2026 Bangor City Council Voter Guide

Special Voter Resource

2026 Bangor City Council
Voter Guide

Everything publicly available about the 12 candidates competing for 3 seats on Bangor City Council. Free, nonpartisan, and updated as new information becomes available.

Election Day: November 3, 2026

The Basics

This November, Bangor voters will choose three members to serve on the nine-person City Council. All council seats are at-large and nonpartisan, meaning candidates represent the whole city rather than specific districts and races are not organized by political party. Every voter in Bangor can vote for up to three candidates.

12 Candidates

3 Open Seats

Nov 3 Election Day

3 yrs Term Length

What Residents Are Asking About

Voters who spoke with local reporters this fall named these as their top concerns heading into November.

Homelessness and Unsheltered Residents

Bangor has become a regional hub for people experiencing homelessness, straining city services and drawing complaints from residents and businesses about encampments and public spaces. Every candidate in this race has been asked to address it.

Drug Epidemic and Needle Exchange Programs

Opioid addiction and drug use are visible daily on city streets. Bangor's needle exchange programs have distributed hundreds of thousands of syringes annually, and the debate over how to run them, restrict them, or replace them is a fault line in this race. An HIV outbreak in the city has added urgency.

Yellen Pines Housing Project

A proposed $11 million supportive housing development that would serve people experiencing homelessness. Candidates have staked out positions ranging from full support to skepticism about its cost and operating model.

Property Taxes and Affordability

Rising property taxes are hitting homeowners and renters alike. A recent reassessment has amplified concerns, and several candidates have made tax relief and a more diverse tax base central to their platforms.

Council Civility and Effectiveness

The current council has been described by multiple candidates as dysfunctional and divisive. Restoring productive communication and getting things done has emerged as a campaign theme of its own.

The Candidates

Twelve candidates qualified for the November ballot. They appear below in the order they will appear on the ballot. Profiles reflect publicly available information from news coverage, candidate websites, and public statements. Where information is not yet available, we note it and will update this page as more becomes public.

Joe Leonard

Incumbent

At 36, the youngest current member of the City Council.

Homelessness: Proposes hiring a city-wide health and human services chief to coordinate the city's response to homelessness and addiction.
Housing: Has suggested leveraging University of Maine's 3D printing technology as a tool for building affordable housing faster.
Surveillance: Opposes Flock license plate reader cameras, favoring privacy over expanded law enforcement surveillance.

Michael Furrow

First-Time Candidate

Detailed platform information is not yet publicly available for this candidate. We will update this profile as information becomes available. If you are this candidate and would like to share your positions, please reach out to Queen City Weekly.

Andrei Yermakov

First-Time Candidate

Age 67. Moved to Bangor from Newcastle about 18 months ago. Retired, currently canvassing for Maine People's Alliance. Describes himself as a "long-term union guy" with experience negotiating contracts from both sides of the table. Worked on Graham Platner's U.S. Senate campaign earlier this year. Member of People Powered Maine, Indivisible Bangor, and Food and Medicine. Attends most city council meetings. Has spoken openly about having "struggled with substance use and been homeless in the past." Registered Democrat.

Housing and young people: Supports a rent freeze and property tax freeze. Has been door-knocking across Bangor and hears the same fear from parents: "They're afraid that when their kids graduate high school, if they can afford to go to college, once they get their degree they can't find a job, if they can find a job they stay in Bangor, and if they can find a job, they can't find housing."
Yellen Pines: Supports the development. Draws on his own experience with homelessness in advocating for supportive housing.
Needle exchange: Supports syringe exchange programs despite concerns about litter, pointing to the HIV outbreak as a public health rationale.
Surveillance: Proposes banning automatic license plate readers.
Workforce development: Advocates for apprenticeship programs, bus driver retention requirements, and partnerships with Bangor's medical institutions.
Community building: "This has the potential to be such a vibrant, thriving community." Wants to connect separate civic initiatives and restore civil discourse to local government.

Anthony Cote

First-Time Candidate

Age 43. Owner of Maine Construction Solutions. Lifelong Bangor resident. Describes himself as a centrist and very independent -- registered with a party only to vote in primaries. Has attended approximately 10 to 12 city council meetings over the past year. Says he didn't actually want to run: "I wanted to support somebody else to run so that I could run my business and raise my kids and watch hockey all winter. But unfortunately, I didn't know anybody that saw themselves pulling their names to the ballot, and I saw a void." Campaign slogan: "Believe Better."

Economic development: His top priority. Wants to make Bangor more business-friendly by removing regulatory and permitting barriers. Notes that energy codes in Bangor are stricter than surrounding towns due to population thresholds, costing developers "hundreds of thousands of dollars." "I don't think we are overly welcoming to businesses here and I would really like to change that, figure out why people are building apartments in Levant and not in Bangor, figure out why people are investing in businesses in Brewer and not in Bangor."
Fiscal responsibility: Wants to audit where city money is going before making judgments. "I'd love to get in, get involved, make better decisions, stop spending on things that don't really have results that we're seeing... I want Bangor residents to know where their money's going." Advocates cutting non-essential services and prioritizing core functions like police and fire.
Syringe services and accountability: Skeptical of syringe service programs and other nonprofits: "They all sound great. They all have great names. They all start with, I think, great intentions. But the results are what matter, not what starts them." Wants independent outside auditors to evaluate these programs rather than relying on the programs' own data. "I think data is very important, and I think decisions are just being made right now based on feelings and what sounds good."
Davenport Park: "Honestly, it breaks my heart... I see people out there, and these people struggling with addiction -- it's a horrible, horrible thing... What I see is just people looking at them and saying, this is the worst you're going to get. Let me help you comfortable in the worstness. And I want to pick them out of that."
Yellen Pines: Skeptical. Questions whether the property was ever adequately advertised to other buyers before being sold below market value, and doubts the 30-year TIF arrangement: "I don't remember seeing it advertised for 75% off the taxes for the next 30 years, because I think somebody else with a better idea that could possibly boost the economy of Bangor would have invested in that property."
Partisan distractions: "Those are just distractions... I just need to focus on Bangor at the council level."

Campaign website: coteforbangor.com →

James Gallagher

Returning Candidate

Age 38. Lifelong Bangor resident. Owner of Bangin' Whoopie at Main and Water Streets, open about six years. Unenrolled (independent). This is his second run for City Council -- he came within roughly 300 votes of winning last time. "I answer to the people of Bangor, not a political party. I believe in asking tough questions, listening to all sides, and bringing people together to find real solutions for Bangor."

Homelessness: Wants to declare a state of emergency and set up an emergency shelter with "cots and services provided by nonprofits, similar to the type of shelters that are set up during natural disasters." Suggested potential locations include the Bangor Mall, Cross Insurance Center, parks and recreation facilities, and school gyms.
Yellen Pines: Opposed to the tax deal. Says he "struggled with the idea that drugs and alcohol might be used inside residents' apartments."
Syringe services: Supports existing syringe service programs despite HIV and hepatitis C concerns.
Vacant properties: Wants to expand the city's vacant property ordinance to cover commercial properties, not just residential.
City services: Would extend city hall hours and improve digital services. Wants to reduce unnecessary spending, including through fundraising initiatives.
Governance: "Catch the hot potato, catch the problem and let's talk about it." Wants council members to "put down their own agendas and their own political views and try and see the best for Bangor."
Community engagement: Organized the "Meet the Candidates, By the Candidates" forum on October 15 at Bangin' Whoopie Event Space, 76 Main Street -- free and open to all. He lined up 9 of the 12 candidates to participate.

Facebook: GallagherforBangor →

Terry Dinkins

First-Time Candidate

Age 65. Pastor of The Mansion Church since 2013, county jail chaplain, and branch manager of an armored car company. The Mansion Church grew out of a Bible study group for people leaving county jail and now runs a warming center that shelters roughly 350 people a year. Unenrolled voter.

Homelessness: Advocates expanding treatment beds at Dorothea Dix Psychiatric Center as his primary approach to clearing people off the streets. "If we can get them help, that would take a lot of people off our streets."
Yellen Pines: Would not have backed the project at its price tag. "For that price tag" was his stated reservation about the $11 million permanent supportive housing development.
Needle exchange: Would prefer to eliminate syringe distribution programs entirely, and would accept a one-for-one exchange as a compromise — arguing current distribution is fueling needle accumulation in public spaces and parks.
Taxes: Would "do whatever I could to at least stop the taxes from going up, and then even maybe cutting taxes," though he acknowledged uncertainty about where specific cuts would come from.
Role of faith: Believes churches "should have an influence in the town square" on policy matters affecting their communities.

Joe Pratt

First-Time Candidate

Age 63. Oversees wealth management at Bar Harbor Bank and Trust. Has lived most of his life in Bangor. Registered Republican.

Currently serves on: Bangor Public Library board, Bangor Mechanic Association, Maine Planned Giving Council, and Husson University Board of Visitors.

Previously served on: Bangor YMCA, United Way of Eastern Maine, Maine Philanthropy Center, UMaine Lobster Institute, and UMaine Page Farm & Home Museum.

Council function: His stated top priority is "restoring a sense of civility and decorum in the way the council functions," arguing the body has been ineffective and poorly collaborative. He has attended roughly six to seven council meetings this year to observe firsthand.
Homelessness: Opposed the Yellen Pines supportive housing development. Prefers directing funding to existing local organizations already doing the work, and wants to study proven models from other cities.
Needle exchange: Opposes outright bans but wants programs held accountable through tracked metrics on HIV spread, overdoses, and needle litter before funding continues.
Taxes: Concerned about the rising property tax burden on residents. Interested in broadening the tax base as an alternative to further property tax increases.

Adam Baker

First-Time Candidate

28-year Bangor resident. Serves on the city's Advisory Committee on Racial Equity, Inclusion, and Human Rights. Has worked directly with unhoused residents in Bangor. Says the unhoused population is the primary reason he entered the race.

Homelessness: "I really want to help these people, I want to get them supportive housing and resources that they deserve to be uplifted and be rehabilitated back into life."
Yellen Pines: Supports the project's direction. "It's not the perfect project, but I think it's the right step and the right model I like. It's supportive housing with mental health resources, life skills." Believes the council is moving in the right direction but more work remains.
Affordability: Rising taxes and the cost of living in Bangor are his second most pressing concern after homelessness.

Campaign website: bakerforbangor.com →

Dawson Nevells

First-Time Candidate

Age 20. Second-year political science student at the University of Maine. Runs a youth civic engagement program for Bangor High School students. Previously ran for School Committee in 2024 while still a BHS senior. Registered Democrat with an independent-minded approach.

Homelessness: Advocates a regional approach: "This isn't just a Bangor problem. This is a Penobscot County problem. It's a state problem." Proposes regional service centers or restoration centers modeled after Haven for Hope in San Antonio: "It's wrap-around services — it is housing, it is medical, it's food. Everything in one coordinated area. It can get costly in the short term, but over the long term you're saving a lot of money that you're not spending on jailing these people or sending them to the ERs."
Yellen Pines: Supports the concept but not the funding: "I'm for the project, not 100% for the funding. I think there can definitely be some better ways around that." Would not have supported the tax reimbursement given to the project.
Needle exchange: Favors reinstating one-to-one restrictions on needle exchange programs and supported proposed limits on new syringe services and methadone clinics.
Taxes: Wants to address the property tax burden on seniors, particularly through better spending regulation.
Youth engagement: Would push to add voting student representatives to the City Council and School Committee.

Katherine Devine

First-Time Candidate

Age 21, the second-youngest candidate in the race. Has lived in the Bangor area for about three years and moved downtown six months ago. Works as a nanny and is expecting her first child. Has been involved in conservative political activism since childhood — testifying on bills at the State House and working on political campaigns. Her approach to homelessness and addiction is informed by her own experience in the Blessed Hope sober living program at Calvary Chapel Bangor.

Homelessness and addiction: Advocates a "tough love" approach. "I think that we've lost sight of what it means to actually love and care for people, which contrary to how the council's handling it now, it's not giving a handout." Says direct assistance without recovery requirements would not have supported her own recovery journey.
Needle exchange: Opposes syringe exchange programs entirely, viewing them as handouts that enable continued drug use. Favors personal accountability and improvements to mental health facilities instead.
Yellen Pines: Completely opposed to the project. Believes it lacks the sobriety and employment requirements she sees as essential for meaningful assistance to chronically homeless individuals.

Jennifer McGinley Maskala

First-Time Candidate

Born and raised in Bangor, moved back 18 years ago. Holds an MBA. Former healthcare worker, now Programs Director at the Wild Blueberry Commission of Maine (since 2022), where she manages budgets exceeding $1 million. Running on a "spend less, do more" platform. "If families are on a budget, why shouldn't city council? We all have to pinch our pennies and do more with less."

Fiscal responsibility: Wants to prioritize city basics -- sewer systems, school facilities -- and reduce spending to address rising property taxes. Opposes what she sees as unnecessary spending, including the Pickering Square renovation.
Yellen Pines: Critical of the 30-year tax reimbursement deal, calling it a "huge commitment."
Drug use and public safety: Advocates addressing public drug use and syringe litter. Proposes labeling syringes to identify providers and enforce fines for needles found on the street.
Economic development: Suggests attracting data centers to Bangor. Supports the temporary data center ban while the city considers regulations.
Constituent relations: Promises an "open door policy" and direct accessibility for residents.

John King

First-Time Candidate

Meet the Candidates in Person

Meet the Candidates, By the Candidates

Thursday, October 15 — 6:00 p.m.
Bangin' Whoopie Event Space — 76 Main Street, Bangor

Organized by candidate James Gallagher, this community forum brings 9 of the 12 city council candidates together for a direct conversation with Bangor residents. Free and open to all. No tickets required.

This is your best chance before Election Day to hear from the candidates in their own words and ask questions directly. Mark your calendar.

How to Vote

Election Day: November 3, 2026

Polls open at 7 a.m. and close at 8 p.m. at the Cross Insurance Center. You can vote for up to three candidates. All Bangor residents vote in the same at-large race, meaning your ballot will include all 12 candidates regardless of where in the city you live. Maine allows same-day voter registration.

Early voting starts October 5. The deadline to request an absentee ballot or vote early is October 29.

Questions? Contact the City Clerk:
73 Harlow Street — Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:15 p.m.
207-992-4220 — cityclerk@bangormaine.gov

Visit bangormaine.gov for absentee ballot requests and polling location details.

About this guide: This page was built by Queen City Weekly to give Bangor residents free access to candidate information. It will be updated as more becomes public before November 3. Information comes from news reporting, public statements, and candidate websites. Queen City Weekly does not endorse any candidate.

2026 Bangor City CouncilVoter Guide

The Basics

What Residents Are Asking About

Homelessness and Unsheltered Residents

Drug Epidemic and Needle Exchange Programs

Yellen Pines Housing Project

Property Taxes and Affordability

Council Civility and Effectiveness

The Candidates

Joe Leonard

Michael Furrow

Andrei Yermakov

Anthony Cote

James Gallagher

Terry Dinkins

Joe Pratt

Adam Baker

Dawson Nevells

Katherine Devine

Jennifer McGinley Maskala

John King

Meet the Candidates in Person

Meet the Candidates, By the Candidates

How to Vote

Election Day: November 3, 2026

2026 Bangor City Council
Voter Guide