3 Penobscot County Officials Run Unopposed Amid $7M Budget Crisis

Incumbents for commissioner, sheriff, and treasurer will continue in their roles with no challengers in the upcoming primary election.

Mar. 16, 2026 at 10:50pm

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Three key Penobscot County officials - Dave Marshall for commissioner, Troy Morton for sheriff, and Glenn Mower for treasurer - will be running unopposed in the upcoming primary election. This comes amid a $7 million budget deficit caused by rising costs at the county jail, which has forced a 15.6% tax hike. While the incumbents are likely to retain their seats, a candidate could still enter the race as an independent or write-in option for the November general election.

Why it matters

The lack of contested elections for these important county positions raises questions about the democratic process and voter engagement, especially given the significant budget challenges facing the county. The unopposed races also highlight the power of incumbency and the difficulty of unseating long-serving officials, even in the face of major fiscal issues.

The details

Dave Marshall, a Republican who previously served as a state legislator and lobbyist for the NRA, is seeking reelection as county commissioner. He says his priority is to help build a new county jail to address poor conditions and budget problems. Glenn Mower, a Republican with a public accounting degree, is running unopposed for county treasurer after beating his Democratic challenger by over 7,000 votes in 2022. Troy Morton, a Republican who has been sheriff since 2014, is also running unopposed.

  • The primary election will be held in June 2026.
  • Marshall, Mower, and Morton were all last elected in 2022.

The players

Dave Marshall

A Republican who previously served as a state legislator and lobbyist for the National Rifle Association, Marshall is seeking reelection as Penobscot County commissioner.

Troy Morton

A Republican who has been Penobscot County sheriff since 2014, first elected in 2014 and running unopposed in 2018 and 2022.

Glenn Mower

A Republican with a public accounting degree from Husson University, Mower is the Penobscot County treasurer and co-owner of the Bangor Letter Shop.

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What they’re saying

“It should have been done 10 years ago, and it hasn't been. It's been kicked down the road, like so many things. Kicked down the road, kicked down the road, kicked down the road, and you just got to put your feet down and make a decision and take the heat that goes with it.”

— Dave Marshall, Penobscot County Commissioner

“I think the sheriff has done an incredible job. He's one of the most competent people I've seen in law enforcement in years.”

— Dave Marshall, Penobscot County Commissioner

What’s next

A candidate could still enter the race as an independent or write-in option for the November general election, though the incumbents are likely to retain their seats.

The takeaway

The lack of contested elections for these key Penobscot County positions raises concerns about voter engagement and democratic accountability, especially given the significant budget challenges facing the county. The power of incumbency appears to be a major factor, underscoring the difficulty of unseating long-serving officials even when major issues like the jail budget crisis loom large.