AUBURN — The 13-way race for the Androscoggin County Charter Commission began shrinking Tuesday night as the first returns came in.

As of 10:15 p.m, two members were certain: Richard Grandmaison and former County Commissioner Helen Poulin. Both are from Lewiston.

Only two of the county’s 14 towns — Lewiston and Minot — had released their election results by 10 p.m.

The Charter Commission will be charged with coming up with a kind of constitution for the county, creating a list of proposed rules and possibly changing the makeup of its leadership.

“These people will be like the founding fathers for a new county government,” said Randy Greenwood, chairman of the commission.

In 1990, Androscoggin County voters elected a charter commission but failed to pass its proposals.

Among the asked-for changes were an expansion of the charter commission from three to seven members, the appointment of an administrator and the appointment instead of election of top officers including the county treasurer and the registers of probate and deeds.

Besides the six elected candidates, a member of the county commission will serve on the charter commission. The commission will also appoint two others to serve, bringing the total number of charter commission members to nine.

Calls for a charter hit a peak in 2008 when Poulin, then serving as a county commissioner, moved from her elected district in Lewiston to a home in Auburn, in another district.

She fought to stay in office. Interpretations of state law came from her attorney and the Maine attorney general. The case ended after Gov. John Baldacci appointed a replacement.

A charter rule might have saved time and legal costs on both sides.

Livermore Falls Town Manager James Chaousis registered with the state as a write-in candidate, but he has since asked that people vote for other candidates because he has accepted a position as the town manager of Boothbay.

The candidates for District 1 (Durham, Greene, Leeds, Lisbon, Livermore, Livermore Falls, Sabattus, Turner and Wales) were Scott Lansley of Sabattus, Richard Gross of Turner and Deborah Moran of Greene.

The candidates for District 2 (Auburn, Mechanic Falls, Minot and Poland) were James Bradley of Mechanic Falls, Bob Mennealy of Auburn, Charles “Chip” Morrison of Auburn, George Sanborn of Poland and James Walker of Auburn.

The three candidates for District 1 were all write-ins who have registered with the Maine Secretary of State’s office. All missed the filing deadline to be on the ballot.