Former state Rep. Jeff Evangelos, I-Friendship, died on Wednesday, Feb. 11 following a period of extended illness. (LCN file)
Following an extended illness, former state Rep. Jeff Evangelos, I-Friendship, died on Wednesday, Feb. 11.
The fiscally conservative, socially liberal Friendship resident was elected to the state Legislature four times between 2012-2016 and 2018-2022. The one-time Democrat ran as an independent, declaring both major political parties were beholden to financial interests. Battling leukemia and stage four prostate cancer, he declined to seek reelection in 2022.
Evangelos’ district number and boundary changed over time but largely consists of the towns that make up what is now House District 45, including Waldoboro, Friendship, part of Union, and Washington. During his time in office, Evangelos served on the Judiciary Committee and the State and Local Government Committee.
An iconoclastic advocate and public servant, Evangelos was an outspoken proponent of criminal justice reform. He campaigned to restore parole in Maine, which was abolished in 1976, and continued working with prisoners during weekly visits to the Maine State Prison in Warren, even after leaving office.
In recognition of his advocacy, Evangelos’ received the NAACP Beacon of Hope Award in 2023.
Evangelos opposed qualified immunity for police officers and pushed for independent investigations into the use of deadly force in Maine. Qualified immunity shields government officials, like police, from lawsuits unless their actions violate “clearly established” constitutional rules, according to a 1982 U.S. Supreme Court decision.
On its face, the Maine Attorney General’s perfect record finding in favor of law enforcement’s use of deadly force was evidence of the need for reform, he said.
“Maine’s abysmal record of justifying every single police shooting since records have been kept, with a score of 190-0 ruled justified by Maine’s Attorney General’s Office, highlights the need for this critical reform,” Evangelos told The Lincoln County News in 2021. “This legislation will level the playing field, so when our good people are victimized by the unlawful actions of the police, they will now be able to seek redress in the courts.”
Evangelos said he opposed defunding the police and favored more training instead.
Evangelos began his public service career in Maine in the 1970s. After college, he worked in public administration in Vanceboro, a border town in Washington County, for two years before being hired as Warren’s town manager at the age of 23, becoming the youngest town manager in the state at the time.
During his time in Warren, Evangelos worked toward the construction of a new fire station and town garage while utilizing labor from the Maine State Prison, then in Thomaston, to complete a footbridge at Payson Park.
He went on to work as the business manager for MSAD 40 for 15 years.
In a 2020 election profile, Evangelos told The Lincoln County News his proudest achievements occurred while he was working MSAD 40, where he worked to raise wages and secure health insurance for the school district’s support staff; bus drivers, custodians, lunch workers, secretaries, and teacher’s aides. He received unanimous support for his proposals from the school board.
Born in 1952 in Concord, Mass., Evangelos graduated from State University of New York at Brockport in 1973 with a bachelor’s degree in economics and history before going on to earn a master’s degree in American history from the University of Maine at Orono.
A Friendship resident for 31 years, Evangelos is survived by his wife Harolyn, four children, and four grandchildren.
A celebration of life will be held at 1 p.m. on Sunday, April 12 at SaltWater Fields, at 52 Saltwater Way in South Thomaston.
