As the Vermont House of Representatives begins its new biennium on Wednesday, its incumbent Speaker is facing a challenge.
One of the first items on the House agenda is the selection of a Speaker. Democrat Jill Krowinski of Burlington has held the post since 2021. But Independent Laura Sibilia of Dover is challenging Krowinski and has been gaining support across the aisle.
“There are some pretty challenging issues that we are facing and we are just not making progress," Sibilia says. "There’s a lot of blame going back and forth between the legislature and the administration and not a lot of progress.”
Sibilia needs a majority of the 150 seats to win the speaker’s seat. She is reportedly supported by 21 lawmakers, but so far most of the 55 House Republicans have not declared who they will support or if they will nominate a candidate.
The Speaker is elected by secret ballot.
