enlarge Tim Greenway/Staff Photographer

Christina Best of Portland gives her dog Maddie a kiss after playing fetch on Willard Beach in South Portland on Tuesday. As use of the beach has grown, by both canines and humans, so have the conflicts.

enlarge Tim Greenway/Staff Photographer

Buca, a 2-year-old Cockapoo, chases a ball thrown by owner Patty Bird of Portland at Willard Beach in South Portland on Tuesday. The Willard Beach dog fight has been going on for about 20 years, or about 140 dog years.

SOUTH PORTLAND — Voters rejected a hard-fought proposal to ban dogs from Willard Beach during the summer.

A final count was not available at press time because the City Clerk's office was still hand-counting about 1,000 photocopied ballots. It had to use the copies – which could not be counted electronically – because of a heavier-than-expected voter turnout.

Opponents of the ban, however, predicted victory based on partial machine counts that ran about 60-40 against the proposal. The City Clerk's office confirmed that the opponents had a substantial lead based on a partial count – 6,120 in favor and 4,120 opposed.

"It looks like we're going to cruise to a very sizable victory," said Tom Ayres, spokesman for Share Willard Beach, as he and others waited for the results at Beale Street Barbeque. "It looks very good and there are a lot of happy people here."

Backers of the proposal, meanwhile, were waiting for the official count.

"I'm just pleased it's going to the people to decide," said Gary Crosby, leader of Save Willard Beach, which collected signatures to put the proposed ban on the ballot. "Win or lose, I'm behind whatever the people decide."

The current city ordinance allows owners to take their dogs onto Willard Beach from 7 to 9 a.m. and 7 to 9 p.m. between May 1 and Sept. 30. Dogs are allowed from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. the rest of the year. The pets can be off their leashes and under voice control.

The proposal before voters Tuesday would ban dogs from the beach from April 15 to Oct. 15. Dogs would be allowed the rest of the year, but they would have to be kept on leashes if the ordinance passes.

Supporters argued that dog waste and unruly pets pose health concerns and spoil the experience for too many people.

Dog owners said they and their pets also have a right to use the beach, which is one of the few area beaches for dogs to run and swim.

Both sides in the dog campaign raised money and posted signs around the city. The pro-dog camp – Share Willard Beach – was especially well financed and well organized, campaigning door-to-door and even dressing one volunteer in a dog costume and waving to commuters on the Casco Bay Bridge on Tuesday morning and afternoon.

Passions around the issue are nothing new to South Portland, where the Willard Beach dog fight has been going on for about 20 years, or about 140 dog years. And, as use of the beach has grown, by both canines and humans, so have the conflicts.

Dog owners on the beach Tuesday said they were hopeful the ordinance would fail.

"I'm sympathetic to the people who are uncomfortable with dogs running around, but it does seem like the current rules keep a pretty good balance," said David Stankiewicz as he threw a tennis ball along the edge of the surf for his dog, Booker, and his mother's dog, Soxie.

At Beale Street Barbeque Tuesday night, Helen Slocum said she was optimistic the ban would be voted down, but not so sure this would finally be the last word in Willard's dog debate. "I think if we win by a large margin, it may be," she said.

Organizers of the ban campaign said they were glad that they brought it to a vote, win or lose.

"The City Council for 20 years has been unable to solve it, so we thought that the only fair way to solve it would to bring it to bring to the people," said Dan LaBrie, a neighbor of the beach and a leader of the ban campaign. "Whatever the people of South Portland vote on, I'll be all set with that."

Staff Writer John Richardson can be contacted at 791-6324 or at: jrichardson@pressherald.com