More than 60 delegates from the Lincoln County Democratic Committee (LCDC) joined nearly 2,000 other Democrats from around the state at the Maine Democratic Party (MDP) Convention May 18-19. This year’s meeting, held at the Androscoggin Bank Colisee, was the largest gathering ever in a non-presidential election year.

Candidates for governor, the Maine Legislature, and the U.S. Congress headlined the convention, which carried the theme “Victory starts here!” Delegates also approved a progressive platform that strives to guarantee a secure future for all Mainers by growing the state’s economy, strengthening education, protecting the environment, combating hunger and poverty and improving health care access for all Mainers.

Lincoln County elected four representatives to the Maine Democratic State Committee (DSC): member Suzanne Hedrick of Nobleboro, member Brian Papineau of Boothbay Harbor, member and Vice-Chair of the Platform Committee Indriani Demers of Wiscasset, and first-time alternate Dylan Cookson of Waldoboro. LCDC chair, Chris Johnson of Somerville serves as an ex officio member of the DSC.

“I'm excited to be part of a growing progressive coalition within the DSC,” said Papineau, who is starting his second two-year term after being inspired by Bernie Sanders’ 2016 presidential bid. “We are shifting the party towards supporting a bold progressive message that will win elections. No more centrist, middle-of-the-road ideas that keep losing. We are here to fight and win so we can truly serve the People of Maine.”

Demers, this year’s Maine Education Association Human and Civil Rights Award recipient, said she’s involved with the LCDC and is looking forward to her second term on the State Committee. “Diversity in democracy serves all human beings,” she said.

The seven Democratic candidates for governor offered stirring visions of what Maine might look like under their administrations. Delegates also heard from candidates for sheriff and district attorney and state House and Senate candidates. Mirroring a national trend, half of the candidates for state House and nearly half of those running for Maine Senate are women.

“Democrats will seize on the incredible energy and enthusiasm we saw during our convention and carry that momentum forward to elect a Democratic governor, a Democratic congressman for Maine’s Second District, and strong Democratic majorities in the Maine House and Senate this November,” said Phil Bartlett, MDP chairman.

Maine voters will cast ballots in the state’s primary election Tuesday, June 12. Mainers will also vote on Question 1 to uphold or repeal ranked-choice voting. The general election is Tuesday, Nov. 6.