elections

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What they write about

The Maine Democratic Party's US Senate prospects
Thanks for coming to my power-point presentation.
By AL DIAMON | February 15, 2012

Building the perfect beast

America Elects
There are a few acceptable reasons for keeping your identity a secret.
By AL DIAMON | February 08, 2012

Letters to the Portland Phoenix editor, February 10, 2012
Mainers now have the opportunity to participate in the first-ever national online primary that is open to everyone.
By PORTLAND PHOENIX LETTERS | February 08, 2012

Getting the Ron-around

Checking in with presidential hopeful Paul
While fellow Republican hopefuls Mitt Romney, Newt Gingrich, and Rick Santorum fight it out in Florida, Ron Paul, dark-horse candidate and Constitutional fundamentalist, sallied forth along his unorthodox campaign trail, hitting states with upcoming caucuses rather than primaries.
By NICHOLAS SCHROEDER | February 01, 2012

Dead man walking

A funeral for The Maine Clean Election Act
It should have been a somber moment, but the awful shouting intruded on the funeral service.
By AL DIAMON | January 18, 2012

It might never happen

Democrat domination
The Very Smart People have proclaimed that the Democratic Party is about to reclaim control of the Maine House of Representatives.
By AL DIAMON | January 11, 2012

Twelve sweet ideas for Maine in 2012

Better by the dozen
With the new year upon us, we're looking into the future to see what things will be making Maine better in the coming 12 months. Here's a selection of things we'll be watching — and you should, too.
By DEIRDRE FULTON, JEFF INGLIS, AND NICHOLAS SCHROEDER | January 04, 2012

The GOP’s pride is showing; Chafee’s new chief; blame Iran!

A degrading scenario
Professional white man Mittens Romney edged out Rick Santorum by only eight votes in Iowa this week, with America's most prominent homophobe falling just short after a busload of his supporters got lost in a corn maze they visited en route to their farmhouse caucus.
By PHILLIPE AND JORGE | January 04, 2012

2012 will be all shook up; The pope, aka His Clotheshorse; a few final farewells

Crystal balls at the State House
As the New Year blooms, Phillipe and Jorge gaze into our big crystal ball.
By PHILLIPE AND JORGE | December 29, 2011

In 2012, election year intrigue awaits

Punditry Dept.
The new year is, of course, an election year. And while the presidential race will probably be less-than-dramatic in Rhode Island, there will be plenty of other intriguing fare for the political junkie.
By DAVID SCHARFENBERG | December 28, 2011

Rhode Island goes red

Progressives look back on a string of bitter defeats
For Rhode Island progressives, the new year arrived with an air of anticipation.
By DAVID SCHARFENBERG | December 21, 2011

The Asian Dubya

Let’s hear it for the boy; Gina hits Fountain Street; hometown rockers
Well, you can bet they're sleeping with one eye open in South Korea these days, now that the recently deceased porn fan and Oriental Fatty Arbuckle impersonator Kim Jong Il appears to have passed his role as Great Oppressor to the Great Successor, his son Kim Jong Un.
By PHILLIPE AND JORGE | December 21, 2011

Cicilline and Langevin go to war over the redistricting plan

Armageddon
There are rivalries within any state's Congressional delegation. The competition for influence and the back-and-forth over who gets credit for what can get snippy.
By DAVID SCHARFENBERG | February 02, 2012

Having a ball

The Clean Election Act
For my birthday, a friend bought me a baseball cap with the letters "TR" on the front. That stands for Templeton Rye, my favorite whiskey. But the first time I wore it, some idiot in a bar accused me of being a Texas Rangers fan.
By AL DIAMON | December 14, 2011

Three the hard way

Gubernatorial candidates
The current field of Democratic gubernatorial candidates consists of one who's already run unsuccessfully, one who's a member of the 1 percent of rich and powerful Americans the Occupy Maine movement is protesting, and one who's sort of loopy.
By AL DIAMON | November 30, 2011

Doesn't add up

Ranked-choice voting
Ranked-choice voting "would ensure not only that the most popular candidate wins an election, but also that he or she wins by a clear majority of the voters," said Jim Brunelle, Portland Press Herald columnist, on August 13, 2004.
By AL DIAMON | November 23, 2011

Photos: Boston City Council Elections 2011

November 8, 2011
Boston held its City Council elections on November 8, 2011.
By PHOENIX STAFF | November 11, 2011

Who will be mayor?

Q&A with the 15 candidates looking for your vote
A Portland Election Special.
By DEIRDRE FULTON | October 26, 2011

Mayoral endorsements + State and county referenda

Endorsements
Portland's mayoral election is being handled by ranked-choice voting.
By PHOENIX STAFF | October 26, 2011

For Boston City Council

Re-elect Arroyo, Connolly, Murphy, and Pressley. Vote for Frank, Lee, and Jackson.
Boston city councilors enjoy relatively high political profiles, but in reality they labor under the tight constraints of a strong-mayor system.
By EDITORIAL | October 26, 2011

City manager: Mayor will be ‘chief lobbyist’

Portland 101
The election of a new mayor "is not going to make that much of a difference in the way we operate day to day," city manager Mark Rees told participants in the League of Young Voters' Portland 101 program last week.
By DEIRDRE FULTON | October 26, 2011

Power struggles

Letters to the Portland Phoenix editor, October 28, 2011
I suggest Jeff Inglis check the prism through which he views the world.
By PORTLAND PHOENIX LETTERS | October 26, 2011

Burning up the house

Portland 101
"Lots of ribbin' and kiddin' goes on here," said deputy fire chief David Pendleton of the loooooong dining table upstairs at the Portland Fire Department's Bramhall Station.
By DEIRDRE FULTON | October 19, 2011

Last choice

Voter suppression
It's an outrage that a small group of devious political insiders has been allowed to manipulate the democratic process in a blatant attempt to restrict voting rights.
By AL DIAMON | October 05, 2011

Getting our sh%& straight

Portland 101
For the second week in a row, as part of the League of Young Voters' Portland 101 program, I got to visit a smelly and treacherous location, all in the name of getting (and sharing with you, reader!) a behind-the-scenes glimpse of our city's inner-workings.
By DEIRDRE FULTON | October 05, 2011

Talking trash with the League

Portland 101
The second site visit of the League of Young Voters' Portland 101 program, which Jeff Inglis outlined last week (see " Young Activists Explore Police Department ," September 23), took the group to ecomaine, the non-profit waste management facility located off outer Congress Street.
By DEIRDRE FULTON | September 28, 2011

Don't say the words

On the campaign trail
Raye is part of the moderate wing of the GOP, fiscally conservative but close to the middle on social issues.
By AL DIAMON | August 31, 2011

From top cop to capitol hill?

Former State Police superintendent Brendan Doherty could mount a serious challenge to Congressman David Cicilline. But first he has to tame his restive GOP
It is hard to imagine a better Republican candidate for Rhode Island's First Congressional District than Colonel Brendan Doherty, the retired superintendent of state police.
By DAVID SCHARFENBERG | August 17, 2011

Minor League Pundits

Big Fat Whale
They're not in the running, but they think they are.
By BRIAN MCFADDEN | July 26, 2011

Pledge class

This campaign season, you’re not really committed to defending the GOP agenda unless you sign on the dotted line
Whether it's to flags, fraternities, or charities, privileged douchebags love pledging allegiance.
By CHRIS FARAONE AND DAVID EISENBERG | August 01, 2011