Mark Dion | |
---|---|
90th Mayor of Portland | |
Assumed office December 4, 2023 | |
Preceded by | Kate Snyder |
Member of the MaineHouseofRepresentatives from the 113th district | |
In office December 2010 –December 2016 | |
Preceded by | Joan Cohen |
Succeeded by | Heather Sanborn |
Member of the Maine Senate from the 28th district | |
In office December 2016 –December 2018 | |
Preceded by | Anne Haskell |
Succeeded by | Heather Sanborn |
Personal details | |
Born | 1955 (age 68–69) Lewiston,Maine,U.S. |
Political party | Democratic |
Education | University of Southern Maine (BA) Antioch University,New England (MA) University of Maine,Portland (JD) |
Website | State House website |
Mark N. Dion (born 1955) is an American politician,law enforcement officer and lawyer from Maine,who has served as Mayor of Portland since December 4,2023. [1]
Dion grew up in Lewiston,Maine and graduated from Lewiston High School in 1972. [2] He later earned a B.A. in criminal justice at the University of Southern Maine,a M.A. in human services administration from Antioch University New England and a J.D. from the University of Maine School of Law. [3]
Dion,a Democrat,was elected Sheriff of Cumberland County,Maine,in 1998. Dion was criticized during his 2002 campaign for using a county credit card and attending law school. [4] After being re-elected in 2002 and 2006,Dion chose not to seek re-election as Sheriff in 2010.
Rather than seek re-election as sheriff,he successfully sought a seat in the Maine House of Representatives. In 2013,Dion was named Chair of the Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee. [3] In March 2015,while a member of the House,Dion announced that he would sponsor legislation to make marijuana legal. [5] In 2016,he was elected to the Maine Senate,where he served one term.
Dion ran for Governor of Maine in 2018,placing fifth in the Democratic Party primary. [6]
In 2020,he won a seat on the Portland City Council after a four-way race where he won 39% of the vote. [7] In June 2023,Dion announced his intention to run for mayor of Portland. [8] During his campaign,he promised to continue supporting a policy of forcibly removing homeless people from public spaces,stating “The sweeps will continue.”Incumbent mayor Kate Snyder,herself the former Executive Director of the Maine Department of Corrections,endorsed Dion. [9] He won the election on November 7,2023,earning 39.6% in the first round and earning 51.5% in the ranked-choice runoff. The Maine Morning Star described Dion as "Portland's version of a law-and-order candidate." [10] He was sworn in on December 4. [1]
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