Maine House 89 Rep. Holly Stover is running for reelection as Westport Island, Southport, Boothbay Harbor, Boothbay, Edgecomb and part of South Bristol’s point person in Augusta.

Stover received her bachelor degrees in human services (BA) and psychology (BS) from Nasson College, did coursework in health management policy at the Muskie School, and attended Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government for the Local Executives Program.

Stover serves on the Boothbay Region YMCA board (four years), LincolnHealth Board of Trustees (five years), is Boothbay Region District Nurses Association Board Chair (three years), and has served on the Medical Care Development Board of Directors since last year. Stover’s other experience comes from six years on the Boothbay planning board, two years on the Boothbay Railway Village board of directors, and 23 years of work at Maine Department of Mental Health, Mental Retardation and Substance Abuse Services and Department of Health and Human Services (1993-2016).

Stover said she is running to keep her seat because Maine’s health has never been at greater stake than it is now and it is time for the House and Senate to get back to work. She said the greatest shortcoming of the legislature has been its failure to reconvene and vote on over 400 bills, 70% of which passed out of committee unanimously and with bipartisan efforts; every Democrat has voted twice to reconvene, but enough Republicans have abstained or voted “no” to keep the legislature from reconvening, she said.

“Although we are a large group, we could have worked at the Augusta Civic Center in adherence with all public health guidelines and completed the work in a safe and effective manner … We have bills that need to be voted on, and we can use the legislative process to bolster Maine’s economic recovery.”

The legislature’s priorities should continue to include small businesses, sole proprietorships and self-employed workers, she said. Stover said other priorities of equal importance include increased access to healthcare, especially mental healthcare, and the lowering of prescription costs; broadband access especially during these times of remote learning; clean alternative energy and reduction of carbon emissions while creating new industries and jobs; affordable housing; and keeping Maine’s small businesses running.

Stover said some of the legislature’s greatest accomplishments she has been a part of have been the creation of the largest balance in Maine’s rainy day fund, Medicaid expansion to over 70,000 Mainers and the temporarily postponed abolition of single-use plastic bags. She also said she supports Gov. Janet Mills’ difficult health and safety decisions on COVID-19 and her fair appropriation of CARES Act funds.

“… The funds have been allocated to support critical services; including education, nursing homes and hospitals. I support the use of these funds to support our educational and healthcare systems. The CARES Act and other federal funds have been given to Maine to ensure the continued viability of our critical infrastructure.”

Stover said she thanks the more than 30 volunteers who have put up signs, made hundreds of calls, helped with postcard writing, painted homemade signs, the dozens who have written letters of support to the local newspapers, her campaign manager Abbe Levin and cousin Mark Stover, treasurer of her campaign, and Tory Paxson and Kate Friant who manage the social media and photography.

“And always a special thanks to the Lincoln County Democrats, the Boothbay Region Democrats, the Westport Island Democrats and the South Bristol Democrats and Indivisible Boothbay. You are the glue that keeps things stuck together, not just during campaign season but always.”