AUBURN – The labor union inside the Androscoggin County’s jail and Sheriff’s Department voted Monday to endorse challenger Guy Desjardins for sheriff in the Nov. 7 election, giving him 60 percent of their total vote.

Incumbent Sheriff Ron Gagnon earned a third-place vote among the county workers, behind Desjardins and those who favored making no endorsement at all, said David Trafford, union president.

A full count of the union vote was unavailable late Monday night. However, Trafford said that 49 percent of the membership – about 38 people – voted on Monday.

“It’s humbling,” said Desjardins. “It’s just one more step to January (when a sheriff is inaugurated.)”

Trafford believes the membership lined up strongly behind Desjardins.

The labor union, Local 1828 of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, represents most of the full-time workers inside the sheriff’s office. Besides patrol deputies and correctional officers, its members include Trafford, the department’s only full-time civil division deputy, and several clerical workers.

“We need leadership and change,” said Trafford, speaking for the membership.

He said the members voted by secret ballot. There was no discussion.

“I’m disappointed, but not surprised,” Gagnon said. He’d heard talk around the department and said he could feel things lining up against him.

A top staffer offered to speak out in his favor, but Gagnon said he asked him to stay silent.

“I was afraid there would be reprisals against him,” Gagnon said, in the event he lost the upcoming election.

Gagnon has admitted that a win in the general election would be “a long shot.”

Gagnon narrowly lost the Democratic primary to Desjardins. He’s opposing his one-time chief deputy as a write-in candidate.

The first election between the two men, when they were candidates for the Democratic nod for the office, ended with a recount. Volunteers spent about six hours sorting, stacking and bundling 4,519 ballots from Androscoggin County’s 14 towns. When it was over, Desjardins finished 43 votes ahead.

Only Desjardins’ name will appear on next week’s ballot.

When Gagnon announced his write-in campaign, he said he planned to advertise, spread campaign signs and go door-to-door.

Desjardins said he, too, plans to knock on doors, as well as attend a Lewiston City Council meeting in his campaign effort.

“We’ve still got to get our message out,” he said. For months, Desjardins has been talking about building stronger links with county towns and cities, boosting communication about what’s happening in the county and finding new revenue for the department.

Desjardins, who lives in Sabattus, served as the county’s chief deputy from 1995 until the start of 2006. Gagnon, who lives in Lisbon Falls, has served as sheriff since 1985, when he was appointed by Gov. Joseph Brennan.