Maine news, sports, weather | Kennebec Journal, Augusta, Maine

This ain't no party: Independents face Tuesday deadline in run for Blaine House

By GLENN ADAMS, Associated Press Writer

AUGUSTA — Now that the gubernatorial candidates from the two major parties have had a chance to strut their stuff at conventions, the spotlight shifts briefly to the independents, who face a couple of important deadlines to remain in the race.

By Tuesday afternoon, the nonparty candidates must turn in petitions to get on the November ballot to local registrars, who then certify the signers as registered voters.

Then, a week later, the candidates must get those petitions to state election officials in Augusta.

So far, only three independents have beaten the clock to turn in at least 4,000 voters’ signatures: Eliot Cutler, of Cape Elizabeth; Kevin Scott, of Andover; and Shawn Moody, of Gorham.

Seven other independents are listed as candidates on the website of state campaign regulators. It’s unclear how many will be able to get their petitions certified by municipal registrars and turned in to the secretary of state’s office by June 1.

“I’m still working on it,” said one of the candidates contacted Monday, Augustus Edgerton, of Bangor.

Even after the petitions are accepted by state election officials, challengers get five business days after June 1 to file their appeals.

The best-financed and most prominent independent is Cutler, who was President Jimmy Carter’s principal energy adviser from 1977 to 1980 and later founded a law firm specializing in environmental and land use matters.

The other active independents are listed as Albert Daniel, Samme Bailey, Beverly Cooper-Peete, Alex Hammer, Martin Vachon and John Whitcomb.

As the June 8 primary draws closer, most of the attention will be drawn back to the Democratic and Republican gubernatorial races, which feature four and seven candidates, respectively.

The candidates made their pitches to their party conventions, which concluded with last weekend’s Democratic gathering in Lewiston. Now media ads are appearing with greater frequency and added flair to convey the candidates’ messages.

Democrat Rosa Scarcelli began airing a French-language radio spot to appeal to Franco-American voters.

Democrat Steve Rowe trumpeted TV ads that inject a little humor into his campaign.

Republican Peter Mills has been running out a series of ads featuring a range of supporters, including one making moose calls.