Sharri MacDonald

Sharri MacDonald (born 1971 or 1972)[1] is an American politician from Maine. She served in the city council of Old Orchard Beach until 2013, when she was recalled after a controversial vote in the council to terminate Old Orchard Beach's Town Manager. She served in the Maine House of Representatives from 2012 to 2014 from District 132, as a member of the Republican Party.[2]

Career

Recall
2013 Old Orchard Beach recall of Sharri MacDonald[3]
Results
Choice
 Votes  %
Yes 1,385 64.93%
No 748 35.07%
Valid votes 2,133 100.00%
Invalid or blank votes 0 0.00%
Total votes 2,133 100.00%

In March 2013, Town Manager Mark Pearson was terminated by a 4–3 vote of the Old Orchard Beach City Council, of which MacDonald was the chair.[4] Disgruntled by the vote and lack of transparency, town citizens started a petition to recall the four members of the council who voted for the termination, including MacDonald.[4] MacDonald commented that "People are upset, I understand", and said that she believes that "recalls lead to more divisiveness".[4] In retaliation for the recall petition, another group started a recall petition against the three town members who had voted against Pearson's termination, meaning that all seven members of the Old Orchard Beach City Council were now facing a June recall election.[5] Six of the seven members on the council, including MacDonald, were recalled.[3][6]

Maine House of Representatives

MacDonald was first elected to the Maine House of Representatives in 2012, defeating Roxanne Victoria Frenette with 53% of the vote.[7] She was defeated by George Hogan in 2014.[8] Later, she ran against Lori Gramlich in District 13 in 2018 and 2020, losing both times.[9][10]

Medicaid expansion

In 2013, MacDonald voted against a Medicaid expansion that she had previously voted for, one of only two Republicans to do so. The bill would have entered Maine in the Medicaid expansion program for three years, with the federal government covering the cost of the expansion.[11]

Religious freedom

In February 2014, MacDonald was noted for being one of few Republicans to vote against a religious freedom bill that had originated in the Maine Senate. The bill would have prevented the state of Maine from passing a law that infringed upon religious freedom unless there was a "compelling state interest" to do so.[12]

Economy

In 2013, MacDonald introduced a bill that would allow localities in Maine to increase the sales tax in their region, keeping the revenues. The bill passed 101-48 in the Maine House of Representatives, but failed in the Maine Senate.[13]

Electoral history

2020
2020 Maine House of Representatives election, District 13[10]
Primary election
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Sharri MacDonald 340 100.0%
Total votes 340 100.0%
General election
Democratic Lori Gramlich 3,383 55.4%
Republican Sharri MacDonald 2,721 44.6%
Total votes 6,104 100.0%

2018
2018 Maine House of Representatives election, District 13[9]
Primary election
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Sharri MacDonald 447 100.0%
Total votes 447 100.0%
General election
Democratic Lori Gramlich 2,775 59.5%
Republican Sharri MacDonald 1,889 40.5%
Total votes 4,664 100.0%

2014
2014 Maine House of Representatives election, District 132[8]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic George Hogan 2,462 58.58%
Republican Sharri MacDonald (Incumbent) 1,741 41.42%
Total votes 4,203 100.0%

2012
2012 Maine House of Representatives election, District 132[14][7]
Primary election
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Sharri MacDonald 329 100.0%
Total votes 329 100.0%
General election
Republican Sharri MacDonald 2,591 52.56%
Democratic Roxanne Victoria Frenette 2,296 46.59%
Other Write-ins 42 0.85%
Total votes 4,929 100.0%

References
  1. Gotthelf, Liz (October 8, 2020). "Gramlich, MacDonald compete for State House District 13 seat". The Saco Bay News. Retrieved April 26, 2022.
  2. "Sharri MacDonald, Maine House 13". Portland Press Herald. October 8, 2020. Archived from the original on September 9, 2021. Retrieved September 9, 2021.
  3. Reid, Louise V. (June 17, 2013). "The Old Orchard Beach Town Council Special Town Council Meeting Canvass And Certification Of Municipal Election Town Hall Chambers" (PDF). Old Orchard Beach, Maine. Archived (PDF) from the original on October 25, 2014. Retrieved August 31, 2019.
  4. "Old Orchard Beach residents launch effort to recall councilors who voted to fire town manager". Bangor Daily News. March 13, 2013. Archived from the original on September 1, 2021. Retrieved August 31, 2021.
  5. Graham, Gillian (March 15, 2013). "Entire Old Orchard Beach council may face recall". Portland Press-Herald. Archived from the original on September 1, 2021. Retrieved August 31, 2021.
  6. "Maine election results: Old Orchard recalls 6 councilors, Rockland-area, Auburn reject school budgets". Bangor Daily News. June 11, 2013. Archived from the original on September 1, 2021. Retrieved August 31, 2021.
  7. "2012 general election results in Maine". Government of Maine. Archived from the original on September 1, 2021. Retrieved August 31, 2021.
  8. "2014–2015 election results in Maine". Government of Maine. Archived from the original on November 21, 2018. Retrieved September 9, 2021.
  9. "2018 election results in Maine". Government of Maine. Archived from the original on August 20, 2021. Retrieved August 27, 2021.
  10. "2020 election results in Maine". Government of Maine. Archived from the original on November 26, 2020. Retrieved August 27, 2021.
  11. Stone, Matthew (June 12, 2013). "House Medicaid expansion compromise vote falls short of threshold to overcome LePage veto". Bangor Daily News. Archived from the original on September 9, 2021. Retrieved September 9, 2021.
  12. Cousins, Christopher (February 20, 2014). "Maine House deals another blow to Republican senator's 'religious freedom' bill". Bangor Daily News. Archived from the original on September 9, 2021. Retrieved September 9, 2021.
  13. Thistle, Scott (June 19, 2013). "Maine Senate scuttles local option sales tax bill". Bangor Daily News. Archived from the original on September 10, 2021. Retrieved September 9, 2021.
  14. "2012 primary election results in Maine". Government of Maine. Archived from the original on August 1, 2012. Retrieved August 31, 2021.
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