{"id":11939,"date":"2026-09-25T19:07:43","date_gmt":"2026-09-25T19:07:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/stage.pressherald.com\/voter-guide\/candidates\/shawn-m-packard\/"},"modified":"2026-09-25T19:07:43","modified_gmt":"2026-09-25T19:07:43","slug":"shawn-m-packard","status":"publish","type":"candidate","link":"https:\/\/stage.pressherald.com\/voter-guide\/candidates\/shawn-m-packard\/","title":{"rendered":"Shawn M. Packard"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Previous Offices Held<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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First-time candidate for elected office. No previous elected offices held.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

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Top Three Priorities<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Reforming DHHS so vulnerable Mainers receive effective, accountable services; strengthening education by supporting teachers, students and practical outcomes; and pursuing solution-based approaches to homelessness that address its root causes. I want measurable results — not programs that simply spend more money without solving the problems Maine people face.<\/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 public service should be about showing up. I\u2019ve experienced Maine government as a foster youth, worked in many hard working jobs, built a small business and served my community. I know how decisions in Augusta affect real people. I want to bring those experiences to the State House and make sure the people of District 64 have a representative who listens, answers and works for them.<\/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 strongest when communities, businesses and neighbors work together to solve\nproblems locally. I see that spirit every day. Where we are off track is affordability. Too many\nfamilies and small businesses feel they are working harder while taxes, housing, energy and\neveryday expenses keep climbing. Augusta must become more disciplined about spending and focus its resources on programs that produce measurable results.<\/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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By being accessible and accountable. Constituents should know how to reach me and expect an answer. I will actively help residents navigate state agencies, work across party lines as it benefits District 64 and communicate what I am doing in Augusta. Success isn\u2019t how many speeches I give; it\u2019s whether I can solve problems, bring resources home and make government work better for the people I represent.<\/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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Property tax is one of the many economic concerns I constantly hear about. Nobody should be forced out of their paid-off home because they can't afford the taxes. As your senator, I'll support a sizable, wisely-managed budget cut. I'll also submit\/support a bill raising the Homestead Exemption from $25,000 to $300,000 – so Mainers pay no property tax on the first $300,000 of their home's value.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":0,"template":"","meta":{"voter_guide_candidate_first_name":"Shawn","voter_guide_candidate_middle_name":"Michael","voter_guide_candidate_last_name":"Packard","voter_guide_candidate_suffix":"","voter_guide_candidate_race_id":11938,"voter_guide_candidate_age":29,"voter_guide_candidate_hometown":"","voter_guide_candidate_occupation":"Owner\/President, Red Claw Media","voter_guide_candidate_bio":"Former foster youth, manager roles, former EMT, corrections officer, educator; small-business owner, community advocate with experience working with state government and advocating for foster youth.","voter_guide_candidate_education":"EMT Cert. - MMTC, Many work place certs, Bachelor of Science in Digital Cinematography, Full Sail University. Graduate studies in New Media Journalism.","voter_guide_candidate_years_in_municipality":"","voter_guide_candidate_headshot_url":"https:\/\/drive.google.com\/open?id=1kEjBTzmh8phj7-2N2hQJeDIpoFX16sRD","voter_guide_candidate_date_filed":"","footnotes":""},"vg_party":[564],"vg_residence_municipality":[],"class_list":["post-11939","candidate","type-candidate","status-publish","hentry","vg_party-republican"],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/stage.pressherald.com\/voter-guide\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/candidates\/11939","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\/11939\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":11940,"href":"https:\/\/stage.pressherald.com\/voter-guide\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/candidates\/11939\/revisions\/11940"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/stage.pressherald.com\/voter-guide\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=11939"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"vg_party","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stage.pressherald.com\/voter-guide\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/vg_party?post=11939"},{"taxonomy":"vg_residence_municipality","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stage.pressherald.com\/voter-guide\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/vg_residence_municipality?post=11939"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}