Dear Editor:

Post election New York Times headlines led with “Wave of Anger,” “Negativity Wins,” and “The Tornado Election.” Maine headlines were similar, but in all states for those who worked so hard at getting out the vote and when so many were hoping for a change in the political landscape, the lack of change in Maine swooped in a cloud of exhaustion and sadness. I want to remind everyone that for every cloud of despair there is always a silver lining — even in Maine.

The email flood of panic over large expenditures of corporate PAC funds obliterated the fact that Clean Elections in Maine did not hinder the ability of candidates in Lincoln County to win — Sen. Chris Johnson and Rep. Mick Devin are testimony to that fact. Where many campaigns seemed fueled by more anger than analysis, these two winners did not issue a single advertisement attacking their competitor. They won on their record and their expressed core values in serving the people.

Local headlines covered the change in party office holders, but also filled the page with the impact of Sunday’s whopping storm and any local ballot decisions that had also been in the mix. They missed the second silver lining in this election — the massive voter turnout and the large volume of same day voter registration. The egregious Supreme Court ruling for Citizens United that created the flood of corporate money also resulted in an increased individual citizen’s participation in the election — a sign there is still hope that “for the people and by the people” will not only survive, but can thrive.

So volunteers should hold their heads high for the hours spent on foot and on phones — your work produced these silver linings and increased democracy in the state of Maine and in Lincoln County.

Jarryl Larson

Edgecomb