12 Facts About Jill Duson

Jill C Duson was born on 1953 and is an American lawyer, lobbyist, and politician from Portland, Maine.

In 2004, Jill Duson became the first African-American mayor of Maine's largest city and the first African-American woman mayor in the state when she was elected by her fellow council members to chair meetings under the city's then council-manager system.

In 2011, Jill Duson ran for the newly created position of mayor.

Jill Duson finished in sixth place out of fifteen candidates on the ballot.

In 2012, Jill Duson was a delegate to the Democratic National Convention and a Democratic elector in the general election.

In June 2016, Jill Duson ran for the Democratic nomination for State Senate in her district.

Jill Duson lost to Representative and former sheriff Mark Dion.

In November 2017, Jill Duson was re-elected for the fifth time over two challengers.

Jill Duson was elected to the Maine Senate in 2022, becoming the first Black woman to serve as a state senator in Maine's history.

Jill Duson's proposal passed the city's Finance Committee before being rejected by the City Council in favor of the original proposal.

Jill Duson's mother was part of a rent strike when she was a child.

Jill Duson has dealt with financial troubles, including potential foreclosure on her home in Portland's North Deering neighborhood.