Androscoggin County commissioner

Zakk Maher will replace retiring commissioner Beth Bell in District 6.

Maher received 5,577 votes to Velma McConnell’s 3,276.

The district includes Mechanic Falls, Poland and parts of Auburn.

Maher, a Republican from Poland, is a loan officer and business adviser for Community Concepts. That fiscal experience, as well as his tenure as vice chairman of the Poland Budget Committee, would benefit him on the county commission, he said.

An Auburn Democrat, McConnell was motivated to run because of the ongoing lawsuit between the county commissioners and the municipalities of Androscoggin County, which has cost taxpayers tens of thousands of dollars.

Two other first-time commissioners were running unopposed.

Democrat Noel Madore, of Lewiston, will represent District 1, while Republican Isaiah Lary, of Wales, will represent the towns of Lisbon, Sabattus and Wales in District 4.

Register of probate

With Greene and Sabattus still yet to report in, Thomas Reynolds led the race for Androscoggin County register of probate late Tuesday.

Reynolds had 25,911 votes to Joanna Said’s 23,291.

If the lead holds, Reynolds would replace Joshua Klein-Golden, who decided not to run for the position. He was appointed in March by Gov. Paul LePage to fill the vacancy after previous register Brian Bolduc resigned.

The past three elected registers of probate have all resigned from the part-time position.

Said formerly served as register of probate in 2014 when she was appointed by LePage to fill a vacancy until a special election could be held. In the 2014 special election, Said lost to Bolduc, who resigned less than a year later.

Reynolds, a community organizer and the chairman of the Androscoggin County Democratic Committee, was a late replacement after the original candidate dropped out of the race after the primary.

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