Dana Staples

Running to represent Auburn, District 88

Putting politics aside to get things done

About Dana

After college, I taught myself to skate and joined a men’s league hockey team. I was usually the worst player on the team, but I found so much joy in playing. In 2014 our ice rink was retired because of the Norway Savings Bank Arena. I began volunteering for the city of Auburn because the city needed a group of people to decide what to do with the old hockey rink. The experience lit a fire inside me that made me want to learn as much as I could about Auburn. I decided to look for other boards to join. I also began reading books about street design, land use, city building, and other topics that have helped me on my path. I’ve been serving on committees for Auburn ever since. In 2021 I was elected to an At-Large seat on Auburn’s City Council.

I grew up in Minot, graduated from Edward Little, and have spent most of my adult life right here in Auburn. After college I moved to Auburn, because it has a little bit of everything. I’ve moved around Auburn a little bit over the last 25 years, but Missy and I settled into our South Auburn home in 2007, and love it. South Auburn has such a beautiful mix of farm land, conserved properties, and industrial employers.

I’ve spent more than twenty years working in the technology sector, leading engineering and IT teams and helping organizations solve complex problems. That experience has taught me the importance of collaboration, careful planning, and making decisions that work not just today but well into the future. I want to bring that collaborative, future-focused leadership to Augusta.

Dana Staples Auburn Maine House of Representatives district 88 A man with glasses and a blue button-up shirt standing outdoors on a brick sidewalk in front of a brick building with large glass windows and a beige awning.

  • "Nobody has volunteered more time and energy to the city of Auburn than Dana."

    —Adam Lee, State Representative, District 89

  • "Dana is a strong advocate for our local community and for local agriculture, I support him in his campaign entirely."

    —Kathy Shaw, former State Representative, District 88

  • “You can count on Dana to really understand an issue as he works to find the best solution.”

    —Ned Claxton, former state senator for Auburn

  • “Dana offers sharp data analysis, thoughtful judgment on complex issues, and a genuine commitment to listening to and representing the voices of his constituents.”

    —Katie Boss, former Auburn City Councilor

  • "I’ve seen firsthand Dana Staples’ thoughtful, steady leadership and his genuine commitment to doing what’s best for Auburn."

    —Misty Edgecomb, Auburn School Committee, Ward 2

Dana Staples Auburn Maine House of Representatives district 88 A smiling man with glasses wearing a green polo shirt stands on a brick sidewalk in a downtown area, with parked cars, historic brick buildings, trees.
View of a hilly urban neighborhood with houses, a commercial area, and multiple cars on a winding street, seen through utility wires.
A rural field with four hay bales, green grass, and a line of trees in the background under a partly cloudy sky.
Dana Staples Auburn Maine House of Representatives district 88 A hiker in a blue shirt, black pants, and a blue cap standing on a rocky trail, overlooking a forested landscape with tall trees and a lake in the distance.
Dana Staples Auburn Maine House of Representatives district 88 Two men shaking hands on a porch, outside a house with the number 75.

What Matters Most

Cost of Living

It’s simple - I think that if you work in Maine you should be able to afford to live here too.

The high cost of living here has to be at the front of every person in a leadership role in this state. If our priority isn’t keeping our neighbors warm, fed, or housed - what is more important?

Health Care Access

The cost of health care is rising at a rate that is not sustainable. Every year it gets worse. My family’s insurance only covers catastrophic health events. Doctors and health care providers are in short supply. This is a major problem that touches every household in one way or another.

Good Jobs & Workforce Stability

Our aging workforce is a very important issue that we must face. I have been a longtime proponent of retaining our students once they enter the workforce. While at Tyler Technologies I helped start the Maine App Challenge, which is a scholarship competition with the goal to show Maine high school students that there are great jobs in Maine. I’ve met hundreds of high school students and had discussions about the types of work available to them in the state, and I am eager to support our students as they stay in Maine and build a life here.

Working across the Aisle

When I talk to voters, regardless of what political party they’re in, I hear the same thing - they are sick of politicians arguing with each other.

When I was on the city council, even though the city council is non-partisan, the majority of the council and the mayor were all Republican. I made a choice that I wasn’t going to fight with them. Instead, I talked to all of them and found out where we were aligned. I also figured out where we were maybe not aligned, but where we were close enough that we could arrive at a compromise solution. That approach got a lot of work done for the people of Auburn.

Civic Service

Zoning Board of Appeals 2024-present.

Androscoggin Land Trust finance committee member 2023-present

Comprehensive Plan Committee 2021 and 2026.

Auburn Public Library board of trustees 2021-2023

City Councilor at-large, 2021-2023.

Planning Board, 2020-2021.

Auburn’s Strategic Planning Committee 2019

Complete Streets Committee 2017-2020.

Zoning Board of Appeals 2016-2019.

Parks and rec advisory board 2014-2020.