AUGUSTA — Joanne Twomey’s name will appear on the ballot for the Senate District 32 Democratic primary in June following a failed challenge that alleged some signatures on her candidate petition were invalid.

Secretary of State Matt Dunlap confirmed late Monday afternoon that the Biddeford resident had enough valid signatures to run in the primary.

Senate District 32 covers Alfred, Arundel, Biddeford, Dayton, Kennebunkport and Lyman.

Twomey, a former mayor, city councilor and state representative, submitted her petition with the required 100 signatures to the state by the March 15 deadline.

Biddeford resident David Flood contested Twomey’s ballot petition in mid- March, alleging that three signatures had no dates, that the petition circulator signed the petition, that three signatures did not list a city of residence, and that the Primary Candidate’s Consent and Certification of Enrollment sheet was incomplete.

A hearing took place in Augusta on March 28. Dunlap announced Monday that concerns raised in the complaint were not sufficient to disqualify the petition signatures.

The senate seat in District 32 was left vacant in late January when David Dutremble, D-Biddeford, abruptly resigned to recover from alcoholism and spend more time with his family. Twomey lost the Democratic nomination for a March special election to Susan Deschambault, D-Biddeford, who won the election against Republican Steve Martin.

Because Dutremble’s term ends in November, Deschambault has to run again to retain the seat for a full term. Twomey is challenging her in the June Democratic primary; the victor will face off against Martin in the November election.

Twomey served as mayor of Biddeford when Flood was a city councilor. In a phone interview Monday evening, Twomey said they frequently disagreed on issues during that time. She also bested him in a mayoral race when she won her second term for that position in 2009.

Twomey believes Flood’s actions were a stall tactic from her opposition.

“It’s just a way to try to slow me down,” she said.

Flood said he challenged Twomey’s candidacy for the June primary because he thought government forms should be filled out correctly.

He said the process was followed, and that he accepts the results.

“I hope the primary goes well for Susan,” he said.

Twomey gained statewide notoriety in 2015 when she threw a jar of Vaseline in the direction of Gov. Paul LePage at a town meeting at Thornton Academy in Saco. The Republican governor once used a sexually vulgar phrase referring to Vaseline when criticizing a Democratic senator.

— Staff Writer Liz Gotthelf can be contacted at 282-1535, ext. 325 or egotthelf@journaltribune.com. The Associated Press contributed to this story.