{"id":11726,"date":"2026-09-25T19:07:41","date_gmt":"2026-09-25T19:07:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/stage.pressherald.com\/voter-guide\/candidates\/robert-kelly\/"},"modified":"2026-09-25T19:07:41","modified_gmt":"2026-09-25T19:07:41","slug":"robert-kelly","status":"publish","type":"candidate","link":"https:\/\/stage.pressherald.com\/voter-guide\/candidates\/robert-kelly\/","title":{"rendered":"Robert Kelly"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Previous Offices Held<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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I am not a career politician. This is my first time running for elective office. After sitting on the sidelines, watching what is happening across this country, I decided it was time for me to stand up, engage and make a difference.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

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Top Three Priorities<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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1. Assuring that Mainers have affordable, accessible health care. 2. Protecting our beach and shoreline for a vibrant, healthy economy. 3. Addressing increasing property tax hikes that impact our most vulnerable, particularly our seniors.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

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Why are you running?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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I have traveled half of the world and seen how other countries have healthcare and plenty of time off for people with injuries or family leave. I believe I can make a change in our healthcare system that will benefit our town and our state.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

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What is one way Maine is on the right track? What is one way the state is on the wrong track?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Right track: When it invests in housing and addresses the rising cost of living. The Legislature has reduced barriers to new housing, strengthened protections for manufactured home residents, expanded property tax relief and invested in attainable housing. I will build on this progress and keep Maine a place where people can afford to stay. Wrong track: When rising costs push working families and longtime residents out of our communities, as well as our lack of recognition for our Wabanaki people.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

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As one of several dozen legislators in your chamber, how would you make a measurable difference for your constituents?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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My first responsibility will always be to the people of Old Orchard Beach. I will listen to our community, bring OOB\u2019s priorities to Augusta and work with legislators from both parties to get things done. I won\u2019t let party affiliation stand in the way of progress. By building relationships, finding common ground and advocating for OOB, I will work to turn our community\u2019s priorities into meaningful results.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

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Surveys show the economy is the top concern of voters. What is a specific proposal addressing Maine voters\u2019 economic anxieties that you\u2019d work to make law?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Too many Maine families are working hard yet feeling like they are falling further behind. I would work to give municipalities another tool to help control rising property taxes, including allowing a local-option sales tax dedicated to lowering or freezing property taxes for older and longtime residents. No one who has spent decades building a life in Maine should be forced from their home because they can no longer keep up with the tax bill.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":0,"template":"","meta":{"voter_guide_candidate_first_name":"Robert","voter_guide_candidate_middle_name":"James","voter_guide_candidate_last_name":"Kelly","voter_guide_candidate_suffix":"","voter_guide_candidate_race_id":11709,"voter_guide_candidate_age":61,"voter_guide_candidate_hometown":"","voter_guide_candidate_occupation":"Radiologic technologist, small-business owner","voter_guide_candidate_bio":"I am from New England and have lived in Maine for over 25 years. I am married with an adult step-daughter.","voter_guide_candidate_education":"B.S. in communications, minor in history. Associate of Applied Science in radiologic technology.","voter_guide_candidate_years_in_municipality":"","voter_guide_candidate_headshot_url":"https:\/\/drive.google.com\/open?id=1b6kBljayn0bTfonlkLdZSyfPNA9_udlx","voter_guide_candidate_date_filed":"","footnotes":""},"vg_party":[1073],"vg_residence_municipality":[],"class_list":["post-11726","candidate","type-candidate","status-publish","hentry","vg_party-democratic"],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/stage.pressherald.com\/voter-guide\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/candidates\/11726","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/stage.pressherald.com\/voter-guide\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/candidates"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/stage.pressherald.com\/voter-guide\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/candidate"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/stage.pressherald.com\/voter-guide\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/candidates\/11726\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":11727,"href":"https:\/\/stage.pressherald.com\/voter-guide\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/candidates\/11726\/revisions\/11727"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/stage.pressherald.com\/voter-guide\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=11726"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"vg_party","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stage.pressherald.com\/voter-guide\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/vg_party?post=11726"},{"taxonomy":"vg_residence_municipality","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stage.pressherald.com\/voter-guide\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/vg_residence_municipality?post=11726"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}