PARIS – There is no place for partisanship in county government – at least according to one official.

Commissioner David Duguay has dropped this talking point into conversations about local politics: Why does a commissioner have to run under a certain party? Also, when it comes to some county positions, why are they even elected?

“I just don’t think local government is a place for partisanship,” Duguay said.

The political party system has been in existence for as long as there’s been democracy in America, said Marvin Druker, professor of public affairs at the University of Southern Maine at the Lewiston-Auburn campus.

Local political officials say that party politics don’t matter as much locally. Instead, parties are there to find, endorse and promote the candidates enrolled as Republicans or Democrats.

They also secure votes from those who don’t research the candidates.

“From what we know from research, people won’t know who the candidates are so they will vote strictly on the basis of political parties,” Druker said.

Party politics still matter in the state legislature, said Oxford County Republican Chairman Erlon Jones. Many issues in the State House are split along party lines.

When it comes to picking a party, there are traditional characteristics that determine which party an individual will move toward, officials said.

Oxford County Democratic Chairwoman Cathy Newell said Democrats are more interested in things that affect people’s lives, such as health care, and are also out to promote small business.

Jones said Republicans are pro-business, want lower taxes, and think there should be less government in people’s lives.

“The process for nomination is set up in a way to encourage people to be partisan,” Druker said. For independents, “there is a more elaborate process in seeking signatures.”

One candidate in Oxford County, Nelson “Skip” Foley, is running as an independent. He hopes to be elected to State Senate District 13.

He just didn’t agree with either party, he said. There were several issues not talked about by either party that he wanted to address, such as how to handle illegal aliens, he said. He also said he disagrees with both parties’ stance on the Taxpayer Bill of Rights.

Since he is an independent, he’s hit some roadblocks that he could have avoided if he was registered with either party. It was more difficult for him to pick up voters lists at town offices, he said. Also, he wasn’t invited to candidate forums.

“I walked into the forums, and they didn’t know I was coming,” Foley said. “I find little things like that funny, or frustrating, depending on the day.”

He said the incidents left him at a disadvantage, but he would rather stay independent than enroll with a party.

“Both parties are nothing more than special interest groups,” he said. “They don’t seem to do much for people after they’re voted in.”

Duguay said that some county positions, such as the sheriff, treasurer, register of deeds and register of probate, should not be elected; rather, they should be appointed by the commissioners.

It’s something Duguay said he would like to change eventually. Right now, it’s just discussion, he said.

County treasurer Mary Ann Prue has no desire to give up her position, Duguay said. Yet because she was challenged, she was forced into a campaign.

“She doesn’t want to give up the position,” Duguay said. “If it wasn’t an elected position, it wouldn’t be an issue.”

When it comes to picking individuals for these positions, Duguay said he would prefer to have an interview process instead. Then they would be judged on their ability to do the job, not their ability to go out to the general public and get support.

For now, Jones said, it’s just a matter of who people know.

“People vote for who they like, and who will do the best job,” Jones said.