Nathan Burnett Submitted photo

Party affiliation:

Democrat

Social media accounts:
nrlburnett.com; facebook.com/ElectNateBurnett/

Occupation:
High school teacher

Education:
Bachelor of Arts in Economics, UMaine

Community organizations:
Tri-County teachers association, vice president; Porter Grange #560, treasurer; Hiram Conservation Committee, elected member; Francis Small Heritage Trust, board member; Pi-Cone South Math League, co-president; Maine Association of Math Leagues, board member.

Personal information (hobbies, etc.):
I love to cook, camp and be on the water.

Family status:
Married

Years in the Legislature:

None

Committee assignments (if elected):
Education and Cultural Affairs, Energy, Utilities and Technology.

Q&A

Define what “success” would look like if you are elected to serve your district.
I’ve knocked on over 2,100 doors and had conversations with over 1,000 voters. At those doors, I’ve had positive conversations about expanding proper high-speed fiber internet to rural Maine, improving our energy infrastructure with a modernized grid and targeting incentives toward private and municipal solar (not as investment opportunities for the wealthy) and in being aware of the struggles this upcoming generation will deal with as they face the educational lag that COVID caused.

None of them will be accomplished in a two-year term, but these ideas are in line with recent federal legislation that directs money toward these problems. So to me, success will be working toward implementing these policies and ensuring that our state representatives work with our federal delegation to get the work done.

Characterize your view on public access to governmental business.
I’m a math teacher. My day job is currently about making complicated ideas able to be understood as discrete parts that make a larger whole. I think that’s what government is all about too. So communicating that out to the people I represent will be a huge part of that. If elected, I’d like to think it’s possible to hold “office hours” at least twice a month that rotate through the five towns I’m seeking to represent.