Franklin County will hold a Republican primary on June 9 to determine nominees for two commissioner districts. District 4 features incumbent Robert "Bob" Carlton of Freeman Township against Earl "Lee" Ireland of Industry. District 5 pits incumbent Jeffrey Gilbert of Jay against Earl Martin of Chesterville. The primary will take place during statewide voting in the towns each district represents.
District 4 serves Carrabassett Valley, Dallas Plantation, East Central Franklin, Industry, Kingfield, New Sharon, New Vineyard, and Wyman Township. No Democratic candidate is running for this seat in the November 3 general election. Unenrolled candidates have until June 1 to file nomination papers. The winner of the District 4 primary will face an unopposed path to the general election.
Carlton, 69, is a self-employed consulting forester who was appointed by Governor Janet Mills to an interim county commissioner term in 2022. He subsequently won election to the post in 2023 and again in 2025. He has worked as a firefighter for approximately 40 years and serves on the Maine State Board of Pesticide Control.
Ireland, 71, is a retired business owner and former emergency medical technician and paramedic with what is now MaineHealth EMS. He has served as an Industry Select Board member for 34 years and previously sat on the Franklin County Budget Advisory Committee.
The District 5 race differs in competitive scope. The winner will face Democratic candidate Gary McGrane of Jay in the general election. Gilbert, the incumbent, is 65 years old and works as a heat pump technician and property manager. He has served as a county commissioner for nearly two years and is a former papermaker. He also served on the Jay Comprehensive Planning Committee.
Martin, whose age was not disclosed, serves as vice chairman of the Chesterville Select Board. He previously served on the Franklin County Budget Advisory Committee and spent 21 years in the U.S. Navy before retiring from business.
