SOUTH PORTLAND – In a close vote residents of South Portland have approved a measure legalizing possession of a small amount of recreational marijuana by adults 21 and up. The referendum, backed by the Marijuana Policy Project, was approved in vote of 6,326 in favor to 5,755 against.

Voters also supported a $3.5 million sewer bond by a wide margin. The vote was 7,782 for and 3,689 against. Residents balked, however, at two charter changes. One that would have made it easier to fill vacant committee seats and one that would have allowed the city clerk to appoint election wardens and clerks instead of having them run for office.

In the City Council race for District 1, incumbent Michael Pock lost to challenger Claude Morgan in a vote of 6,182 to 3,634. In the District 5 race for City Council, it was a tight one between Brad Fox and Alan Livingston, with Fox earning 4,988 votes and Livingston 4,680.

Both Morgan and Fox had the support of the citizen advocacy group Protect South Portland, which did a lot of campaigning on their behalf. The two earned the endorsement of the powerful group through their support of the local ban on tar sands oil.

In the Board of Education race, incumbents Karen Callaghan and Mary House easily won re-election over challenger Christopher Hershey. Callaghan was the top vote getter, with 4,987. House earned 4,821 votes and Hershey received 3,296.

In the statewide races, South Portland residents supported Congressman Mike Michaud for governor, with 7,237 votes. Incumbent Paul LePage earned 4,216 votes and Independent Eliot Cutler received 1,219.

Voters in the city also gave overwhelming support to incumbent District 1 Congresswoman Chellie Pingree. She earned 8,310 votes. Republican Isaac Misiuk got 2,799 and Independent Richard Murphy got 873.

And in the race for U.S. Senate, South Portlanders supported incumbent Susan Collins over Democratic challenger Shenna Bellows in a vote of 6,835 to 5,401.

South Portland residents also supported the ban against bear baiting, in a vote of 7,911 for and 4,277 against. Voters in the city also supported all of the other state bond questions appearing on the ballot.

In terms of selecting representatives to the Maine Legislature, South Portland voters supported incumbent state Sen. Rebecca Millett, who received 6,480 votes for the Senate District 29 seat that also includes Cape Elizabeth. Her challengers, Republican Bill DeSena and Independent Mark Diehl received 3,791 and 1,481 votes respectively.

In the three-way battle for the House 33 seat, which represents South Portland, voters chose Republican Kevin Battle over former Mayor Rosemarie DeAngelis, the Democratic candidate, and Independent Andrew Reddy. Battle received 1,470 votes, DeAngelis got 1,405 and Reddy received 329.