Francine Perkins

Francine Heather Perkins (born April 19, 1934) is an Acadian politician who served as the 4th President of Acadia from March 10, 2000 to March 10, 2003. A member of the Conservative Party, Perkins was the first female and second Conservative President. She previously served as Edward County's delegation to the Council of Legislators from 1988 to 2000, and a senator from Edward from 1982 to 1988.

Personal life
Francine Heather Perkins was born on April 19, 1934 in Ontario, Canada. Before going into politics, she was a medical nurse.

Edward Legislature election, 1981
Perkins unsuccessfully ran for a seat in the Edward County Legislature in 1981, attempting to be one of the eight Class A legislators. She came in eleventh place.

Senate election in Edward, 1982
On October 9, 1981, at age 47, Perkins announced that she would be seeking a Senate seat in the 1982 election. At the time, Edward County had 7 seats. All seven incumbent senators were also running for re-election. Perkins quit her job as a nurse at the local hospital to focus on campaigning.

Perkins ran on a small-government, low-taxes platform and touted "Acadian values." She was one of the seven candidates endorsed by Bill Morchan, the Councilor from Edward at the time.

In the election held on January 9, 1982, Perkins received 16% of the vote. She came in 4th place, securing her a seat in the Senate. She was sworn in on January 30 of that year.

Senate election in Edward, 1986
Near the end of Perkins' first four-year term in the Senate, she announced that she would run for re-election.

She was easily re-elected, and improved her ranking to 2nd place.

Council election in Edward, 1988
On July 29, 1988, Perkins announced her intent to unseat incumbent Councilor Bill Morchan in the upcoming Couniclor election. Morchan had served since 1976.

In the polls, Perkins fell behind Morchan. However, she had a surprise win by a narrow margin on the January 9, 1988.

Since she was in the middle of her second Senate term, Perkins resigned from the Senate on January 30, 1988, the day she was sworn onto the Council of Legislators.

Presidential election, 1994
Councilor Perkins announced her Presidential campaign on March 20, 1993, the first major candidate to do so. She was endorsed by the Conservative Party on April 6. Perkins intended to prevent a second term for incumbent Progressive President Daniel Graham.

On January 9, 1994, Perkins came in second place with 38% of the vote. However, President Graham had unexpectedly received a majority 51% vote, preventing a run-off election. Perkins conceded later that day.

Council election in Edward, 1996
Perkins won a second term on the Council in 1996, defeating her Progressive challenger, Harry Joyner, by a landslide.

During her Council campaign, many Edward voters worried that she would abandon the county citizens for a second Presidential campaign in 1997. At all three debates and several interviews, Perkins assured the electorate that, if re-elected to the Council, she would not seek the Presidency in 1997.

Presidential election, 1997
Perkins controversially announced her second Presidential campaign on June 30, 1996, just five months after winning a second Council term. This immediately sparked outrage from Edward voters, recalling her promise in the 1996 Council election. Perkins made no statement on the topic.

For the second time, Perkins challenged incumbent President Graham. On January 11, 1997, Perkins won the first round with 35% of the vote. President Graham came in second with 33%, and they both advanced to the run-off election. This was the first time that a woman won the first round.

In the run-off vote, President Graham won a third term by a comfortable 8-point margin.

1997 expulsion attempt
By the time of her second unsuccessful Presidential run, Perkins' approval rating in her home county had fallen to 32%.

The Edward County Legislature held the power to "expel" a sitting councilor or senator from the county, removing them from office. This became a popular goal among Edward voters, due to Perkins' shameless breaking of her 1996 promise.

On February 17, 1997, the County Legislature held Perkins' expulsion vote. The vote was tied 17-17. In this case, the Prefect of Edward got to decide. The current Prefect was Paul Norman, a Conservative. Norman voted "No" to Perkins' expulsion.

This resulted in vehement outrage towards both Perkins, Norman, and the county legislators who had voted against her expulsion. After the party composition changed in 1998, Prefect Norman was impeached due to perjury.

Controversially, Perkins was not expelled and kept her Council seat. In a rare opinion on county-level politics, President Daniel Graham voiced his disapproval of this act.

Presidential election, 2000
Perkins announced her third Presidential campaign on August 4, 1999.

President Graham was term-limited and could not run for a fourth term. Perkins' was an immediate front-runner, along with Progressive Fred Campbell and Independent Dan Stacey. In the January 8 election, Perkins won with 35%, and Stacey came in second with 21%.

The run-off was held on February 5. Stacey was popular among independents and progressives, and he was touted to possibly become the first Independent President. Because of this, Perkins moved many of her stances leftwards, trying to steal a portion of independent voters.

Perkins narrowly defeated Stacey in the run-off, receiving 51% to Stacey's 49%. She was inaugurated as on March 10, 2000, resigning from the Council on that day.

Presidential election, 2003
President Perkins announced that she would run for a second term on June 27, 2002. However, the Conservative Party announced on July 7 that they would endorse candidate Thomas Bader instead of Perkins. This was the first time a sitting President was not endorsed by their own party.

Perkins' Presidential approval rating was 37%, one of the most unpopular Presidents in history.

In the election, Perkins' was not even considered one of the frontreunners. Amelia Lark, daughter of the 1st President of Acadia, was endorsed by the Progressive Party.

On the January 11, 2003 election, Amelia Lark prevented a run-off by earning 54% of the vote. Thomas Bader came in second with 22%, and Perkins in third with 15%. This was the first time that a sitting President did not come in the top two of the first round vote.

Amelia Lark was inaugurated on March 10, 2003, the day Perkins lost the presidency.

Post-presidency life
Perkins endorsed Conservative Alan Newman in the 2006 Presidential election. Besides that, Perkins has claimed to have retired from politics.