Beth Bosworth is running for Maine Senate District 18 (which includes Mechanic Falls and Minot). A resident of Fryeburg, Beth shares this information about herself to encourage you to cast your ballot for her.
Tell us a bit about your personal history – jobs held, accomplishments, or other information about you that you’d like voters to know:
I grew up in Naples where my mom was a high school teacher and my dad was a construction worker. My brothers and I grew up in a family of hard workers who gave back to their community by volunteering and serving in various public roles like selectman and working at the local recreation department. We participated in all of the wonderful things that Maine had to offer, from enjoying the lakes and mountains to exploring back roads and ocean beaches. We weren’t well off but we always had enough. These formative experiences helped me develop a keen sense of fairness and a desire to make the world a better place.
Working – sometimes multiple jobs concurrently – has always been a central part of my life. Throughout all of my education and travels, I worked. I started working when I was 12 years old, first babysitting and then both bussing and waiting tables at local restaurants. I cleaned summer cabins in high school and then catered in college and beyond. I’ve worked retail and data entry, farmed, and tutored. I eventually became an art teacher in Massachusetts where I had earned my master’s degree in education. I believe that my experiences as a worker have coupled with the values I learned as a child to shape and focus my current experience running for office: I hope that I can create positive change so that hard-working Mainers don’t continue to fall behind.
After I had my first child, the math didn’t add up for me to stay in my teaching job AND pay for child care. I was lucky enough to be able to stay home for a bit. After we had our second and moved home to Maine, I found that I was ready to get back into education. It looked a little bit different this time around – I joined the school board and I began working with my friend providing outdoor learning experiences for kids. I was elected chair of the school board and I have learned a lot from that experience. It has taught me what limitations schools and communities have in controlling their schools.
What led you to run for this office?
After serving on our local school board I began to understand how important it is to have local voices representing our communities in Augusta. There is so much that happens in our schools that depends on decisions made in Augusta and beyond, and I wanted to make sure I was contributing to those decisions and helping guide what happens here at home. As I dove into the Senate race, I began to learn so much more about the other issues that our neighbors face each day and how those issues impact everything else, including how families access education. The issues we are facing (healthcare costs, taxes, erosion of education, and more) are so deeply intertwined, that one impacts the other. We need to take bold steps and have deep discussions so that all of our neighbors are able to thrive. I want to be a part of the conversation and help our communities move forward in a positive way.
What are the most important issues that residents of Androscoggin County face? What do you propose to address those issues?
Healthcare costs (including insurance) are too high for many people to even consider accessing things like preventative care – which then impacts the cost of healthcare down the line. We need to make insurance more affordable and seriously explore other systems that exclude private health systems and insurances.
Making sure our rural health centers and hospitals stay well funded and open is key to making sure everyone can access quality care. We may need to consider a different model, perhaps community hubs where many services are available in one place (including mental health services).
Lessening the tax burden on our rural municipalities for school funding. The funding formula as it stands does not work for rural communities. It should not matter in which zip code you attend school – every student should have access to quality education and learning opportunities.
What policies and legislation do you plan to advocate for?
Addressing the tax structure, universal healthcare, better supporting public schools, diversifying the Maine economy, Native sovereignty.
What do you think the biggest challenges of this office will be? How do you plan to overcome them?
I foresee the challenge and need for communication in this role. And that means listening as well. I expect there to be many challenges, but I think rebuilding trust and communication with the public and their government to be of the utmost importance.
If elected, what elected official would you most like to emulate?
Barack Obama, because he is such an incredible communicator and so measured in his approach to everything while maintaining his humanity and humility.
What else should voters know about you before they cast their November 2026 ballots?
That I am a former teacher, a mom, and someone who cares deeply for my neighbors and community. I am honored to be considered as a candidate to represent our communities in Augusta.