A married father-of-one has become the first openly nonbinary person to be elected to Maine's state legislature.
Seven Siegel, 37, who uses they/them pronouns, won a seat in Maine's House of Representatives on Tuesday, defeating Republican Diana Kushnar by 3,229 votes to 2,101.
Siegel lives in the small college town of Gorham, outside of Portland, with their wife, Rebecca Wartell, 40, and three-year-old daughter. The district they won, House District 109, serves a portion of the Gorham community.
The Democrat, though open about their gender identity, says they chose not to make that the focus of their campaign.
'I don't make a big deal of [being nonbinary], because the policies and the work are more important,' Siegel told Bangor Daily News.
'But I also think an important part is representation and having people see that nonbinary people exist, and they're good policymakers, too.'
Instead, Siegel campaigned on tackling the cost-of-living crisis, modernizing technology policy and eliminating corporate tax breaks.
Their campaign was also endorsed by Equality Maine, the state's oldest LGBTQ nonprofit, which advocates for pro-LGBTQ legislation and policy in Maine.
Seven Siegel, 37, who uses they/them pronouns, has become the first openly nonbinary person to be elected to Maine's state legislature. Siegel is pictured with their wife, Rebecca Wartell, and three-year-old daughter. Source: Seven Siegel for State Rep/Facebook
Siegel and Wartell tied the knot on a rainy day in June 2023, posing for wedding photos beneath a rainbow umbrella. Source: Rebecca Wartell/Facebook
Siegel is a high school computer science teacher and recently served two terms on the Gorham Town Council, according to their campaign website.
They will stay on as councilor until their term ends in November next year.
The Democrat ran for state rep because they 'believe in building a government that works for all of the people,' according to their campaign website.
They wanted to support a government that supports Maine residents and uses its taxpayer funds and power to 'help people live better lives.'
'It's possible for us to have a government like that,' Siegel wrote. 'Don't accept "That's just the way it is." If Maine is the way life should be, that begins with a government for ALL the people.'
Siegel, who after their victory told the newspaper they are 'excited to work for the people of Maine,' decided to build a life in the Pine Tree State after having lived in several other states.
It is unclear exactly when they moved to Maine, but public records show Siegel has lived in Gorham since at least 2020.
Siegel and Wartell, who unsuccessfully campaigned for a seat on the Portland School Board in 2014, became engaged in September 2020 shortly after buying a home together, social media posts show.
The couple got engaged in September 2020 shortly after buying a home together in Gorham, Maine. Siegel will now represent a portion of the Gorham community in the Maine legislature. Source: Rebecca Wartell/Facebook
Siegel's campaign focused on tackling the cost-of-living crisis, modernizing technology policy and eliminating corporate tax breaks. Source: Seven Siegel for State Rep/Facebook
The couple tied the knot on a rainy day in June 2023, posing for wedding photos beneath a rainbow umbrella. Wartell wore a blue dress with a rainbow tulle skirt and a white veil, while Siegel accessorized their suit with a multicolored lei.
They welcomed their daughter just months later, with their family being a prominent part of Siegel's statehouse campaign.
The Seven Siegel for State Rep website features a smiling photo of the young family and highlights Siegel's role as a parent.
Siegel also referenced the little girl in a post on their campaign Facebook page in July when advocating against US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
'As I'm putting my kid to bed tonight, I'm grieving for the family of Johan Sebastián Durán Guerrero. I keep thinking about his 3-year old daughter, and the connection she doesn't get to have with him because of ICE and those politicians that support the continued existence of ICE,' Siegel wrote on July 14.
Durán Guerrero, 25, was a Colombian immigrant and father who was shot dead by an ICE officer during a traffic stop in Biddeford, Maine, on July 13.
Siegel continued: 'In order to protect Mainers, we need to reject ICE. I cannot support any politician that believes in continuing to fund ICE. Too much unnecessary death and violence has come from this 23-year old barely-regulated federal police force.'
Wartell, whose school board campaign page refers to her as a community organizer, activist, and arts educator, has seemingly been an active participant in Siegel's campaigns.
Siegel is a high school computer science teacher and recently served two terms on the Gorham Town Council. They were also featured in Forbes Under 30 in 2019 for running the world's largest game jam. Source: Seven Siegel for State Rep/Facebook
Siegel's family also appeared to be a prominent part of their campaign, with both Wartell and their daughter featured in campaign materials. Source: Seven Siegel for State Rep/Facebook
In September 2022, Siegel highlighted how their 'very talented wife' made a hand carved stamp to make campaign materials.
When Siegel is not focused on politics, they enjoy running, breakdancing and playing board games.
In 2019, they were featured in Forbes Under 30 for running the world's largest game jam, which 43,000 players across 108 countries created a game in 48 hours.
They also led a youth game jam, GGJ NEXT, which included 800 children in 20 countries.
Siegel, in a Facebook post Wednesday, described their election victory as 'the best birthday present I could ever ask for.'
'I am so grateful to the people of Gorham, and let's get to work!' they added.
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