NORWAY - An Oxford County commissioner up for re-election this year announced Tuesday night that he will not run as a partisan candidate.

"To seek re-election as a partisan candidate, after realizing and concluding that good county government is not served by such a candidacy, would be a disservice to the people I represent," said Commissioner David Duguay of Byron in an announcement to the Oxford County Republicans.

Duguay said he has been an unenrolled voter for most of his life. In 2001, he enrolled with the Republican Party and ran as a Republican for the commissioner's seat in 2004. He unenrolled from the party in 2007.

"I believe good county government can only be accomplished when people set aside political differences and work to a common end," Duguay said.

Duguay said he will continue to address the issue at the state level, where proposals for nonpartisan county races failed to clear committee last year. In his speech, Duguay noted several states that have nonpartisan county elections, including Minnesota, Louisiana, North Dakota and South Dakota.

He said he made the decision after consultation with several people, including his wife, former Gov. Angus King, and Commissioner Steve Merrill of Norway, who is also up for re-election this year.

Duguay said Wednesday that while partisanship has not affected commission meetings, it has the potential to affect the board's relationship with municipal officials. He said he made the decision shortly after his election after realizing that candidates for county offices were being asked questions that reflected the national partisan divide.