GOP keeps Povich for Down East prosecutor

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ELLSWORTH – The final tally for Tuesday’s Republican primary for district attorney for Hancock and Washington counties had incumbent Michael Povich winning by nearly 1,200 votes.

Povich received 4,034, or 58 percent, of the 6,908 votes cast in the two counties. His challenger, former Hancock County Assistant District Attorney Steven Juskewitch, received 2,874 votes, or 42 percent.

By the time all the ballots in the race had been added up Wednesday afternoon, Povich led Juskewitch by 1,160 votes.

With the victory, Povich secures for himself another four-year term as the top prosecutor in the two-county district. He was appointed to the post in 1973 and, before this election, had not faced any political opposition since he was first elected district attorney in 1974.

With no other declared candidates for the position in any other party, Tuesday’s results should indicate who will be elected officially to the post in November.

In Hancock County, Povich received 2,843 votes, or 60 percent, to Juskewitch’s 1,920 votes, or 40 percent. In Washington County, the incumbent received 1,241 votes, or 57 percent of those cast, while Juskewitch received 954 votes, or 43 percent.

Povich said late Tuesday night that he was happy to have the race behind him.

“If I could do something differently, I would have organized a lot sooner,” Povich said. “I’m glad it’s over, quite frankly.”

Povich said he was troubled by what he thought was Juskewitch’s negative campaign.

Juskewitch said late Tuesday that he felt his efforts to bring Povich’s 29-year tenure as district attorney to an end were not in vain.

“I never fully appreciated how much work a campaign is,” Juskewitch said, adding that he looked forward to resuming his work as a defense attorney and to spending more time with his family. Juskewitch worked for Povich as an assistant district attorney in Ellsworth for 12 years until he left his prosecutor’s job at the end of 2000.

Juskewitch said his campaign accomplished something worthwhile just by giving voters an option.

“I’m pleased to have given the voters a choice,” he said. “Not having a choice leaves us all the worse off.”

Juskewitch said Tuesday he had no plans to challenge Povich again in the future.

“It’s nothing I’m considering. I’ll just take it one day at a time,” he said. “I wish Mike the best of luck.”

In Washington County, Povich took an early lead and held it for most of the evening. Centerville was the first community to report, and the vote there was one for Povich and none for Juskewitch. At 9:38 p.m. Povich had 128 votes to Juskewitch’s 102.

Cooper was the first town where voters threw their support behind Juskewitch. They gave him eight votes to Povich’s five. They were followed by Waite voters who gave Juskewitch three votes to Povich’s two.

Harrington gave Juskewitch 26 votes to Povich’s 23. Steuben was a firm 35 votes for Juskewitch to Povich’s 15. Lubec, Cherryfield and Addison also were solid for Juskewitch.

Larger communities East Machias and Machias gave the nod to Povich with 53-49 and 136-49, respectively. Eastport also voted for Povich, 100 to 55.

In a few communities, the candidates tied, Whiting voters gave each of the men 13 votes, and in Pembroke each gathered 35 votes.

The two Passamaquoddy reservations were divided in their support. Indian Township gave Povich a 4-2 lead, and Pleasant Point voters gave the candidates one vote each.

One of the larger communities to support Juskewitch was Baileyville, where he received 45 votes to Povich’s 39.

In the county’s largest city, Calais, the vote for the two candidates was nearly evenly divided. Voters there vote in three different precincts, and it was clear by the end of the evening that voters in Ward 1 and Ward 3 favored Juskewitch, while voters in Ward 2 gave the nod to Povich with a vote of 84-59.

In Hancock County, Povich took an early lead when Great Pond reported three votes for Povich and two votes for Juskewitch. The next town to report its tally was Orland, which counted 91 votes for the incumbent and 66 for his opponent.

Overall, Juskewitch carried nine out of 36 towns in Hancock County, getting 361 votes to Povich’s 273 in those nine towns.

The towns Juskewitch won tended to be in the northern part of the Hancock County, with voters in smaller towns such as Amherst, Eastbrook, Osborn, Waltham and Dedham, Juskewitch’s hometown, favoring the challenger. Juskewitch also carried Swans Island, Verona, Gouldsboro and Winter Harbor.

Juskewitch had a 35-vote advantage, 99-64, in Dedham, and a 17-vote margin in Gouldsboro, 120-103. He won by single-digit margins in the other seven Hancock County towns he carried.

Povich won in the larger municipalities. In his hometown of Ellsworth, he received 598 votes to Juskewitch’s 269. Povich was heavily favored in Bar Harbor and Blue Hill and won closer races in Bucksport, Hancock and Southwest Harbor.

In Mount Desert, where five years ago voters recalled Juskewitch from the school board, Povich won by 99 votes, 184-85.

In Sullivan, the candidates tied with 44 votes each.