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Melanie Sachs
2022 - Present
2026
2
Melanie Sachs (Democratic Party) is a member of the Maine House of Representatives, representing District 102. She assumed office on December 6, 2022. Her current term ends on December 1, 2026.
Sachs (Democratic Party) ran for re-election to the Maine House of Representatives to represent District 102. She won in the general election on November 5, 2024.
Sachs completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. Click here to read the survey answers.
Biography
Melanie Sachs was born in Morristown, New Jersey. Sachs graduated from Mt. Blue High School, earned a bachelor's degree in political science from Bates College in 1991, and earned a master's degree in science and social administration from Case Western Reserve University in 1994.[1][2][3]
Sachs' career experience includes working as the executive director of Freeport Community Services. She has been affiliated with the National Association of Perinatal Social Workers, the Mabel Wadsworth Women's Health Center, the Girl Scouts, the Boy Scouts, Odyssey of the Mind, Arts and Cultural Alliance of Freeport, Freeport Rotary, and Freeport Community Players.[1][2]
Committee assignments
Note: This membership information was last updated in September 2023. Ballotpedia completes biannual updates of committee membership. If you would like to send us an update, email us at: editor@ballotpedia.org.
2023-2024
Sachs was assigned to the following committees:
2021-2022
Sachs was assigned to the following committees:
Sponsored legislation
The following table lists bills this person sponsored as a legislator, according to BillTrack50 and sorted by action history. Bills are sorted by the date of their last action. The following list may not be comprehensive. To see all bills this legislator sponsored, click on the legislator's name in the title of the table.
Elections
2024
See also: Maine House of Representatives elections, 2024
General election
General election for Maine House of Representatives District 102
Incumbent Melanie Sachs defeated James Finegan Jr. in the general election for Maine House of Representatives District 102 on November 5, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Melanie Sachs (D)  | 70.1 | 4,276 |
| James Finegan Jr. (R) | 29.9 | 1,828 | ||
| Total votes: 6,104 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Democratic primary election
Democratic Primary for Maine House of Representatives District 102
The following candidates advanced in the ranked-choice voting election: Melanie Sachs in round 1 .
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Total votes: 509 |
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| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
Republican primary election
Republican Primary for Maine House of Representatives District 102
The following candidates advanced in the ranked-choice voting election: James Finegan Jr. in round 1 .
|
Total votes: 232 |
|||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
Endorsements
Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for Sachs in this election.
2022
See also: Maine House of Representatives elections, 2022
General election
General election for Maine House of Representatives District 102
Incumbent Melanie Sachs defeated James Finegan Jr. in the general election for Maine House of Representatives District 102 on November 8, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Melanie Sachs (D) | 71.1 | 3,693 |
| James Finegan Jr. (R) | 28.9 | 1,503 | ||
| Total votes: 5,196 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Democratic primary election
Democratic Primary for Maine House of Representatives District 102
The following candidates advanced in the ranked-choice voting election: Melanie Sachs in round 1 .
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Total votes: 698 |
|||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
Republican primary election
Republican Primary for Maine House of Representatives District 102
The following candidates advanced in the ranked-choice voting election: James Finegan Jr. in round 1 .
|
Total votes: 318 |
|||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
2020
See also: Maine House of Representatives elections, 2020
General election
General election for Maine House of Representatives District 48
Melanie Sachs defeated James Finegan Jr. in the general election for Maine House of Representatives District 48 on November 3, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Melanie Sachs (D) | 66.4 | 4,246 |
| James Finegan Jr. (R) | 33.6 | 2,151 | ||
| Total votes: 6,397 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Democratic primary election
Democratic Primary for Maine House of Representatives District 48
The following candidates advanced in the ranked-choice voting election: Melanie Sachs in round 1 .
|
Total votes: 2,314 |
|||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
Republican primary election
Republican Primary for Maine House of Representatives District 48
The following candidates advanced in the ranked-choice voting election: James Finegan Jr. in round 1 .
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Total votes: 449 |
|||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
Endorsements
To view Sachs' endorsements in the 2020 election, please [www.melaniesachsforme.com click here].
2012
Sachs ran in the 2012 election for Maine House of Representatives District 106. Sachs lost against Patrick Norton and Sara Gideon in the Democratic primary on June 12, 2012. Benjamin Martin ran unopposed in the Republican primary. The general election took place on November 6, 2012.[4][5]
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes |
|---|---|---|
 Sara Gideon |
50.9% | 534 |
| Melanie Sachs | 44.8% | 470 |
| Patrick Norton | 4.4% | 46 |
| Total Votes | 1,050 | |
Campaign themes
2024
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Melanie Sachs completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Sachs' responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.
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I bring more than two decades of experience as a skilled executive in the private and nonprofit business sectors, and as an active volunteer in local schools, youth and arts organizations. I served six years on the Freeport Town Council and was elected to leadership as Chair (twice) and Vice-Chair during my tenure.
I am committed to keeping money out of politics and am proud to be a Maine Clean Elections candidate.
I grew up New Sharon in Maine, graduating from Mt. Blue High School in Farmington. I completed my B.A. in Political Science, graduating Phi Beta Kappa, cum laude from Bates College- the first one in my family to do so. I received my Master’s in Science and Social Administration from Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland Ohio, and have been a licensed clinical social worker for more than 25 years with a focus on health and mental health care, and working with the most vulnerable members of our community.
I was honored by the Greater Freeport Chamber of Commerce in 2016 with the Ed Bonney Community Contribution Award and was recognized as one of Maine’s 20 Outstanding Women in 2017.- A recent study noted that ME needs 84,000 housing units in the next seven years. As Chair of the Appropriations Cmte., I led efforts to include historic levels of budget funding (over 200 million dollars) to support every level of housing need. This included funding for critical emergency shelter and services for those who are unhoused, support for first-time home buyers and for mobile home park tenants, rent relief for those most in need, and construction of rural and low-income housing. Revising Comprehensive Planning in Maine (which protects environmental resources and identifies growth areas for housing at local levels) is also my top priority. These holistic strategies should continue to ensure everyone has a place to call home.
- I was honored to receive an award in 2023 from Maine Family Planning for my decades of work in providing and supporting access to reproductive health care, including passing a bill this session to ensure continuity of care after a merger/acquisition (requiring the new entity to keep providing reproductive care regardless of affiliation. This is critically important, especially in rural Maine.) I also voted to increase funding for the Children’s Health Insurance Program, ban debt collectors from charging interest on medical debt, lower the cost of prescription drugs, invest in veterans’ homes and nursing facilities, increase access to mental health care, and create a Paid Family and Medical Leave program. Health care is a human right.
- As one constituent noted “If we don’t protect our planet, then nothing else matters.” I have a 100% lifetime voting record on issues such as conservation, clean energy, and PFAS remediation. I sponsored and passed the climate resiliency funding bill for businesses, nonprofits, and municipalities this past session, as extreme weather events devastated communities all over Maine. Continued work needs to be done to ensure a beneficial transition to clean and renewable sources of energy, including increased development of battery storage facilities such as the one proposed in Lincoln, which enables deployment of renewable energy resources on demand, and grid enhancing technologies to strengthen our existing system.
I had many mentors along the way who helped me to dream. This is why I have volunteered and coached kids for so many years. Why I invite so many high school and college students to shadow me for a day in Augusta, and so ask every elementary school student to visit. Why I go classrooms in every school in our district and answer questions, or read books, or volunteer.
Community engagement, outreach, and communication are also key tenets of my work here in Freeport. Prompt replies to emails and phone calls, attending community and local government meetings, and holding community discussions are important ways I connect with residents. I post information frequently on social media, send electronic newsletters monthly, & mail print newsletters twice a year to every home. I love to host students of all ages in Augusta and tell them to “See yourself here someday.” They are incredibly inspiring!
Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.
2022
Melanie Sachs did not complete Ballotpedia's 2022 Candidate Connection survey.
2020
Melanie Sachs completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2020. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Sachs' responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.
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I grew up New Sharon in Maine, graduating from Mt. Blue High School in Farmington. I completed my B.A. in Political Science, graduating Phi Beta Kappa, Cum Laude from Bates College - the first in my family to graduate. I interned for Senator George Mitchell in 1991. I received my Master's in Science and Social Administration from Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland Ohio, and have been a licensed clinical social worker for more than 25 years with a focus on health and mental health care. As Executive Director, I led Freeport Community Services for many years, providing direct services to Freeport and Pownal residents. I also served as Executive Director of Sexual Assault Response Services of Southern Maine, working with those affected by violence across York and Cumberland Counties. In 2019, I chaired the Freeport Working Group to Welcome New Mainers.
I was honored by the Greater Freeport Chamber of Commerce in 2016 with the Ed Bonney Community Contribution Award, and was recognized as one of Maine's 20 Outstanding Women in 2017.- Healthcare is a Right: I have worked for over two decades in the healthcare field, providing homecare and hospice services in five rural Maine counties, working in hospital intensive care units and community clinics, building stronger programs for victims of violence, and advancing member-focused improvements in mental health services. I know that access to affordable, quality healthcare impacts people's financial, emotional, and physical well-being. I will bring my comprehensive experience of direct engagement with patients, systems, and healthcare policy to the Legislature.
- Urgent Action on Climate Change: The Town Council with my leadership produced extensive meaningful environmental progress. We expanded access and conservation of our public lands, worked on clean water initiatives, established Active Living Committee, expanded solar for residents and municipal buildings, converted our town lights to LED, brought in the bus, and brought the plastic bag ban to a successful passage by town referendum. I want to bring the same level of success to the State government initiatives.
- Education for All: I have worked in leadership with the school board on funding formulas, in classrooms with children, and mentored and coached students of all ages. We must fund K-12 at 55% to take pressure off of local districts and build strong programs statewide. Additionally every major initiative coming out of Augusta (i.e. Governor Mills' 10 year Economic Strategic Plan, Maine Climate Council initiatives, etc.) all emphasize the need for workforce training and education, which will mean significant investment in additional programs, in part through public/private partnerships. Finally student debt (in ME is $21,000+ on average) must be addressed to make higher ed accessible to all.
I also served on the Cumberland County Budget Committee as municipal regional representative and have worked closely with the school administration on cost share and funding formulas. I was also on the Council when the Legislature and Gov. LePage could not agree on a revenue sharing formula in the 2012-2014 budget, so we had to create a budget under incredibly uncertain times. I have also worked on statewide mental health reform, for example, where we saved money by improving systems and outcomes.
Nancy was smart, funny, direct, and compassionate. She also remained committed to service even after she had completed her time in elected office, being active in an incredible amount of community groups and causes. I was at her side in many of these organizations, and learned so much from her energy, ethics and problem solving skills. She liked to tackle problems and get things done, which I have emulated in my own public and nonprofit service. It was not about getting credit for Nancy- it was truly about making the world a better place in any way you possibly could. I have never met anyone quite like her. My own path in public service has been to continue that legacy - what will help our community, this person, or solve this problem?
There are so many pressures- public and private - which try to sway an elected official's decision-making. I have experienced many attempts at intimidation, social media shaming, incredible amounts of yelling and horrible personal remarks- as well as flattery, promises of funding, and persistent communication - to persuade me to vote one way or the other. I am happy to report that frankly none of it worked, because for every single vote - and I mean every vote - that I have taken as an elected official, I have explained exactly how I arrived at that vote and why I thought it was best for the community. Even when it went against established interests. Even when I knew the social and political repercussions would be significant.
As I stated previously, having integrity is key for an officeholder to be able to make clear and transparent decisions.
One also needs to be able to communicate effectively with people from all walks of life, and with variety of viewpoints. My training as a clinical social worker has been incredibly helpful in this regard. I learned early in my career how to connect, ask tough yet important questions, set boundaries and let people know I cared deeply about what they were saying. Active listening has been the biggest tool in my toolbox whether I have been in a patient's home, at a Council Meeting, in the grocery store, or staffing a crisis line. My ability to reflect back to that person what they are saying and connect with empathy has made all the difference in any setting.
In this race I have often said that actions speak louder than words. If a candidate talks about the importance of key issues, then she had better be able to tell you what she has done to work on those issues over the years to improve the lives of people in Freeport and Pownal, as well as in Maine. I have concrete results and outcomes in the areas of healthcare access and reform, environmental activism, educational programs and budgets, job creation, and social activism. I have a record of public service and community involvement that stretches over two decades in Maine and this community. Voters in my community will know what I will do in Augusta, because it is what I have been doing for years in public service. My experience will continue to work for this community and will be a strong voice in Augusta.
To do this, I built relationships which each and every one of my other Council members. Two years later I was unanimously elected Chair of the Council. While our Council is officially nonpartisan, it was well-known that I am a Democrat very involved in my local party. I asked a Republican to run with me as Vice Chair of the Council. We developed an incredibly strong working relationship that had one focus: is the issue before us good for Freeport? I believe our community was better served, and indeed stronger, for our partnership. Every member of that Council knew that their voice was represented in leadership. Modeling respective dialogue and differences helped to heal the divides in our community, and emphasized the transparent and data-driven decision-making that became hallmarks of my service. there were a variety of views, for example, about climate change, and how to address it locally. By finding common ground and approaching each issue in a way that made sense to each Councilor, we were able to pass the most comprehensive environmental initiatives for my community while I was in leadership.
I also would like to support the work of the Permanent Commission on the Status of Race, Indigenous and Maine Tribal Populations due my work within the social justice landscape here in Maine, and the intersectionality of so many of these issues. I do not have to be on the committee to be an ally, but believe the more voices amplifying this work will mean better outcomes for every Mainer.
Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.
Campaign finance summary
Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.
Scorecards
A scorecard evaluates a legislator’s voting record. Its purpose is to inform voters about the legislator’s political positions. Because scorecards have varying purposes and methodologies, each report should be considered on its own merits. For example, an advocacy group’s scorecard may assess a legislator’s voting record on one issue while a state newspaper’s scorecard may evaluate the voting record in its entirety.
Ballotpedia is in the process of developing an encyclopedic list of published scorecards. Some states have a limited number of available scorecards or scorecards produced only by select groups. It is Ballotpedia’s goal to incorporate all available scorecards regardless of ideology or number.
Click here for an overview of legislative scorecards in all 50 states. To contribute to the list of Maine scorecards, email suggestions to editor@ballotpedia.org.
2024
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2024, click [show]. |
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In 2024, the Maine State Legislature was in session from January 3 to April 17.
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2023
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2023, click [show]. |
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In 2023, the Maine State Legislature was in session from December 7 to March 30.
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2022
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2022, click [show]. |
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In 2022, the Maine State Legislature was in session from January 5 to May 9.
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2021
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2021, click [show]. |
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In 2021, the Maine State Legislature was in session from December 2 to March 30.
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2020
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2020, click [show]. |
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In 2020, the Maine State Legislature was in session from January 8 to March 17.
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Personal
Note: Please contact us if the personal information below requires an update.
Sachs is married with two children.[6]
See also
2024 Elections
External links
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Candidate Maine House of Representatives District 102 |
Officeholder Maine House of Representatives District 102 |
Personal |
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on June 29, 2020
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Maine House Democrats, "Representative Melanie F. Sachs," accessed January 15, 2021
- ↑ Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on October 7, 2024
- ↑ Maine Secretary of State, "2012 Candidate List," accessed May 14, 2012
- ↑ Maine Secretary of State, "Tabulations for Elections held in 2012," accessed March 19, 2014
- ↑ Campaign website
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Abigail Griffin (R) |
Maine House of Representatives District 102 2022-Present |
Succeeded by - |
| Preceded by Sara Gideon (D) |
Maine House of Representatives District 48 2020-2022 |
Succeeded by Holly Stover (D) |
