To the editor:

To the Portsmouth community:

I would like to begin by expressing my sincere thanks to all the citizens who supported me, worked on my behalf, and most importantly voted for me. During the last two years I have had the privilege of serving the citizens of Portsmouth with an open mind, a commitment to transparency, and a focus on delivering meaningful results. I remain committed to the long-term well-being of Portsmouth and intend to stay involved in the important issues facing our community.

When I succeeded in getting the four votes needed to put the nonpartisan question on the ballot, I understood that I would likely become a target of influential individuals who had fought hard in 2019 to prevent citizens from having the opportunity to vote on that question. I also recognized that challenging the town administrator’s budgets and hiring decisions might have political consequences. Ultimately those consequences may have played a role in the election’s outcome. Nevertheless, I would not change a single vote or decision I made while serving on the council. I acted according to what I believed was in the best interest of Portsmouth, and I stand by that record.

I would also like to offer a few observations about the recent election and the political climate in Portsmouth. The Democratic Party and its candidates reportedly spent more than $10,000 on this local council election. That represents a substantial financial advantage, one that I certainly didn’t have available to me. Money alone does not determine elections, but the disparity in campaign resources is worth acknowledging.

I was also disappointed by the characterization of the Portsmouth Concerned Citizens (PCC) as a group of vitriolic obstructionists, resistors, and agitators motivated only by their own self-interest. I invite anyone who holds that impression to attend a PCC meeting and meet the people who participate. They are ordinary Portsmouth citizens who care deeply about their community and want to make it a better place.

The organization’s recent collaboration with our schools demonstrates that commitment. The PCC worked with the schools on Flag Day programs at both elementary schools and on the scavenger hunt commemorating our country’s 250th Anniversary. These were positive community initiatives that brought people together, and in my view, demonstrate precisely the kind of constructive involvement that Portsmouth needs.

There is another fact worth mentioning. Andrew Kelly, a prominent Portsmouth Democrat who actively worked on behalf of the Democratic candidates in this election, is also a voting member of the PCC and actively participates in discussions when he attends meetings. His membership illustrates something important: PCC is not a partisan organization, nor does it require members to agree on every issue. People with differing political views can participate, contribute, and work together for the good of Portsmouth.

Portsmouth deserves better than the personal attacks, negativity and outright cruelty that characterized portions of this election season on social media, at public meetings, and in the media. Political disagreements are inevitable and healthy in a democracy. Personal vilification is not.

Although I am disappointed in the election outcome, I am grateful for the opportunity to have served and proud of the positions that I took. I hope we can move beyond the divisions of this campaign and return our attention to the issues that matter most: the future, financial health, and quality of life in our community.

Thank you again to everyone who supported me and gave me the opportunity to serve.

Mary A. McDowell

Portsmouth