Share on WeChat
https://www.powervoter.us:443/office
Copy the link and open WeChat to share.
 Share on WeChat
Copy the link and open WeChat to share.
 Share on WeChat
Scan QRCode using WeChat,and then click the icon at the top-right corner of your screen.
 Share on WeChat
Scan QRCode using WeChat,and then click the icon at the top-right corner of your screen.

Maine, State Representative, District 59

Maine House of Representatives District 59
Current incumbentMargaret Craven Democratic Party

Maine's fifty-ninth state house district is represented by Democratic Representative Margaret Craven.

Maine state representatives represent an average of 8,682 residents. After the 2000 Census, each member represented 8,333 residents.

About the chamber

Members of the Maine House of Representatives serve two-year terms with term limits. Maine legislators assume office after the first Wednesday in December after their election.

Qualifications

Section 4 of Part 1 of Article 4 of the Maine Constitution states, "Qualifications; residency requirement. No person shall be a member of the House of Representatives, unless the person shall, at the commencement of the period for which the person is elected, have been 5 years a citizen of the United States, have arrived at the age of 21 years, have been a resident in this State one year; and for the 3 months next preceding the time of this person's election shall have been, and, during the period for which elected, shall continue to be a resident in the district which that person represents."

Salaries

State legislators
SalaryPer diem
$10,131/year$38/day for lodging (or mileage and tolls up to $38/day in lieu of housing). $32/day for meals. Set by statute.

Term limits

The Maine legislature is one of 15 state legislatures with term limits. Voters enacted the Maine Term Limits Act in 1993. That initiative said that Maine representatives are subject to term limits of no more than four two-year terms, or a total of eight years.

The first year that the term limits enacted in 1993 impacted the ability of incumbents to run for office was in 1996.

Vacancies

If there is a vacancy in the house, a special election must be held to fill the vacant seat. The Governor must call for an election and allow all political committees representing the vacant seat to set all deadlines. The person elected to the seat serves for the remainder of the unexpired term.

2016 pivot county

206 Pivot Counties Logo.png

This district is one of 710 state legislative districts that intersects with one or more Pivot Counties. These 206 Pivot Counties voted for Donald Trump (R) in 2016 after voting for Barack Obama (D) in 2008 and 2012.

The 206 Pivot Counties are located in 34 states. Iowa, with 31, had the most such counties. The partisan makeup of state legislative districts intersecting with Pivot Counties is slightly more Republican than the overall partisan makeup of state legislatures throughout the country.

Elections

2020

Elections for the office of Maine House of Representatives will take place in 2020. The general election will be held on November 3, 2020. A primary is scheduled for June 9, 2020. The filing deadline is March 16, 2020.

2018

General election
General election for Maine House of Representatives District 59

Margaret Craven (D) defeated John Reeder (R) in the general election for Maine House of Representatives District 59 on November 6, 2018.

Candidate
%
Votes

Margaret Craven (D)
58.2
2,503

Silhouette Placeholder Image.png

John Reeder (R)
41.8
1,799

Total votes: 4,302
(100.00% precincts reporting)
Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Maine House of Representatives District 59

Margaret Craven advanced from the Democratic primary for Maine House of Representatives District 59 on June 12, 2018.

Candidate
%
Votes

Margaret Craven (D)
100
824

Total votes: 824
Republican primary election
Republican primary for Maine House of Representatives District 59

John Reeder advanced from the Republican primary for Maine House of Representatives District 59 on June 12, 2018.

Candidate
%
Votes

Silhouette Placeholder Image.png

John Reeder (R)
100
415

Total votes: 415


2016

Elections for the Maine House of Representatives took place in 2016. The primary election took place on June 14, 2016, and the general election was held on November 8, 2016. The candidate filing deadline was March 15, 2016. Incumbent Margaret Rotundo (D) did not seek re-election.

Roger Fuller defeated Elliot Chicoine in the Maine House of Representatives District 59 general election.

Maine House of Representatives, District 59 General Election, 2016

Party Candidate Vote % Votes
Democratic Green check mark transparent.png Roger Fuller 58.06% 2,868
Republican Elliot Chicoine 41.94% 2,072
Total Votes 4,940
Source: Maine Secretary of State
Roger Fuller defeated Melissa Stevens in the Maine House of Representatives District 59 Democratic primary.

Maine House of Representatives, District 59 Democratic Primary, 2016

Party Candidate Vote % Votes
Democratic Green check mark transparent.png Roger Fuller 60.37% 457
Democratic Melissa Stevens 39.63% 300
Total Votes 757

Elliot Chicoine ran unopposed in the Maine House of Representatives District 59 Republican primary.

Maine House of Representatives, District 59 Republican Primary, 2016

Party Candidate
Republican Green check mark transparent.png Elliot Chicoine (unopposed)


2014

Elections for the Maine House of Representatives took place in 2014. A primary election took place on June 10, 2014, and a general election was held on November 4, 2014. The signature filing deadline for party candidates wishing to run in this election was March 17, 2014. The deadline for write-in candidates to run in the primary election was April 28, 2014, and the deadline for non-party candidates to run in the general election was June 2, 2014. The deadline for write-in candidates to run in the general election was September 22, 2014. District 74 incumbent Margaret Rotundo was unopposed in the Democratic primary and was unopposed in the general election. Cynthia Mendros was unopposed in the Republican primary but withdrew afterwards; she was replaced by James Sorcek, who also withdrew before the general election.

2012

Elections for the office of Maine House of Representatives consisted of a primary election on June 12, 2012, and a general election on November 6, 2012. The signature-filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in this election was March 15, 2012. Gay Grant (D) defeated Shirley Hanley (R) in the general election and defeated Phillip Barter and Harvey DeVane in the Democratic primary. Hanley was unopposed in the Republican primary.

Maine House of Representatives, District 59, General Election, 2012

Party Candidate Vote % Votes
Democratic Green check mark transparent.pngGay Grant 54.7% 2,095
Republican Shirley Hanley 45.3% 1,736
Total Votes 3,831

Maine House of Representatives, District 59 Democratic Primary, 2012

Candidate Vote % Votes
Green check mark transparent.pngGay Grant 44.8% 283
Harvey DeVane 29.6% 187
Phillip Barter 25.5% 161
Total Votes 631

Campaign contributions

From 2002 to 2016, candidates for Maine House of Representatives District 59 raised a total of $79,138. Candidates who raised money in contributions earned $4,397 on average. All figures come from Follow the Money.

Campaign contributions, Maine House of Representatives District 59

Year Amount Candidates Average
2016 $12,473 3 $4,158
2014 $2,395 2 $1,198
2012 * $12,181 4 $3,045
2010 $4,991 1 $4,991
2008 $5,750 1 $5,750
2006 $5,342 1 $5,342
2004 $11,972 3 $3,991
2002 $900 1 $900
2000 $23,134 2 $11,567
Total $79,138 18 $4,397
* Campaign finance data for 2012 is incomplete for this district.