By Gillian Graham

Staff Writer

More than one-quarter of voters in Biddeford headed to the polls Tuesday to vote in primaries and approve the school budget.

A total of 3,663 of the city’s 13,804 registered voters – or just over 26 percent – cast ballots.

They approved the $28.4 million school budget by a margin of 1,000 votes, with 2,197 votes in favor and 1,197 votes in opposition. Voters also approved continuing the budget validation referendum process for three years.

Democrats chose Megan Rochelo to run against Republican W. Sturgis Whalen for House of Representatives District 136. Rochelo received 353 votes, while challenger Bobby Mills received 287 votes.

Registered Democrats favored Elizabeth “Libby” Mitchell for governor, while Republicans supported Paul LePage. Both Mitchell and LePage won their party nomination statewide and will face off in November.

Voters in Regional School Unit 23 approved a $42.4 million school budget, despite opposition from voters in Dayton. The school unit includes Saco, Dayton and Old Orchard Beach. The budget was approved by 80 percent of Old Orchard Beach voters and 64 percent of Saco voters. Seventy-four percent of voters in Dayton voted against the budget. The total for all three communities was 65 percent in favor and 35 percent opposed.

Nearly 2,000 voters in Old Orchard Beach turned out to vote on the school budget and one local primary race. The town has 7,248 registered voters, including 2,935 Democrats, 1,540 Republicans, 194 Greens and 2,679 unenrolled.

Registered Republicans chose William Gombar to run against incumbent George Hogan for House of Representatives District 132. Gombar received 401 votes and his opponent Clarence Stewart received 198 votes.

Republicans favored LePage for the gubernatorial nomination, while the majority of registered Democrats voted for Mitchell.

Saco Democrats favored Mitchell for governor, while the majority of Republicans voted for LePage. Democrat Donna Dion, a write-in candidate for governor from Biddeford, received 10 votes.

City Clerk Lucette Pellerin said about 29 percent of the city’s 12,500 active registered voters cast ballots Tuesday. She said the turnout was “very good” for June and higher than she expected.

There were no contested primary races in Saco.