Suzannah “Suzy” Dowling won the seat on the North Yarmouth Select Board in a special municipal election on March 18. She received 352 votes, and her opponent Caroline Rose got 264 votes.

The election was to fill a vacancy on the board left by Katherine “Kit” Maloney stepping down. Dowling will finish the term June 30, 2026.

With two blank ballots cast, the total ballots tallied up to 618, meaning 17% of the total registered voters in North Yarmouth voted in this election.

In a Facebook post from January, Dowling said that she ran because she is an employment attorney, a job that requires difficult decisions about how to navigate complicated situations while being thoughtful, measured and detail-oriented.

“I think these qualities are crucial for Select Board members and make me an excellent candidate,” wrote Dowling.

Dowling also wrote of her deep love of North Yarmouth and desire to make every citizen feel valued.

“As a Select Board member, it will be important to me to ensure that we preserve the rural character of our town, and that all citizens – from seniors who have families stretching back generations to newcomers – feel that they are important components of our community,” wrote Dowling.

Last spring, Dowling ran for a seat on the SAD 51 School Board representing North Yarmouth. She lost to Sara Rose, who now serves on the board.

“(While) I didn’t win, I learned so much about our community and continue to feel called to serve,” wrote Dowling.