Orono voters re-elect Gardner and Mehnert to town council, chooses school board members

ORONO, Maine — One week after the democratic presidential primaries, Orono voters returned to the polls on Tuesday, March 10, and re-elected two members to the town council and RSU 26 school board.  

Meghan Gardner and Cynthia Mehnert, both incumbents, were re-elected to terms on Orono’s town council. Gardner pulled in the majority of votes at 455 and Mehnert won 428. 

Gardner is also running for a seat in the state Legislature and said she intends to serve both positions concurrently, if elected. 

“It’s exciting to see that our residents are passionate and engaged. Two back-to-back elections with a caucus in the middle was a lot, but Orono rose to the occasion and so did town staff and volunteers,” Gardner said. 

“I spent much of the primary standing outside the polling place … there was rarely a lull — people were lining up all day to register and to vote. It was inspiring.” 

Mehnert, who is also a lawyer at Rudman Winchell, has served on Orono’s council for 12 years — including six as the chairperson. 

Newcomer Daniel LaPointe lost the race, with just 99 votes of the 550 ballots cast for town council on Tuesday. Voters also re-elected Erin Ellis and Jacob Eckert to the RSU 26 school board. 

Eckert is the board’s current vice chairperson. 

Mehnert, Ellis and Eckert did not respond to requests for comments.