BRUNSWICK — Poppy Arford has been named the Democratic nominee to represent Brunswick in the Maine State House after securing 57% of the vote through ranked-choice tabulation.

Poppy Arford Hannah LaClaire / The Times Record

The announcement comes one week after the primary election, where Arford received 894 votes, or about 41%. Her opponents, Corey Perreault and Kathy Wilson, a Brunswick at-large councilor received 609 (28%) and 655 (30%), respectively.

The first two days after the election, not knowing what was going to happen were the hardest, Arford said Tuesday.

“It’s different than winning or losing an election and being able to move on from there. … It was like being in limbo,” she said. 

Under ranked-choice voting, voters choose their candidates in order of preference. The votes are tabulated in rounds, according to the Maine Bureau of Corporations, Elections and Commissions, and the lowest-ranked candidates are eliminated in each round until there are two candidates left. The winner is determined by whoever gets the majority of the votes, with more than 50% in the final round.

Now, finally declared the winner, Arford said she is gearing up for the November election and is ready to get her feet on the ground. 

She, Perreault and Wilson all ran clean, friendly campaigns, and consider teach other friends, Arford said, united by their shared understanding in “the importance of keeping a Democrat in this seat.”

She has some more fundraising to do, but more than anything, “My job for the next two months is to listen. … I have things that important to me, but I really want to hear what’s important to (the voters.)” 

Arford’s main campaign goal is to achieve “universal, publicly funded, high-quality health care for everybody,” and that has not changed in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, but she recognizes there are more immediate needs to tackle. 

“Managing COVID-19 and its impact on the people (in Maine) is our priority,” she said, as is ensuring the health not just of physical bodies, but of the economy, the environment and community spirit.

“That has to come first,” she said, but “the big downstream vision” for an improved healthcare system is “not going away.” 

Republican Carole Graves and Green Independent Fred Horch ran uncontested in the primary and will represent their respective parties in the November election. 

The candidates are vying for the seat being vacated by Mattie Daughtry, who is leaving after two terms and is running against Freeport Republican Brad Pattershall for State Senate District 24.