Betheda G. "Beth" Edmonds (born October 27, 1950 in

Keene Valley, New York Keene is a town in central Essex County, New York, United States. It includes the hamlets of Keene, Keene Valley, and St. Huberts, with a total population of 1,144 as of the 2020 census The town is part of the Adirondack Park, and includes 15 ...

) is a librarian and former Democratic member of the

Maine Senate The Maine Senate is the upper house of the Maine Legislature, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Maine. The Senate currently consists of 35 members representing an equal number of districts across the state, though the Maine Constitution ...

, representing the 10th District from 2001 to 2009. She became the president of the Maine Senate after winning re-election in 2004. Her former district includes the towns of Brunswick, Freeport,

Harpswell Harpswell is a town in Cumberland County, Maine, United States, within Casco Bay in the Gulf of Maine. The population was 5,031 at the 2020 census. Harpswell is composed of land contiguous with the rest of Cumberland County, called Harpswell Ne ...

and Pownal.

Pre-political career

Edmonds is from Keene Valley in the

Adirondack Mountains The Adirondack Mountains (; a-də-RÄN-dak) form a massif in northeastern New York with boundaries that correspond roughly to those of Adirondack Park. They cover about 5,000 square miles (13,000 km2). The mountains form a roughly circular ...

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States New York may also refer to: Film and television * '' ...

. She attended

Clark University Clark University is a private research university in Worcester, Massachusetts. Founded in 1887 with a large endowment from its namesake Jonas Gilman Clark, a prominent businessman, Clark was one of the first modern research universities in the ...

from 1967 to 1972. After graduation, she married Dan Nickerson, and moved to Freeport, Maine. Since moving to Maine, Edmonds has been actively involved in the

National Organization for Women The National Organization for Women (NOW) is an American feminist organization. Founded in 1966, it is legally a 501(c)(4) social welfare organization. The organization consists of 550 chapters in all 50 U.S. states and in Washington, D.C. It ...

(NOW) and worked as an activist on the

Equal Rights Amendment The Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) is a proposed amendment to the United States Constitution designed to guarantee equal legal rights for all American citizens regardless of sex. Proponents assert it would end legal distinctions between men and ...

. She has worked at the Freeport Community Library since 1982, and became director of the library in 2005.

Political career

She was a member of the state senate from winning her seat in 2000 until she was term-limited out following the 2009 election. In 2000, 2002, 2004, and 2006, Edmonds won elections to the state senate. In December 2003, Edmonds became president of the Maine State Senate, making her first in the line of succession for the governorship. She is only the second female senate president in Maine history and the first to serve a second term as president.

Achievements as state senator

While a member of the state senate, Edmonds was instrumental in raising the state minimum wage, as well as resolving a longstanding conflict on the Workers' Compensation Board. She has supported eco-friendly measures such as the electronic waste recycling initiative. She also helped to establish the Baxter School for the Deaf Compensation Fund. She was equally instrumental in support for people using medical marijuana, legally.

Election 2006

Many different groups endorsed Edmonds for re-election in 2006, including conservation-minded organizations like the

Sierra Club The Sierra Club is an environmental organization with chapters in all 50 United States, Washington D.C., and Puerto Rico. The club was founded on May 28, 1892, in San Francisco, California, by Scottish-American preservationist John Muir, who be ...

and the Maine League of Conservation Voters. Gay rights groups, like

EqualityMaine EqualityMaine (formerly the Maine Lesbian/Gay Political Alliance) is Maine's oldest and largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender political advocacy organization. Their mission, outlined on the organization's website is to "secure equality ...

, have similarly endorsed Edmonds. Likewise, labor and education groups like the Maine AFL-CIO COPE (Committee on Political Education), the Maine State Employees Association, and the

National Association of Social Workers The National Association of Social Workers (NASW) is a professional organization of social workers in the United States. NASW has about 120,000 members. The NASW provides guidance, research, up to date information, advocacy, and other resources f ...

supported Edmonds' re-election. She was re-elected with 67% of the vote.

References

External links

Beth Edmonds
official website

official government website

profile
Project Vote Smart - Senator Beth Edmonds (ME)
profile *''Follow the Money'' - Beth Edmonds
20062004200220001998
campaign contributions
Clark University testimonial
{{DEFAULTSORT:Edmonds, Beth 1950 births Living people Democratic Party Maine state senators American women's rights activists Clark University alumni People from Freeport, Maine Women state legislators in Maine 21st-century American politicians 21st-century American women politicians People from Keene, New York