4,182 absentee ballots cast in Cape Elizabeth municipal election
Voters in the Maine town elected two new Town Council members and two School Board directors, with officials reporting a record for absentee voting.
By Riya Zhao ·
Cape Elizabeth voters chose new representatives for the Town Council and School Board on November 4.
Elizabeth Biermann and Christopher Gorski won the two open Town Council seats. Biermann, an attorney who has lived in the town for seven years, received 3,468 votes. She defeated Stephanie Anderson. Gorski, a software engineer, received 2,723 votes. He defeated Timothy Thompson. Both candidates are new to municipal office.
The School Board race produced two winners from a field of three. Elizabeth Goodspeed, an educator with children in the district, received 3,582 votes. Julie Pelletier, an emergency medicine physician and parent of three students in the district, received 3,142 votes. Karen Lechner received 2,553 votes and did not win a seat.
Town officials reported a record number of absentee ballots in this cycle. Of the 6,334 municipal ballots cast, 4,182 were submitted absentee.
The incoming council members outlined their priorities for their first terms. Biermann said she plans to lower costs by taking a long-term view. She aims to keep the town affordable and make decisions efficiently. Gorski plans to focus on infrastructure improvements, including road paving. He also intends to protect open spaces and support the School Board.
The new School Board members emphasized education and infrastructure. Goodspeed wants the schools to plan thoughtfully about technology use in the classroom. She also cited future infrastructure needs. Pelletier said she wants to support educators and work with school leaders on technology plans. Her goals include retaining and recruiting more educators and improving school infrastructure when needed.
