Quick Facts
Biography
Michael A. Sylvester is an American politician who was elected to the Maine House of Representatives in 2016. He represents the 39th House District as a member of the Democratic Party. He is a member of Democratic Socialists of America.
Raised in Lewiston, Maine, Sylvester attended Bard College, graduating with a degree in English. After college he worked as a union organizer for twenty years, starting off by organizing nursing homes in West Virginia. After returning to Maine, he started a business renting out golf carts on Peaks Island, where he lives. He served for three years on the Peaks Island Council, including two years as chair.
In 2016, Sylvester ran to succeed the term-limited state representative for the 39th District, Diane Russell, defeating lawyer Andrew Edwards in the Democratic primary and Republican Peter Doyle in the general election. Sylvester ran as an open democratic socialist, supporting an increase in the minimum wage, legalization of marijuana, and single-payer health care.