Dow the likely winner of Piscataquis County sheriff Republican primary
Sgt. Guy Edward Dow of Guilford is the likely winner in a three-way Republican primary race to succeed Piscataquis County Sheriff Robert Young.
Dow, 58, who has been with the sheriff’s office since 1997, has received 954 votes with 14 of 19 municipalities reporting. That puts him ahead of Lt. James B. Kane, 54, of Sangerville with 579 votes and Chief Deputy Todd Douglas Lyford, 62, of Brownville with 531. The Bangor Daily News has not yet called the race.
The three ran to take over for Young, who announced in January that he will not seek reelection. With no Democratic candidates, Dow will likely become sheriff, though a challenger could still run against him as an independent or write-in candidate in November.
SHERIFF CANDIDATES — The three Republican candidates for Piscataquis County sheriff, from left, Chief Deputy Todd Lyford, Sgt. Guy Dow and Lt. James Kane. Dow won the June 9 primary.
Young was elected sheriff in 2018 after decades of working in law enforcement, starting out as a corrections officer and dispatcher and rising through the ranks to become chief deputy at the Piscataquis County Sheriff’s Office.
Party candidates elected at the primary appear on the ballot for the Tuesday, Nov. 3 general election.
“It has been a very busy couple of days and I want to say thank you for the overwhelming support that I have been shown,” Dow wrote in a post on his candidate Facebook page. “I am humbled and honored by this.”
Dow thanked voters for their trust and confidence in him with their feedback, encouragement and concerns for the future being a big part of the drive with this campaign.
He recognized Kane and Lyford.
“Running a campaign alongside co-workers has been a unique challenge,” Dow wrote. “We have accomplished it with shared respect, professionalism and dedication to our communities. I am proud to stand with them on a daily basis.”
“I thank God that we live in a country where we have the freedom to choose our leaders,” Dow wrote. “I look forward to the future and will continue to work hard for the citizens of Piscataquis County as the next sheriff. God Bless.”
Dow previously told the Bangor Daily News that if he wins he will start planning for what his administration will look like.
He, Kane and Lyford agreed that the primary election outcome will not change their relationships with each other.
Bangor Daily News writer Marie Weidmayer contributed to this story.