Elmer E. Newbert

Newbert was a member of the Augusta school board and city council. In 1907, he became Augusta's city clerk. He was a member of the Maine House of Representatives during the 73rd Legislature (1907) and was elected to fill a vacancy in the special session of 75th Legislature (1912). He was elected again in 1912 and was an unsuccessful candidate for speaker of the House that session.^[1] He served as the Democratic floor leader in 1913.^[3]

In 1913, Newbert defeated Republican Willis E. Swift by 49 votes to become mayor of Augusta.^[5] The two faced off again in 1914, and Newbert was once again victorious, beating Swift 1,437 votes to 1,316.^[6] Newbert was a candidate in the 1914 Maine gubernatorial election, finishing second in the Democratic primary to Oakley C. Curtis.^[7]

In 1915, Newbert was the Democratic nominee for state treasurer. As no party held a majority of seats in the Maine Legislature, the race became deadlocked. This changed when the House voted to accept a majority report of the committee on elections and unseat Republican Levite V. Thibodeau in favor of Fortunat W. Michaud, a Democrat.^[8] On the seventh ballot, Newbert was elected over Republican incumbent Joseph W. Simpson by six votes.^[9] In 1916, he traveled to Nebraska to speak against Prohibition, stating that the Maine law had failed.^[10] The Republican Party retook the legislature in 1916 and returned Simpson to office.^[11]

In 1918, Newbert was the Democratic nominee for the United States Senate seat held by Republican Bert M. Fernald, who won a special election in 1916 to fill the unexpired term of Edwin C. Burleigh. The Democrats centered their campaign on the actions of Republican Governor Carl Milliken and the argument that voters should support the wartime efforts of President Woodrow Wilson. Republicans swept the elections, reelecting Fernald and Milliken and winning all four of the state's seats in the United States House of Representatives.^[12]

Newbert continued to be involved in politics after his failed Senate run. He was an active member of the Democratic Party^[3] and opposed the Nineteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, which granted women's suffrage in the United States.^[13]

In 1924, he became president of the Augusta Water District. He also served as a director of the First National Bank and continued to be involved in real estate. He died from a heart attack on March 20, 1939.^[3]