Curry Seeks Fourth Senate Term With Housing, Fire Service Push

State Sen. Chip Curry, a Democrat who lives in Belfast, said he is running for a fourth and final term representing Maine Senate District 11, which covers Waldo County, in answers to a candidate questionnaire published by PenBay Pilot ahead of the November 3, 2026 election. He faces Republican Ryan Otis of Belfast.

Curry, who has served three terms and leads the Legislature's housing and economic development panel, said the state's shortage of affordable housing remains the biggest obstacle to Mainers staying in the state, and that he wants to keep that assignment along with his seat on the criminal justice committee.

On property taxes, he said he supported both the state task force studying relief options and the wider Property Tax Fairness Credit, a refundable credit worth as much as $2,000 for residents earning less than $83,000 who pay more than 4% of income in property taxes. He also said municipalities should be allowed to tax out-of-state homeowners at higher rates if the money reduces bills for Maine residents.

Curry said he voted twice for a moratorium on data centers and wants a commission to examine their effects on water, noise and energy prices. He also called for new legislation supporting rural volunteer fire departments, citing work with Waldo County fire chiefs after the Searsmont fire and explosion.

This story was first reported by PenBay Pilot.