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Burlington Democrats win majority on city council during Town Meeting Day voting

Democrats in Vermont’s largest city had a big night during Tuesday’s Town Meeting Day.

There were 10 candidates seeking five seats on the Burlington city council, which has a dozen councilors from eight wards and four districts. Each district includes two of the wards. Each councilor serves a two-year term. This year there were elections for the districts and one ward special election.

Democrats won three of the five races, and the independent who won re-election caucuses with the Democrats. While he was not up for election this year, Mayor Miro Weinberger was exhilarated about the results for fellow Democrats.

“It is the first time there has been a Democratic mayor and a Democratic city council in over 40 years. This new majority and this new consensus is going to allow us to accelerate our efforts to rebuild the police department, to restore the levels of public safety that Burlingtonians expect and deserve. This new majority is also going to allow us to move forward with our historic infrastructure investments. It’s going to allow us to continue to make major investments in equity and racial justice. It’s going to accelerate our progress towards our very ambitious climate and housing goals. In short, it’s a great night for the party. It is a great night for Burlington.”

In the East District the unofficial results show Democrat Tim Doherty winning with 50.9 percent to Progressive Jake Schumann’s 43.8 percent. This is Doherty’s first campaign and he was at the Democratic party with his family.

“We love the city. It’s been so good to us and we’ve been worried about it in the last few years. We’ve been worried that we’ve seen declines in public safety. We’ve been worried that we’ve seen a sharp increase in the cost of living and we want this to be a great, inclusive, safe, healthy city. And I thought the city’s given so much to me, maybe I could lend a little bit back. My principal priority is to be a good, responsive city council person who pays close attention to my constituents in the East District. But beyond that we’re going to be focused on public safety and affordability.”

In the Central District race Progressive Melo Grant easily won with 62 percent against Independent Avery Muzikar, who got 31 percent. Grant was the only Progressive elected to the council during Tuesday’s voting.

“I originally wanted to actually run as an independent because I’ve been concerned a great deal about the politics in Burlington interfering with solutions. That’s been a really big issue. Everyone’s just you know snapping at each other! But I’d never run for anything. And then I was on a special committee to review policing policies. I’ve been on the Police Commission for the last two years and this to me is the next step to address some issues in Burlington that are not going away because they’re not being properly addressed. And I’m very excited. I’m very humbled. I’m so humbled that people I don’t even know came out to support me.”

A special election was held in Ward 8 for a one-year term. Democrat Hannah King had run against Progressive Ali House last year. But House quit the seat in October and King will now fill the term. She received 52 percent of the vote while challenger Rhone Allison, a Progressive, trailed with 43 percent.

King credits a broad coalition of support for her win.

“I don’t think I went to a single door or talked to a single person on the phone that didn’t mention housing being their number one issue. Rent is too high. There are predatory landlords taking advantage of students and so I’d love to look at that and work with my neighbors to find out ways to better housing situations in Ward 8 specifically.”

In the South District long-time incumbent Democrat Joan Shannon received 69.9 percent of the vote to return for another term. Challenger Will Anderson, a Progressive, got 14 percent and Independent Faried Munarsyah received 10 percent.

In the North District, incumbent independent Mark Barlow ran unopposed.

The new and re-elected city councilors will be sworn in on April 3rd.

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