Scarborough school board seat vacated due to absenteeism
Nancy Lever fills out a ballot during early voting at Scarborough Town Hall in June 2025. (Derek Davis/Staff Photographer)
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A seat on the Scarborough Board of Education will be on the ballot during the November election after a member was removed from the board due to absenteeism.
Although school board seats are usually filled during the primary elections in June, if a seat becomes vacant after June, the board can use the November elections to fill the vacancy, Town Clerk Kristen Barth said.
On June 9, voters elected Donald Scott Gondzar and Alexander J. Weber to fill two seats on board, with terms to expire in 2029.
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Less than two weeks later, the board declared Charlotte Jacobs’ seat vacant after she missed eight meetings. Jacobs received numerous warnings about her absences and didn’t respond, Shannon Lindstrom, chair of the board, said.
Since the vacancy was declared less than six months before the next election, the board could — but wasn’t required to — hold a special election. Special elections cost taxpayer money and usually have low voter turnout, Lindstrom said. The board voted to wait until November.
On Nov. 3, voters will elect someone to take over Jacobs’ term, which will expire June 2028. Those interested in the position can take out nomination papers from the Town Clerk Office at Town Hall starting Aug. 5 and return them by Sept. 2.
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Three Town Council seats and three seats on the Scarborough Sanitary District will also be on the ballot.
For questions about the election, the Town Clerk Office can be reached at 207-730-4020.
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Tagged: election 2026, Scarborough School department, scarborough schools
Salomé Cloteaux is a community reporter covering Scarborough and Westbrook. She was born in France but lived in Indiana for most of her life before moving to Portland in November 2025. Salomé has a degree. More by Salomé Cloteaux
