LEWISTON — A huge advantage in absentee and early voting Tuesday propelled Democrat Roland Poirier to victory over Republican Robert McCarthy in the District 2 race for the Androscoggin County Commission in a battle between political newcomers.

Both candidates were running for political office for the first time.

Poirier won by less than 1,000 votes — 4,271 to 3,293 — but nearly doubled McCarthy’s absentee and early vote total, 3,528 to 1,838. On votes cast on Election Day, McCarthy won every Lewiston ward.

McCarthy and Poirier were facing off in the special election to fill the final two years of the four-year term in District 2. Poirier is replacing interim Commissioner Marc Roy, who was appointed to service until 2020, filling the seat after the death of John Butler in 2019.

District 2 consists of much of the northern section of Lewiston.

Poirier, 65, is the retired CEO/president of OTIS Federal Credit Union in Jay, where he worked for 31 years. Poirier stressed his strong work ethic, fiscally conservative management style and his understanding of how to evaluate budgets. He said the county’s biggest need was  controlling cost and balancing needed services.

McCarthy, 63, is the post press production manager at the Sun Journal. He cited his experience managing a two-shift, seven-day production operation with 35 employees. His job experience includes production planning, major purchases, budgeting and building maintenance.

Three other commissioners were seeking re-election and were running unopposed — Noel Madore of Lewiston in District 1, Terri Kelly of Mechanic Falls in District 4 and Isaiah Lary of Wales in District 6.