gorham, Buxton and Standish. She started her journalism career in Vermont, where she reported for Seven Days and served as the editor-in-chief of Middlebury College's. More by Madeleine Kaptein
