2012 Acadia Senate election in New France

The 2012 Acadia Senate election in New France County was held on Saturday, January 14, 2012, along with other elections for the President, Class B senators, and Class A council delegates.

New France experienced a decrease in Senate seats after 2011 Census, from eight to seven seats. The 2012 election was the first to have only seven available seats.

Among the eight incumbent senators from New France, seven were eligible for re-election. Ben Howell, who held the first seat, was term-limited. Three-term incumbent Jerry Norman (Seat 2) announced his campaign for a final term in August 2011. Soon after, the remaining incumbent senators all announced re-election campaigns.

Candidates
The following parties are listed from most candidates on the ballot to least.

Endorsed candidates
In Acadian politics, political parties have the option of endorsing as many candidates as there are seats. In this election, the Progressive Party of New France County held its primary on December 3, 2011. Voters in primaries can use as many votes as their are seats. In this election, primary voters had seven votes to use. All incumbent Progressive senators were endorsed.
 * 1) Jerry Norman (3-term incumbent senator, Seat 2)
 * 2) Harry Fletcher (1-term incumbent senator, Seat 7)
 * 3) Imelda Soros (1-term incumbent senator, Seat 8)
 * 4) Christine Helman (CEO of non-profit)
 * 5) Dana Cook (1-term incumbent senator, Seat 5)
 * 6) Isaiah Coffey (school district superintendent)
 * 7) Melody Walker (schoolteacher)

Balloted candidates
In Acadian politics, "Balloted candidates" are those that have officially filed for candidacy by the deadline (which is always 60 days before the election, November 15, 2011 in this case) and who have received at least 2% in at least two reputable polls by the deadline. All balloted candidates are listed on the official ballot.

In this election, 16 Progressive candidates were on the ballot out of the total 54 candidates.
 * Isaiah Coffey (school district superintendent)
 * Dana Cook (1-term incumbent senator, Seat 5)
 * Ken Clayton (surgeon)
 * Harry Fletcher (1-term incumbent senator, Seat 7)
 * Christine Helman (CEO of non-profit)
 * Sheila Hogan (school principal)
 * Jerry Norman (3-term incumbent senator, Seat 2)
 * Dan Norris (fast food worker)
 * Dale Rush (grocery store manager)
 * Hayden Roper (Christian pastor)
 * Victor Santiago (small business owner)
 * Harriet Simons (librarian)
 * Imelda Soros (1-term incumbent senator, Seat 8)
 * Matt Pipkin (social worker)
 * Luke Powell (CEO)
 * Melody Walker (schoolteacher)

Non-balloted candidates
The Progressive Party estimated about 28 candidates who either did not file for candidacy by the deadline or did not achieve the poll requirement. Of these 28, 9 mounted write-in campaigns.

Endorsed candidates
The Conservative primary was held on November 19, 2011.
 * 1) Ed Coleman (2-term incumbent senator, Seat 3)
 * 2) Marissa James (political commentator)
 * 3) Brian Howard (CEO)
 * 4) Greg Phillips (schoolteacher)
 * 5) Mary Baker (small business owner)
 * 6) Chris Adams (news anchor)
 * 7) Justin Holmes (librarian)

Balloted candidates
There were 14 Conservative candidates on the ballot out of the total 54 candidates.
 * Chris Adams (news anchor)
 * Mary Baker (small business owner)
 * Faith Ball (small business owner)
 * Ed Coleman (2-term incumbent senator, Seat 3)
 * Justin Holmes (librarian)
 * Brian Howard (CEO)
 * Marissa James (political commentator)
 * Kent Lynch (scientist)
 * Alex Marsh (business owner)
 * Sadie Morales (political commentator)
 * Zach Murray (college student)
 * Greg Phillips (schoolteacher)
 * Joel Potter (CEO)
 * Lionel Woods (musician)

Non-balloted candidates
An estimated 17 Conservative candidates did not meet ballot requirements. 5 mounted write-in campaigns.

Endorsed candidates
The Green primary was held on November 26, 2011. The Green Party chose to only endorse four candidates instead of the maximum of seven.
 * 1) Alyssa White (3-term incumbent senator, Seat 6)
 * 2) Jill Parsons (physician)
 * 3) Max Mills (activist)
 * 4) Bridget Carroll (activist)

Balloted candidates
There were 11 Green candidates on the ballot out of the total 54 candidates.
 * Bridget Carroll (activist)
 * Lynne Casey (professor)
 * Eduardo Fleming
 * Amy Fox
 * Lela Lawrence
 * Anna Martin
 * Max Mills (activist)
 * Jill Parsons (physician)
 * Melinda Paul
 * Kerry Taylor
 * Alyssa White (3-term incumbent senator, Seat 6)

Non-balloted candidates
23 Green candidates did not make the ballot, with 2 reported write-in campaigns.

Balloted candidates
There is no primary for independent candidates.
 * Roland Brewer
 * Helen Gutierrez
 * Jean Hammond
 * Mark Teller (2-term incumbent senator, Seat 4)
 * Lewis Wood

Non-balloted candidates
About 33 independent candidates did not make the ballot. 16 of those mounted write-in campaigns.

Endorsed candidate
The Reform primary was hold on November 26, 2011. The Reform Party chose to endorse only one candidate.
 * 1) Rick Bowman (CEO)

Balloted candidates
There were 3 Reform candidates on the ballot out of the total 54 candidates.
 * Rick Bowman
 * William Lowe
 * Blake Pratt

Non-balloted candidates
6 Reform candidates did not make the ballot.

Endorsed candidates
The Libertarian primary was held on December 3, 2011. All 3 balloted candidates were endorsed.
 * 1) Nathan Larson
 * 2) Amos Warren
 * 3) Belinda Page

Balloted candidates
Only 3 Libertarian candidates achieved ballot status.
 * Nathan Larson
 * Belinda Page
 * Amos Warren

Non-balloted candidates
10 Libertarian candidates did not make the ballot.

Final list of candidates on the ballot
There was a total of 54 candidates from 6 parties on the final ballot.
 * Chris Adams (C) (news anchor)
 * Mary Baker (C) (small business owner)
 * Faith Ball (C) (small business owner)
 * Rick Bowman (R)
 * Roland Brewer (I)
 * Bridget Carroll (G) (activist)
 * Lynne Casey (G) (professor)
 * Ken Clayton (P) (surgeon)
 * Isaiah Coffey (P) (school district superintendent)
 * Ed Coleman (C) (2-term incumbent senator, Seat 3)
 * Dana Cook (P) (1-term incumbent senator, Seat 5)
 * Eduardo Fleming (G)
 * Harry Fletcher (P) (1-term incumbent senator, Seat 7)
 * Amy Fox (G)
 * Helen Gutierrez (I)
 * Jean Hammond (I)
 * Christine Helman (P) (CEO of non-profit)
 * Sheila Hogan (P) (school principal)
 * Justin Holmes (C) (librarian)
 * Brian Howard (C) (CEO)
 * Marissa James (C) (political commentator)
 * Nathan Larson (L)
 * Lela Lawrence (G)
 * William Lowe (R)
 * Kent Lynch (C) (scientist)
 * Alex Marsh (C) (business owner)
 * Anna Martin (G)
 * Max Mills (G) (activist)
 * Sadie Morales (C) (political commentator)
 * Zach Murray (C) (college student)
 * Jerry Norman (P) (3-term incumbent senator, Seat 2)
 * Dan Norris (P) (fast food worker)
 * Belinda Page (L)
 * Jill Parsons (G) (physician)
 * Melinda Paul (G)
 * Greg Phillips (C) (schoolteacher)
 * Matt Pipkin (P) (social worker)
 * Joel Potter (C) (CEO)
 * Luke Powell (P) (CEO)
 * Blake Pratt (R)
 * Hayden Roper (P) (Christian pastor)
 * Dale Rush (P) (grocery store manager)
 * Victor Santiago (P) (small business owner)
 * Harriet Simons (P) (librarian)
 * Imelda Soros (P) (1-term incumbent senator, Seat 8)
 * Kerry Taylor (G)
 * Mark Teller (I)(2-term incumbent senator, Seat 4)
 * Melody Walker (P) (schoolteacher)
 * Amos Warren (L)
 * Alyssa White (G) (3-term incumbent senator, Seat 6)
 * Lewis Wood (I)
 * Lionel Woods (C) (musician)

Results
The general election was held on January 30, 2012. Only one incumbent senator running for re-election did not win a seat: Alyssa White came in ninth place. Only one new first-term senator was elected: Isaiah Coffey, a school district superintendent who came in sixth place.
 * 1) Jerry Norman (P) (endorsed; Seat 2 incumbent elected to 4th term) 1
 * 2) Ed Coleman (C) (endorsed; Seat 3 incumbent elected to 3rd term) 1
 * 3) Mark Teller (I) (Seat 4 incumbent elected to 3rd term) 1
 * 4) Imelda Soros (P) (endorsed; Seat 8 incumbent elected to 2nd term) 4
 * 5) Harry Fletcher (P) (endorsed; Seat 7 incumbent elected to 2nd term) 2
 * 6) Isaiah Coffey (P) (endorsed; elected to 1st term)
 * 7) Dana Cook (P) (endorsed; Seat 5 incumbent elected to 2nd term) 2
 * 8) Marissa James (C) (endorsed)
 * 9) Alyssa White (G) (endorsed; Seat 6 incumbent lost re-election) 3
 * 10) Christine Helman (P) (endorsed)
 * 11) Jean Hammond (I)
 * 12) Rick Bowman (R) (endorsed)
 * 13) Melody Walker (P) (endorsed)
 * 14) Greg Phillips (C) (endorsed)
 * 15) Bridget Carroll (G) (endorsed)
 * 16) Chris Adams (C) (endorsed)
 * 17) Justin Holmes (C) (endorsed)
 * 18) Mary Baker (C) (endorsed)
 * 19) Brian Howard (C) (endorsed)
 * 20) Victor Santiago (P)
 * 21) Ken Clayton (P)
 * 22) Eduardo Fleming (G)
 * 23) Sheila Hogan (P)
 * 24) Zach Murray (C)
 * 25) Hayden Roper (P)
 * 26) Dale Rush (P)
 * 27) Matt Pipkin (P)
 * 28) Dan Norris (P)
 * 29) William Lowe (R)
 * 30) Blake Pratt (R)
 * 31) Joel Potter (C)
 * 32) Luke Powell (P)
 * 33) Alex Marsh (C)
 * 34) Jill Parsons (G) (endorsed)
 * 35) Kent Lynch (C)
 * 36) Belinda Page (L) (endorsed)
 * 37) Amos Warren (L) (endorsed)
 * 38) Helen Gutierrez (I)
 * 39) Roland Brewer (I)
 * 40) Melinda Paul (G)
 * 41) Max Mills (G) (endorsed)
 * 42) Kerry Taylor (G)
 * 43) Anna Martin (G)
 * 44) Lela Lawrence (G)
 * 45) Amy Fox (G)
 * 46) Lewis Wood (I)
 * 47) Lionel Woods (C)
 * 48) Lynne Casey (G)
 * 49) Harriet Simons (P)
 * 50) Sadie Morales (C)
 * 51) Nathan Larson (L) (endorsed)
 * 52) Faith Ball (C)

Party results
Before this election, the New France Senate delegation held: 5 Progressives, 1 Conservative, 1 Green, and 1 Independent. After the 2012 results, all party lines remained the same except for the Green Party, which lost its only seat.