King leads York County sheriff race by 22,536 votes

York County voters largely settled the sheriff race by 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, with incumbent William King holding a commanding lead over his challenger. King had collected 55,674 votes, while Republican candidate David Corbett trailed with 33,138. The margin of victory was 22,536 votes.

King, who first took office in 2014, will serve a fourth term overseeing the county sheriff’s office. Corbett faced a difficult path in the historically Democratic-leaning southern Maine county. The race had featured a third option on the ballot, though Independent candidate Brian Pellerin dropped out in September. Pellerin, now the new police chief in Wells, had accumulated 2,380 votes by mid-morning.

The contest between Corbett and the incumbent was marked by earlier disputes regarding candidate qualifications. In April, Secretary of State Shenna Bellows ruled that Corbett met the necessary requirements to appear on the ballot. Prior to that decision, Pellerin and Republican Party chair Heidi Sampson had questioned Corbett’s credentials. Sampson suggested Corbett was a “paper candidate” intended to draw votes away from Pellerin.

Voters also addressed a separate item regarding the county treasurer position. With five municipalities still to report, the results indicated a strong preference to keep the office rather than abolish it. By mid-morning, 43,845 residents voted to retain the post, compared with 22,448 votes for abolition. This outcome ensures that votes cast for Bobby Mills will determine the winner.

Mills is set to return to the role after stepping down in previous years. He said in October that his campaign aimed to save county money. He specifically cited the goal of eliminating a full-time, salaried deputy treasurer position, which carries an annual cost of $90,000 to the county.

The final results from the remaining five towns were pending as of the mid-morning update. The sheriff’s race and the treasurer retention question were the primary contested items on the York County ballot.