Politics

Your Vote 2014

For MPBN's Your Vote 2014 live election results, click here.MPBN’s elections compendium is brought to you by AARP, MEMIC and Lambert Coffin.Debates:Click here to watch the 1st Congressional District debateClick here to watch the 2nd Congressional District debateClick here to watch the Senate debateClick here to watch the gubernatorial debateResources:Gubernatorial Race: GridPaul LePage (R)Mike Michaud (D): Profile, Maine Calling interviewEliot Cutler (I): Maine Calling interviewSenate Race: GridSusan Collins (R): Profile, Maine Calling interviewShenna Bellows (D): Profile, Maine Calling interview1st District Congressional Race: GridChellie Pingree (D): Profile, Maine Calling interviewIsaac Misiuk (R): Profile, Maine Calling interviewRichard Murphy (I): Profile, Maine Calling interview2nd District Congressional Race: GridEmily Cain (D): Profile, Maine Calling interviewBruce Poliquin (R): Profile, Maine Calling interviewBlaine Richardson (I): Profile, Maine Calling interviewFor a list of referendum questions, click here.

Portland Votes to Protect Plaza from Development

Maine Public | By Associated Press

Published June 10, 2014 at 12:00 AM EDT

PORTLAND, Maine (AP) _ Residents of Maine's largest city have narrowly approved referendum to save a half-acre downtown park and give more protections to the city's open spaces.

The ballot question asked Portland residents if they want to add 35 open spaces to the city's list of protected lands and make it more difficult to sell them. The key piece was Congress Square Plaza, a half-acre park that the city wanted to sell to a hotel developer.

Voters approved the referendum 4,888 to 4,605.

Referendum supporters said failure could've imperiled other open public spaces in a city that has seen increased development interest in recent years. Opponents of the measure argue that its passage will discourage investment.