By Scott Taylor,Staff Writer

LEWISTON – Lionel C. Guay will get two more years in the fishbowl of public office, easily besting Charles Soule to keep his job as mayor.

Guay defeated Soule 7,288 votes to 1,234. The result was never in doubt, Guay said.

“All the people I talked to were supportive,” Guay said. “I’m just grateful. They have enough confidence in me to elect me to another term, and I’m going to work as diligently as I can to make the city better.”

Guay said charges leveled against him last week didn’t seem to change the outcome.

“Again, the people I talked with said it was not an issue,” Guay said.

Guay was charged last week with three counts of unlawful sexual touching and four counts of assault. The state says he groped a high school girl on three occasions between February and September. The charge alleges that he felt her breasts on two occasions, her buttocks several times on one day, and that he kissed her on the mouth.

Guay said the charges would have an impact on other city offices, however.

“It’s difficult enough to get people to run for office, and this is part of the reason why,” Guay said. “You run for office, you put your life in a fishbowl, and people just line up to take stabs at you. That’s what happened to me.”

Soule voters polled Tuesday said the allegations changed their minds.

“It seems like the Guay brothers are getting into trouble lately,” said Jackie LeClerc, of 2161 Lisbon St. “I just think it’s time for a change of administration and some fresh thinking.”

For most, the charges didn’t sway them.

“These are allegations now, and nothing has been proven,” said John Gagne of 162 Horton St. “If it turns out he did it, he can resign. Until then, he’s fine with me.”

Bob Belanger, of 49 W. Bates St., said it was a simple decision.

“I’ve known him a long time and good enough for me,” he said. “I think he’s done a good job.”

It was Soule’s closest race yet. He managed 788 votes against Guay two years ago and 316 four years ago against Larry Raymond. This is the fifth time Soule has sought the mayor’s chair and lost.

Turnout high

The city saw 9,604 people turn out to vote, about 43 percent of registered voters. It was especially brisk in Ward 3, thanks to a late Bates College voter registration drive. Deputy City Clerk Kelly Mercier said organizers turned in the cards days past the deadline, however, meaning those students were not registered when they arrived at the Lewiston Memorial Armory to vote.

“Some found out about the mistake and came in (to Lewiston City Hall) to vote and some had absentee ballots,” she said. “But the brunt showed up at the polls.”

Those students were more concerned about the state ballot issues. Michael Sherman, a Bates freshman living on campus, said he voted for Lionel Guay by mistake.

“I meant to vote for the other guy, because of those allegations,” he said. “I just got them mixed up.”

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