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 ...

) 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 (United States), state legislature of the U.S. state of Maine. The Senate currently consists of 35 members representing an equal number of districts across the st ...

, 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 and Pownal.

Pre-political career

Edmonds is from Keene Valley in the

Adirondack Mountains The Adirondack Mountains ( ) are a massif of mountains in Northeastern New York which form a circular dome approximately wide and covering about . The region contains more than 100 peaks, including Mount Marcy, which is the highest point in Ne ...

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

. She attended

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

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) was a proposed amendment to the Constitution of the United States, United States Constitution that would explicitly prohibit sex discrimination. It is not currently a part of the Constitution, though its Ratifi ...

. 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 American environmental organization with chapters in all 50 U.S. states, Washington, D.C., Washington D.C., and Puerto Rico. The club was founded in 1892, in San Francisco, by preservationist John Muir. A product of the Pro ...

and the Maine

League of Conservation Voters The League of Conservation Voters (LCV) is an American environmental advocacy group. LCV says that it "builds political power for people and the planet." Through its affiliated super PAC, it is a major supporter of the Democratic Party. The org ...

. Gay rights groups, like

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

, 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 ...

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 Politicians from Freeport, Maine Women state legislators in Maine 21st-century American women politicians People from Keene, New York 21st-century members of the Maine Legislature