Phil Bartlett
Encyclopedia
Phil Bartlett is an American lawyer and politician
from the state of Maine
. A Democrat
, he serves in the Maine Senate
, representing the 6th district which is composed of Scarborough, Westbrook
and his hometown of Gorham
.
in 1994. He was an active boy scout
throughout his youth, attaining the rank of Eagle Scout
. On leaving high school, he went to Tufts University
, majoring in economics and political science. Following Tufts, he attended Harvard Law School
, where he earned a J.D.
and served as president of the Harvard Journal on Legislation.
Admitted to practice law in Maine and Massachusetts, he spent the year following his law school graduation clerking for Leigh Saufley
, chief justice of the Maine Supreme Judicial Court
. He is today a lawyer specializing in workers' compensation
with the firm of Scaccia, Lenkowski, Aranson & Bartlett in Sanford, Maine
.
s will prevent him from seeking a fifth term in 2012.
Bartlett served as senate majority leader in the 124th Legislature (2009–10), losing the position following the 2010 election that saw Republicans take back the senate majority.
Bartlett is openly gay
. He is one of two openly gay members of the Maine Legislature, alongside Representative Terry Morrison
(D–South Portland
). He has one daughter.
Politics of the United States
The United States is a federal constitutional republic, in which the President of the United States , Congress, and judiciary share powers reserved to the national government, and the federal government shares sovereignty with the state governments.The executive branch is headed by the President...
from the state of Maine
Maine
Maine is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south, New Hampshire to the west, and the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the northwest and New Brunswick to the northeast. Maine is both the northernmost and easternmost...
. A Democrat
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
, he serves in the Maine Senate
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 allows for "an odd number of Senators, not less than...
, representing the 6th district which is composed of Scarborough, Westbrook
Westbrook, Maine
Westbrook is a city in Cumberland County, Maine, United States and a suburb of Portland. The population was 17,494 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Portland–South Portland–Biddeford, Maine metropolitan statistical area.-History:...
and his hometown of Gorham
Gorham, Maine
Gorham is a town in Cumberland County, Maine, United States. The population was 16,381 at the 2010 census. In addition to an urban village center known as Gorham Village or simply "the Village," the town also encompasses a number of smaller, unincorporated villages and hamlets with distinct...
.
Early life and career
Raised in Gorham, Bartlett attended Gorham public schools, graduating from Gorham High SchoolGorham High School (Maine)
Gorham High School, is a public high school located in Gorham, Maine. It houses grades 9–12.-History:Gorham High School received national media attention on January 4, 2008, when the administration was forced to cancel classes for a day after an apparent senior prank. School administrators arrived...
in 1994. He was an active boy scout
Boy Scouts of America
The Boy Scouts of America is one of the largest youth organizations in the United States, with over 4.5 million youth members in its age-related divisions...
throughout his youth, attaining the rank of Eagle Scout
Eagle Scout (Boy Scouts of America)
Eagle Scout is the highest rank attainable in the Boy Scouting program of the Boy Scouts of America . A Scout who attains this rank is called an Eagle Scout or Eagle. Since its introduction in 1911, the Eagle Scout rank has been earned by more than 2 million young men...
. On leaving high school, he went to Tufts University
Tufts University
Tufts University is a private research university located in Medford/Somerville, near Boston, Massachusetts. It is organized into ten schools, including two undergraduate programs and eight graduate divisions, on four campuses in Massachusetts and on the eastern border of France...
, majoring in economics and political science. Following Tufts, he attended Harvard Law School
Harvard Law School
Harvard Law School is one of the professional graduate schools of Harvard University. Located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, it is the oldest continually-operating law school in the United States and is home to the largest academic law library in the world. The school is routinely ranked by the U.S...
, where he earned a J.D.
Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor is a professional doctorate and first professional graduate degree in law.The degree was first awarded by Harvard University in the United States in the late 19th century and was created as a modern version of the old European doctor of law degree Juris Doctor (see etymology and...
and served as president of the Harvard Journal on Legislation.
Admitted to practice law in Maine and Massachusetts, he spent the year following his law school graduation clerking for Leigh Saufley
Leigh Saufley
Leigh Ingalls Saufley is the Chief Justice of the Maine Supreme Judicial Court.Saufley graduated from the University of Maine in 1976. She was a member of Phi Beta Kappa. She earned her J.D. degree from the University of Maine School of Law in 1980. She served as a deputy attorney general until...
, chief justice of the Maine Supreme Judicial Court
Maine Supreme Judicial Court
The Maine Supreme Judicial Court is the highest court in Maine's judicial system. Known as the Law Court when sitting as an appellate court, it is composed of seven justices, who are appointed by the Governor and confirmed by the Maine Senate...
. He is today a lawyer specializing in workers' compensation
Workers' compensation
Workers' compensation is a form of insurance providing wage replacement and medical benefits to employees injured in the course of employment in exchange for mandatory relinquishment of the employee's right to sue his or her employer for the tort of negligence...
with the firm of Scaccia, Lenkowski, Aranson & Bartlett in Sanford, Maine
Sanford, Maine
Sanford is a town in York County, Maine, United States. The population was 20,798 in the 2010 census, the highest of the York County towns, and the 8th largest in the state. Situated on the Mousam River, Sanford includes the village of Springvale...
.
In politics
In 2004, at the age of 28, Bartlett ran for the Maine Senate in the 6th district. He won the Democratic primary election held on June 8, 2004, taking 59% of the vote against Gorham resident Edward Needham. In the general election held on November 2, he faced incumbent Sen. Carolyn Gilman, a Republican from Westbrook, defeating her by 53% to 47% – a margin of 1,168 votes. He won re-election in 2006, 2008 and 2010. Term limitTerm limit
A term limit is a legal restriction that limits the number of terms a person may serve in a particular elected office. When term limits are found in presidential and semi-presidential systems they act as a method to curb the potential for monopoly, where a leader effectively becomes "president for...
s will prevent him from seeking a fifth term in 2012.
Bartlett served as senate majority leader in the 124th Legislature (2009–10), losing the position following the 2010 election that saw Republicans take back the senate majority.
Personal
Bartlett has been involved in numerous civic associations, serving as president of the Gorham Historical Society and the Baxter Memorial Library Association. He has also served on the boards of the Presumpscot Regional Land Trust, the Gorham Economic Development Corporation, the Gorham Recreation Advisory Board and the Cumberland County Human Services Advisory Committee. He attends the First Parish Congregational Church in Gorham.Bartlett is openly gay
Gay
Gay is a word that refers to a homosexual person, especially a homosexual male. For homosexual women the specific term is "lesbian"....
. He is one of two openly gay members of the Maine Legislature, alongside Representative Terry Morrison
Terry Morrison (politician)
Terry K. Morrison is an American businessman and politician from the state of Maine. A Democrat, he serves in the Maine House of Representatives, representing the 122nd district which is centered on his hometown of South Portland....
(D–South Portland
South Portland, Maine
South Portland is a city in Cumberland County, Maine, United States, and is the fourth-largest city in the state. Founded in 1895, as of the 2010 census, the city population was 25,002. Known for its working waterfront, South Portland is situated on Portland Harbor and overlooks the skyline of...
). He has one daughter.