Joseph A. Leonard
ME · Bangor City Councilor
Bangor city councilor and enrollment specialist at clean energy company Ampion, and a former Army National Guard officer. He wants an elected mayor with voting wards, and more city investment in housing.
Where Joseph A. Leonard stands, based on their records
Supports
Environment and Public Health (1 record), Criminal Justice and Civil Liberties (2 records), Social Programs and Welfare (1 record),
Mixed record
Government Spending Reduction (2 support · 3 oppose), Housing Affordability (4 support · 2 oppose)
Track record
Track record — Environment and Public Health
Environment and Public Health · 1 support
Voted to raise building height limits in two Bangor zoning districts and allow rooftop solar panels and equipment. The change passed 9–0.
June 10, 2024Supports Environment and Public Health
Source: bangormaine.gov
Track record — Government Spending Reduction
Government Spending Reduction · 2 support · 3 oppose
Voted for Bangor's 2027 city budget, which passed 5–3, and its 2027 school budget, which passed 7–1.
June 22, 2026Opposes Government Spending Reduction
Source: bangormaine.gov
Voted against a $75 million bond for a parks and recreation center that needed voter approval. It failed 0–9.
March 23, 2026Supports Government Spending Reduction
Source: bangormaine.gov
Voted to award $641,297 in opioid settlement money to local programs, based on an advisory committee's advice with changes. It passed 8–1.
March 9, 2026Opposes Government Spending Reduction
Source: bangormaine.gov
Voted to move a $70 million parks and recreation center bond forward. The motion failed on a 4–4 tie.
August 11, 2025Opposes Government Spending Reduction
Source: bangormaine.gov
Voted against Bangor's 2026 city budget and its 2026 school budget. The city budget passed 5–4 and the school budget passed 6–3.
June 23, 2025Supports Government Spending Reduction
Source: bangormaine.gov
Track record — Criminal Justice and Civil Liberties
Criminal Justice and Civil Liberties · 2 support
Voted for a city law limiting what Bangor workers do in federal immigration matters. It failed 3–5.
June 22, 2026Supports Criminal Justice and Civil Liberties
Source: bangormaine.gov
Voted against banning people from standing on narrow road medians in busy or fast traffic areas. The ban passed 5–2.
June 24, 2024Supports Criminal Justice and Civil Liberties
Source: bangormaine.gov
Track record — Housing Affordability
Housing Affordability · 4 support · 2 oppose
Voted to create a tax-break district (tax increment financing) for affordable housing at 205 Corporate Drive with Bangor Housing Development Corporation. It passed 6–3.
August 10, 2026Supports Housing Affordability
Source: bangormaine.gov
Voted against filing Bangor's yearly federal housing grant plan (Community Development Block Grant) with HUD. The plan passed 5–3.
June 9, 2025Opposes Housing Affordability
Source: bangormaine.gov
Voted to back the city manager's offer to Dignity First of first rights to lease about 7 acres of city land for a possible 60-unit tiny-home community. It passed 9–0.
October 28, 2024Supports Housing Affordability
Source: bangormaine.gov
Voted to loosen city rules on accessory dwelling units (small extra homes on a lot) to match a new state housing law. The change passed 5–1.
April 8, 2024Supports Housing Affordability
Source: bangormaine.gov
Voted to cut the parking required for new homes from 1.5 spaces to one space per unit. The change passed 8–0.
March 25, 2024Supports Housing Affordability
Source: bangormaine.gov
Voted against rezoning land on Ohio Street for high-density housing after neighbors spoke against it. The rezoning failed 0–7.
September 25, 2023Opposes Housing Affordability
Source: records.bangormaine.gov
Track record — Social Programs and Welfare
Social Programs and Welfare · 1 support
Voted to award $641,297 in opioid settlement money to local programs, based on an advisory committee's advice with changes. It passed 8–1.
March 9, 2026Supports Social Programs and Welfare
Source: bangormaine.gov
Track record — Civil Rights
Civil Rights · 2 support
Voted for a city law limiting what Bangor workers do in federal immigration matters. It failed 3–5.
June 22, 2026Supports Civil Rights
Source: bangormaine.gov
Spoke as a member of Bangor's racial-equity advisory committee against a racist attack on a resident's car. He said the fight for equality must continue.
September 21, 2021Supports Civil Rights
Source: wabi.tv
Track record — Public Infrastructure
Public Infrastructure · 4 support
Voted for a city rule against blocking or partly blocking sidewalks, after changes suggested by the racial-equity advisory committee. It passed 9–0.
May 11, 2026Supports Public Infrastructure
Source: bangormaine.gov
Voted to move a $70 million parks and recreation center bond forward. The motion failed on a 4–4 tie.
August 11, 2025Supports Public Infrastructure
Source: bangormaine.gov
Testified for the Bangor City Council in support of LD 487. The bill sought federal money to study a Portland-to-Orono passenger rail corridor.
March 6, 2025Supports Public Infrastructure
Source: legislature.maine.gov
Urged a state rail-use advisory council not to rip up the Lower Road rail tracks for a trail. He said the corridor should stay for rail use.
June 22, 2023Supports Public Infrastructure
Source: maine.gov
Track record — General
General · 9 records
Voted to find that Councilor Wayne Mallar broke three parts of the city ethics code during an August 2025 meeting recess, and to require him to take training. It passed 5–2.
July 27, 2026
Source: bangormaine.gov
Was elected again to the board of the Maine Rail Group, a group that backs passenger and freight rail in Maine.
June 27, 2026
Source: img1.wsimg.com
Voted to pass a temporary ban (moratorium) on new data centers in Bangor. It passed 9–0.
April 13, 2026
Source: bangormaine.gov
Voted against changing limits on short-term rentals in tiny-home parks and manufactured-home parks. The change passed 8–1, with Leonard the only no vote.
February 9, 2026
Source: bangormaine.gov
Voted to send private messages between councilors after a May 2025 budget meeting to the city Ethics Board for review. It passed 7–2.
September 8, 2025
Source: bangormaine.gov
Voted to start a two-year pilot registry of long-term rental housing in Bangor. It passed 8–1.
June 10, 2024
Source: bangormaine.gov
Voted against moving $4.5 million from the city's unassigned savings into reserve funds set aside for specific uses. The transfer passed 8–1, with Leonard the only no vote.
April 22, 2024
Source: bangormaine.gov
Voted against a rule banning cannabis stores from selling at off-site events. The rule passed 8–1, with Leonard the only no vote.
January 22, 2024
Source: bangormaine.gov
Won a special election for a Bangor City Council seat with 974 votes. Four other candidates split the rest.
June 14, 2022
Source: cipa.bangordailynews.com
Track record — Candidate Ethics
Candidate Ethics · 3 records
Was censured for a third time by the Bangor City Council, this time for a public gesture and action at its October 27, 2025 meeting. The censure passed 5–2.
November 3, 2025
Source: bangormaine.gov
Was censured by the Bangor City Council for public remarks about a city personnel matter. The censure passed 6–2 after he apologized, said he was denied due process, and left the meeting.
August 25, 2025
Source: bangormaine.gov
Was censured by the Bangor City Council for public remarks about incoming city councilors. The council passed the censure 7–1.
November 27, 2023
Source: records.bangormaine.gov
Past race Joseph A. Leonard ran in:
- City Council Member · November 3, 2026 · Bangor city, Maine · incumbent