There will be no contested elections for Penobscot County positions in the upcoming primary election.
Incumbents for three key seats — Dave Marshall for commissioner, Troy Morton for sheriff and Glenn Mower for treasurer — will each be running unopposed on the June ballot for their respective positions.
With no one filing to run against Marshall, Morton and Mower, the three will likely continue in seats they’ve held for years. This year’s election comes after a roughly $7 million budget deficit — caused by rising costs at the Penobscot County Jail — forced the county to hike taxes 15.6% for the 2026 budget.
A candidate could enter the race as an independent or write-in option for the November election.
Marshall and Mower were both elected in 2022. Morton was first elected in 2014.
Marshall, a Republican who previously was a state legislator and a lobbyist for the National Rifle Association, said he is seeking reelection to help build a new county jail.
In the 2022 election, Marshall beat out incumbent Laura Sanborn, a Democrat, for the commissioner seat that represents the communities north of Veazie, including the county’s unorganized territory.
Sanborn said she didn’t file to run again because she wants to spend time working with non-profit organizations across the county instead.
Marshall has been a large part of the push for a new jail because of its poor conditions and budget issues, he said.
“It should have been done 10 years ago, and it hasn’t been. It’s been kicked down the road, like so many things. Kicked down the road, kicked down the road, kicked down the road, and you just got to put your feet down and make a decision and take the heat that goes with it,” Marshall said.
New details about the proposed jail show that the facility has been designed and cost estimates have been delivered, it’s unclear when the vote to pay for the new building or move it out of Bangor will be held .
Connecting the towns across the county with commissioners through better communication is an equally important goal of his possible second term, Marshall said.
Marshall, 75, said he’s already bettered the county’s communications and wants to continue to work with the towns to bring them the services they need.
“My passion in my beliefs has not diminished one iota,” Marshall said.
Mower, who did not respond to a request for comment, beat Kimberley Boucher by more than 7,000 votes in 2022. He holds a public accounting degree from Husson University and is a co-owner of the Bangor Letter Shop.
In the past four years, Mower, a Republican, has worked to secure loans and complete audits.
The 2023 audit, which was completed last month, showed the county spent $5 million of unbudgeted funds that year. More than $2 million of that went to jail.
Morton, a Republican, has been sheriff since 2014. He ran against Allen Stehle, a previous chief deputy, in 2014 and won by nearly 16,000 votes. Morton ran unopposed in 2018 and 2022.
Beginning his career as a jail corrections officer in 1988, Morton held multiple roles in the sheriff’s office, including chief deputy, his final role before being elected.
Morton did not respond to a request for comment Monday.
Building a new jail and having more secure funding have been talking points for Morton in recent years. Morton has been trying to secure more funding from legislators in Augusta.
Marshall said Morton isn’t partisan and has been able to work with everyone during jail and budget discussions.
“I think the sheriff has done an incredible job. He’s one of the most competent people I’ve seen in law enforcement in years,” Marshall said.
