{"id":11865,"date":"2026-09-25T19:07:43","date_gmt":"2026-09-25T19:07:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/stage.pressherald.com\/voter-guide\/candidates\/ester-b-franklin\/"},"modified":"2026-09-25T19:07:43","modified_gmt":"2026-09-25T19:07:43","slug":"ester-b-franklin","status":"publish","type":"candidate","link":"https:\/\/stage.pressherald.com\/voter-guide\/candidates\/ester-b-franklin\/","title":{"rendered":"Ester B. Franklin"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Previous Offices Held<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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2025 Skowhegan selectboard, was not elected.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

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Top Three Priorities<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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My priorities are lowering everyday costs that affect most Mainers: utility bills, housing, infrastructure, and health care. I support diverse energy sources, fair rates, and clear bills. I will reduce barriers to safe housing for working families and seniors, close loopholes benefiting out-of-state interests, and make health care more affordable by expanding local access and directing opioid-settlement funds to prevention, treatment, recovery, and overdose response.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

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Why are you running?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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I\u2019m running because I want to help shape a practical, hopeful future for our communities. I believe public service means looking beyond the next election, listening respectfully, working across differences, and taking a clear stand when it matters. Maine is stronger when people of different parties work together to solve problems \u2014 and when more voices have a meaningful place in our democracy.<\/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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Maine is on the right track when we actively recruit and encourage younger people and new voices to take an active role in our communities. Broadening participation brings fresh experience and ideas to the work of governing well. We are on the wrong track when mudslinging and political theater distract from the opportunities that we can build on to help Mainers.<\/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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I will set clear goals, track results \u2014 such as cost, access, and service outcomes \u2014 and report back to constituents on what is working and what needs to change. I have been speaking with the local communities to hear what Mainers need to change to improve their lives.<\/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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I\u2019d work to stop utilities from shifting commercial \u201cbad debt\u201d and collection costs onto residential customers. The Maine Public Utilities Commission should put ratepayers ahead of CMP and Versant by requiring separate tracking of these costs and barring unfair charges on household bills. Large corporations should absorb their own business risks\u2014not pass them to Maine families. Clear bills and fair rates will protect household budgets.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":5124,"template":"","meta":{"voter_guide_candidate_first_name":"Ester","voter_guide_candidate_middle_name":"B","voter_guide_candidate_last_name":"Franklin","voter_guide_candidate_suffix":"","voter_guide_candidate_race_id":11864,"voter_guide_candidate_age":52,"voter_guide_candidate_hometown":"","voter_guide_candidate_occupation":"Real estate agent\/private practice telehealth provider\/district clinical and crisis coordinator","voter_guide_candidate_bio":"Raised in Brighton Plantation, attended local public schools and worked on a farm, in restaurants and bars, as a river guide, in schools and mental health, and with military families overseas.","voter_guide_candidate_education":"BA Psychology, MA Counseling and Psychology, Doctorate in Human Services","voter_guide_candidate_years_in_municipality":"","voter_guide_candidate_headshot_url":"https:\/\/drive.google.com\/open?id=1t3IvKhEMpUxh_i5lc9lFifoV8uVMdvjg","voter_guide_candidate_date_filed":"","footnotes":""},"vg_party":[1073],"vg_residence_municipality":[],"class_list":["post-11865","candidate","type-candidate","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","vg_party-democratic"],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/stage.pressherald.com\/voter-guide\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/candidates\/11865","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\/11865\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":11866,"href":"https:\/\/stage.pressherald.com\/voter-guide\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/candidates\/11865\/revisions\/11866"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stage.pressherald.com\/voter-guide\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/5124"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/stage.pressherald.com\/voter-guide\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=11865"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"vg_party","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stage.pressherald.com\/voter-guide\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/vg_party?post=11865"},{"taxonomy":"vg_residence_municipality","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stage.pressherald.com\/voter-guide\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/vg_residence_municipality?post=11865"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}