NEWSLETTER: Glad it’s over; I need a nap

Wow! What a wild ride it’s been.

Although I am a junkie when it comes to local politics, I must confess I am quite relieved that Biddeford’s municipal elections are now over.

This year’s election had a certain energy. There was a sense of enthusiasm among those waiting in line to cast their votes.

*Mayor-elect Liam LaFountain (left) talks with his supporters on Election Night at Pizza by Alex (Seaver photo)*

Unlike the 2023 election, this year’s contest saw seven council seats being contested. People were ready for a change.

There was also a big uptick in voter participation this year. In fact, a record was broken for municipal turnout. Typically, 29 to 33 percent of registered voters make the effort to cast a ballot in Biddeford’s off-year elections.

This year, roughly 43 percent of registered voters cast a ballot.

Speaking of numbers, I am proud of our in-depth and comprehensive reporting.

The Biddeford Gazette began its political coverage on Oct. 1. During the month of October, we published a total of 51 stories. Forty-three of those stories were connected to the election. We also created a special section on our website that provided easy-to-find news and information about the election.

Additionally, we organized and coordinated a public debate between the three mayoral candidates and encouraged letters to the editor.

Phew! It is time for a nap.

Next steps?

As many of you know, in late August I broke my right arm in two places and shattered my elbow. I am pleased to say that it’s getting better with each passing day, but it certainly impacted the Biddeford Gazette.

Between my broken arm and my somewhat manic approach to covering the elections, I let a lot of other things slide.

So, I think it’s time for me to get back to basics and remind myself that the Gazette is supposed to be fun. It does not (as of today) generate any income or revenue.

We’re going to focus
on quality, not quantity

I don’t need to chase down every wailing siren. I have the luxury of deciding what stories I will cover.

When I formally launched the Gazette in January, I wrote that this project was designed to “fill gaps in local media coverage by developing and publishing original news and opinion pieces about the city of Biddeford.”

What does that mean? Basically, we’re going to focus on quality, not quantity. We’re going to be more selective and put more emphasis on publishing contributed stories from the community.

Thank you so much for reading the Biddeford Gazette! Please feel free to drop us a line to offer your thoughts about our coverage or to suggest story ideas and news tips.

This Week’s Top Stories:

Biddeford chooses new mayor, city councilors

City seeks guidance from AG’s office regarding UNE pier

State Senator working to help stabilize childcare costs

Brisk turnout for Biddeford’s election

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