Bill Diamond
Member of the Maine Senate
In office
December 3, 2014 – December 7, 2022
Preceded byRodney Whittemore
Succeeded byTimothy Nangle
Constituency26th district
In office
December 2004 – December 2012
Succeeded byGary Plummer
Constituency12th district
45th Secretary of State of Maine
In office
1989–1996
GovernorJohn R. McKernan Jr.
Angus King
Preceded byRodney S. Quinn[1]
Succeeded byDan Gwadosky[1]
Personal details
Born1945 (age 78–79)
Political partyDemocratic
SpouseJane Diamond
Alma materUniversity of Southern Maine, Gorham
University of New England

G. William Diamond (born 1945) is an American Democratic politician, educator, small business owner, legislator and former Maine Secretary of State. Diamond currently serves in the Maine Senate representing Senate District 26, which comprises the towns of Windham, Raymond, Standish, Casco, Baldwin and Frye Island.

Diamond served in the Maine House of Representatives from 1977 to 1982, was the Maine Secretary of State from 1989 to 1997, and has served in the Maine Senate from 1982 to 1986, from 2004 to 2012 and from 2018 to the present. He was a teacher in the Windham and Raymond school systems for 18 years and was the superintendent and director of governmental relations for the controversial Élan School in Poland, Maine.

Early life and education

Diamond was born in 1945. He received a bachelor's degree from Gorham State Teachers' College in 1968 and a master's degree in education administration from the same institution in 1972.[2][3] He was a teacher and principal in the Windham and Raymond school system from 1968-1986, and was the superintendent of the Raymond school system in 1986. Diamond has been a business owner since 1980.[2][3]

Diamond also served as the superintendent and director of governmental relations at the Élan School in Poland, Maine, which closed in 2011 following an online campaign against the school over its alleged abuse and mistreatment of students.[4][5][6]

Political career

Maine House of Representatives

Diamond first ran for Maine House District 23 in 1976, winning the Democratic primary as a write-in candidate and defeating Republican Barbara Strout 51%-49% in the general election.[7] He served two subsequent terms, running unopposed in Democratic primaries in both 1978 and 1980, defeating Republican Carole Bean in the 1978 general election and running unopposed in the 1980 general election.[8][9][10][11]

Maine Senate 1982-1986

In 1982, Diamond defeated Republican David Huber 56%-44% in the general election to represent Maine Senate District 6. He won a second Senate term in 1984, beating Republican Kenneth Cole 61.5%-38.5%.[12][13]

Secretary of State

Diamond was first elected Secretary of State by the 114th Maine House of Representatives on December 7, 1988. Diamond was nominated along with Stephen M. Zirnkilton and received 115 House votes to Zirnkilton's 62.[14] Diamond's first two-year term as Secretary of State began in 1989 under Governor John R. McKernan Jr.[3]

In 1993, Diamond faced criticism for his response to a ballot-tampering accusation directed toward an assistant to then-House Majority Leader John L. Martin.[15] The incident is credited with contributing to the establishment of term limits for Maine legislators later in 1993.[16]

Diamond entered the race for Maine's 1st congressional district in 1994 but lost the Democratic primary election.[17] He remained Secretary of State until 1997 under Governor Angus King.[3]

Maine Senate 2004-2012, 2014-

Diamond again ran for the Senate District 12 seat in 2004. He ran unopposed in the Democratic primary and defeated Republican Joseph Bruno 55%-45% in the general election.[18] He was re-elected in 2006,[19] 2008, and 2010[20] before reaching his term limit.

In 2014, Diamond again sought the Senate District 26 seat, ran unopposed in the Democratic primary and defeated Republican Kaile Warren 63%-37% in the general election. He was re-elected in 2016, 2018 and 2020.[20]

Personal life

Diamond and his wife, Jane Diamond, live in Windham. They have two adult daughters and eight grandchildren.[21][2] In 2012, Diamond published The Evil and the Innocent, a compilation of true crime stories about perpetrators and victims of child sexual abuse.[21]

Diamond has been the co-founder and president of Windham Neighbors Helping Neighbors since 2007[2][21] and serves on the board of directors for the Maine State Society for the Protection of Animals[3] and for Hospice of Southern Maine.[21][2]

Electoral record

Maine House

1976 Maine House District 23 Democratic Primary
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic G. William Diamond (write-in) 163 100%
Total votes 163 100.0%[22]
1976 Maine House District 23 General Election
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic G. William Diamond 2,138 50.9%
Republican Barbara E. Strout 2,062 49.1%
Total votes 4,200 100.0%[7]
1978 Maine House District 23 Democratic Primary
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic G. William Diamond 375 100%
Total votes 375 100.0%[8]
1978 Maine House District 23 General Election
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic G. William Diamond 2,441 79.4%
Republican Carole L. Bean 633 20.6%
Total votes 3,074 100.0%[9]
1980 Maine House District 23 Democratic Primary
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic G. William Diamond 118 100%
Total votes 118 100.0%[10]
1980 Maine House District 23 General Election
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic G. William Diamond 4,477 100%
Total votes 4,477 100.0%[11]

Maine Senate

1982 Maine Senate District 6 General Election
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic G. William Diamond 11,049 55.8%
Republican David G. Huber 8,748 44.2%
Total votes 19,797 100.0%[12]
1984 Maine Senate District 27 General Election
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic G. William Diamond 10,963 61.5%
Republican Kenneth M. Cole III 6,869 38.5%
Total votes 17,832 100.0%[13]

(Diamond served as the Maine Secretary of State from 1989 to 1997.)

2004 Maine Senate District 12 Democratic Primary
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic G. William Diamond
Total votes 100.0%
2004 Maine Senate District 12 General Election
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic G. William Diamond 11,632 55.4%
Republican Joseph Bruno 9,366 44.6%
Total votes 20,998 100.0%[18]
2006 Maine Senate District 12 Democratic Primary
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic G. William Diamond 100%
Total votes 100.0%
2006 Maine Senate District 12 General Election
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic G. William Diamond 10,020 64.4%
Republican Lani S. Kelly 5,531 35.6%
Total votes 15,551 100.0%[19]
2008 Maine Senate District 12 Democratic Primary
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic G. William Diamond 100%
Total votes 100.0%
2008 Maine Senate District 12 General Election
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Bill Diamond 14,395 67.1%
Republican Thomas Golebiewski 5,388 25.1%
Green Lisa Willey 1,664 7.8%
Total votes 21,447 100.0%
2010 Maine Senate District 12 Democratic Primary
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Bill Diamond 100%
Total votes 100.0%
2010 Maine Senate District 12 General Election
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Bill Diamond 10,063 60.1%
Republican Ann-Marie Grenier 6,667 40.0%
Total votes 16,730 100.0%
2014 Maine Senate District 26 Democratic Primary
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Bill Diamond 100%
Total votes 100.0%
2014 Maine Senate District 26 General Election
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Bill Diamond 10,389 63.1%
Republican Kaile Warren 6,087 36.9%
Total votes 16,476 100.0%
2016 Maine Senate District 26 General Election
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Bill Diamond 13,081 62.0%
Republican Ryan McDonald 8,026 38.0%
Total votes 21,107 100.0%
2018 Maine Senate District 26 Democratic Primary
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Bill Diamond 2,402 100%
Total votes 2,402 100.0%
2018 Maine Senate District 26 General Election
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Bill Diamond 14,743 80.5%
Independent Other/write-in votes 3,574 19.5%
Total votes 18,317 100.0%
2020 Maine Senate District 26 Democratic Primary
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Bill Diamond 3,528 100%
Total votes 3,528 100.0%
2020 Maine Senate District 26 General Election
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Bill Diamond 14,267 60.7%
Republican Karen Lockwood 9,219 39.3%
Total votes 23,486 100.0%[20]

References

  1. 1 2 "Maine Secretaries of State, 1820 -". Maine State Legislature. Archived from the original on 28 March 2021. Retrieved 28 March 2021.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Bader, Emily (9 October 2020). "Republican Karen Lockwood to take on nine-time incumbent Democrat Bill Diamond". Portland Press Herald/Lakes Region Weekly. Archived from the original on 24 March 2021. Retrieved 24 March 2021.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 "Senate District 26: Bill Diamond". Maine Senate Democrats. Archived from the original on 24 March 2021. Retrieved 24 March 2021.
  4. ↑ "Controversial Elan School closing due to low numbers, negative Web campaign". Bangor Daily News. 24 March 2011. Archived from the original on 8 January 2014. Retrieved 11 April 2021.
  5. ↑ Meyer, Judith (23 March 2021). "Elan School closing after Web campaign to shut it down". Sun Journal. Retrieved 13 April 2021.
  6. ↑ Skelton, Kathryn; Tice, Lindsay (13 March 2016). "His family asks: What really happened to Phil at the Elan School?". Sun Journal. Archived from the original on 12 April 2019. Retrieved 6 April 2021.
  7. 1 2 "1976 General Election: Representatives to Legislature". DigitalMaine Repository. 2 November 1976. Retrieved 11 April 2021.
  8. 1 2 "1978 Democratic Primary: Representatives to Legislature". DigitalMaine Repository. 13 June 1978. Retrieved 12 April 2021.
  9. 1 2 "1978 General Election: Representatives to Legislature". DigitalMaine Repository. 7 November 1978. Retrieved 12 April 2021.
  10. 1 2 "1980 Democratic Primary: Representatives to Legislature". DigitalMaine Repository. 10 June 1980. Retrieved 12 April 2021.
  11. 1 2 "1980 General Election: Representatives to Legislature". DigitalMaine Repository. 4 November 1980. Retrieved 12 April 2021.
  12. 1 2 "1982 General Election: State Senators". DigitalMaine Repository. 2 November 1982. Retrieved 11 April 2021.
  13. 1 2 "1984 General Election: State Senators". DigitalMaine Repository. 6 November 1984. Retrieved 11 April 2021.
  14. ↑ "One Hundred and Fourteenth Maine Legislature First Regular Session 1st Legislative Day" (PDF). Law and Legislative Digital Library at the Maine State Law and Legislative Reference Library. 7 December 1988. Retrieved 11 April 2021.
  15. ↑ Claiborne, William (4 March 1993). "2 Maine aides guilty in ballot tampering". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on 11 April 2021. Retrieved 11 April 2021.
  16. ↑ Cousins, Christopher (12 March 2018). "After 25 years of term limits, Maine still has plenty of career politicians". Bangor Daily News. Archived from the original on 11 April 2021. Retrieved 11 April 2021.
  17. ↑ Associated Press (26 June 2012). "Summers won't resign as Secretary of State during Senate campaign". Centralmaine.com. Archived from the original on 12 April 2021. Retrieved 12 April 2021.
  18. 1 2 "Maine State Senate elections, 2004". Ballotpedia. Archived from the original on 12 April 2021. Retrieved 12 April 2021.
  19. 1 2 "Maine State Senate elections, 2006". Ballotpedia. Archived from the original on 12 April 2021. Retrieved 12 April 2021.
  20. 1 2 3 "Bill Diamond". Ballotpedia. Archived from the original on 24 March 2021. Retrieved 24 March 2021.
  21. 1 2 3 4 "On the Ballot: SD 26, Diamond vs. Lockwood". The Bridgton News. 9 October 2020. Archived from the original on 24 March 2021. Retrieved 24 March 2021.
  22. ↑ "1976 Democratic Primary: Representatives to Legislature". DigitalMaine Repository. 8 June 1976. Retrieved 11 April 2021.
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