Former Representative Elaine Makas has been appointed to fill the seat of former Androscoggin County Commissioner Helen Poulin, who moved out of her district in August. Makas received 66.2% of votes cast at a recent caucus of the Lewiston City Democratic Committee.

Makas is social and behavioral sciences professor at the L-A campus of USM and represented Lewiston in the state House before running, unsuccessfully, for a state Senate seat earlier this year. She is a strong, progressive Democrat, is friends with that guy from Sha Na Na and hosts a show on recycling on local access TV.

Poulin is still refusing to acknowledge that she no longer holds the seat, which may lead to a very awkward county commission meeting in the near future.