Androscoggin Sheriff Eric Samson is challenging the candidacy of Kevin Nichols, saying the Turner man doesn’t have the supervisory experience required by law to face Samson on the ballot in November.

The Maine Department of the Secretary of State will hold a hearing on the matter next Wednesday in Augusta.

Samson, who has been sheriff since 2014, alleges Nichols has no recorded history of holding a supervisory position as required by Maine statute. State law requires that sheriff’s candidates have at least two years of supervisory employment experience in law enforcement. 

Nichols said Samson is wrong, and that evidence of his supervisory experience will be presented at the hearing.

In a recent similar case in York County, the sheriff contested the eligibility of a Republican candidate for sheriff, accused him of misrepresenting his eligibility. After a hearing in March, the candidate’s name was allowed to stay on the ballot.

Nichols was an Androscoggin County sheriff’s detective up until July 2015, when he resigned after he was accused of accessing a seized cellphone without a search warrant, according to Nichols’ record from the Maine Criminal Justice Academy. Samson was previously Nichols’ superior.

Invasion of computer privacy is considered a misdemeanor crime punishable by up to 364 days in jail.

In his resignation letter, Nichols wrote that Samson said if Nichols did not submit his resignation, he would be fired.

The case was submitted to the Maine Criminal Justice Academy board of trustees, who in September 2015 offered Nichols a voluntary, permanent surrender of certificates of eligibility to be a law enforcement and corrections officer. He accepted.

Nichols was initially certified to be eligible as a corrections officer in 2001, as a part-time law enforcement officer in 2003, and as a full-time law enforcement officer in 2007.

In 2025, Nichols submitted paperwork for reinstatement for his eligibility certification to become a full-time law enforcement officer. Maine Criminal Justice Academy’s Criminal Complaint Committee on Jan. 13 held an informal conference on the matter.

Nichols accepted responsibility for the actions. He told trustees that in the 10 years since he resigned, he has become sober and sought treatment for post traumatic stress disorder, and has worked as a private investigator and security officer.

The academy’s board of trustees accepted the complaint committee’s recommendation to allow Nichols to register as a candidate for sheriff. Nichols agreed to not apply to any other law enforcement department.

The status of Nichols’ law enforcement certificate is not part of Samson’s challenge.

If elected sheriff, Nichols will need to follow the criteria to become a full-time certified law enforcement officer. Nichols agreed to adhere to the agreement, according to the information provided by James Lyman, training coordinator for the academy. Nichols’ record and modified consent agreement became public in March.

“There is way more to the story on this matter and I’d be happy to chat with you after the hearing is ruled on,” Nichols wrote Thursday in a direct message on Facebook. “I plan to publicly address these matters. I surrendered my certificate back in 2015 because state law prohibits a private investigator from holding a law enforcement certification.”

The hearing on Samson’s challenge will be held at 9:30 a.m. on Wednesday in room 202 of the Burton Cross Office Building, 111 Sewall St. in Augusta. It will be livestreamed on the state’s You Tube channel, youtube.com/@mesecofstate.

As the challenger, Samson has the burden of providing sufficient evidence to invalidate Nichols’ petition.

Maine Deputy Secretary of State Julie Flynn of the Bureau of Corporations, Elections and Commissions will serve as the presiding officer and Assistant Attorney General Jon Bolton will assist as legal counsel.