Town Meeting Day 2024: Mayoral election in Burlington, Biden and Trump on the ballot

It's Progressives versus Democrats in Burlington

“Happy election day! Are you here to vote?”

Burlington City Council candidate Malik Mines – his congenial face peeking out from behind a gigantic campaign sign – is the first person you see when you stroll through the elementary school gates toward the Ward 3 polling station.

As you pass, he slips you a piece of paper – “Write in Malik Mines” for Ward 3 city councilor, it says. Due to an error with his application, Mines’ name does not appear on the ballot for Burlington’s March 5 elections. Endorsed by the local Democratic party, he mingles with a group of Joan Shannon supporters by the back entrance to Sustainability Academy.

Huddled together closer to the polls in a sea of red and blue signs are supporters of Progressive candidates Emma Mulvaney-Stanak, Shannon’s steepest competition for mayor, and Joe Kane, Mines’ opponent for City Council. A golden retriever – exhausted from an afternoon of campaigning – watches prospective voters with droopy eyes.

The only indication of Republican City Council candidate Christopher-Aaron Felker's campaign is a few, inconspicuous signs sandwiched between those of his more prominent opponents.

After voters cast their ballots and trudge toward the exit, a petite woman in a red knit beret flags them down and deposits a matching burgundy card in your palm. It’s Melo Grant, the Democratic councilor from the Central District. She’s up for election next year.

This year’s local elections are done, but the cycle begins again soon.

— Megan Stewart

One candidate is vying for voters in Winooski

Under low hanging clouds sits the Winooski Senior Center. In front of the white building there are red, blue and purple signs sticking out of the ground and being held by two individuals.

The signs display the names of the three prospective city councilors − Nick Brownell, Thomas Renner and Aurora Hurd.

Brownell is holding their own name, showing face at Winooski’s sole polling location. They’re greeting people as they pass on their way to the door, asking how their day has been. Some reply with a quick “Hello” and keep striding by, but some stop for a conversation.

Vermont is one of 12 states that does not prohibit campaign materials, signs, banners and literature near polling sites. Brownell uses the lack of restriction, telling residents about issues they want to take on and how they will do so.

Brownell is used to standing with a sign in their hands − they were an activist and organizer before deciding to run for City Council, specifically advocating for tenants’ rights.

“Winooski has a near zero vacancy rate,” Brownell said. “Rent just keeps increasing. The town needs to do more to keep people here.”

A housing crisis is a big problem in a small city like Winooski, Vermont’s smallest city by area, covering just over one square mile. The most recent census records the population at 8,260.

While Brownell hopes to win a seat and address this and many other issues, they’re just happy that people are out exercising their right to vote.

Passing by Brownell on the way back to the parking lot after casting those votes, a “Thank you for voting” can be heard.

- Sydney P. Hakes

This man wants to be on the Selectboard in Fairfax

Tim Burns showed up outside the polling station in Fairfax at 7 a.m. on Tuesday and wasn’t planning to leave until the polls closed at 7 p.m. He was running for the second time for a spot on the town’s Selectboard.

“I tried last year and wasn’t successful,” Burns said. “Lost by a little over 100 votes last time.”

Burns, a Burlington firefighter for 17 years, moved to Fairfax in 2016, got married, and had two children. One is 3 and the other is 10 months. He has never held an elected position before, but feels Fairfax needs a change.

“We have some issues facing us that I feel I can provide some positive insight on, and we can move forward to remedy those issues,” Burns said. “Won’t happen overnight, but we can work toward making it better.”

What are the issues? What does Burns want to make better in Fairfax?

Affordability and sustainability for both housing and the town’s finances, he said. And there’s another big issue, as Burns sees it, which is too much turnover in the town’s employees. Burns said eight people have left in the last year. The highway department has been hit particularly hard. Burns said he’s not sure why the highway department has been more vulnerable to turnover.

“I believe there’s a culmination of things,” he said. “Everything from opportunities elsewhere better providing for their situation to some people have left town based on some town folks not being happy with them. Then there’s an ongoing investigation regarding a piece of equipment that has been a hot topic of discussion for the town.”

Burns said he was not at liberty to saying anything more about the piece of equipment, other than it has to do with the highway department.

“I’d want to get all the true facts before I would want to talk about that,” he said.

Burns felt the first five or six hours he had spent at the polling place, Bellows Free Academy, were worth the effort.

“I feel really good,” Burns said. “I’ve spoken with a lot of people in town standing out here today. A lot of people have had great discussions with me, both for me, and against me even. It’s been really civil and eye-opening.”

Burns said he’s fine with people not agreeing with him.

“That’s what democracy is about,” he said. “That’s what makes the world go around. If we agreed on everything together, it would be pretty plain.”

− Dan D'Ambrosio

Hinesburg residents restore tradition

This election marked the first time Hinesburg residents were able to vote in their historic hall, once again.

“It’s nice to see how many people have been commenting about being back,” said Hinesburg Town Clerk Heather Roberts. “It makes it feel more momentous.”

For the past three years the building from 1901 had been either closed or under renovation for structural issues in the ceiling. Support rods were installed underneath the decorative antique ceiling  and spanned the length from wall to wall.

In addition to saving the building’s structure and character, the renovation could be saving tradition. The hall had conceivably been the seat of democracy for the town for the past 123 years.

Election workers felt the turnout was good and the hall being open could be part of the reason so many were voting in person. Though free donuts and free eclipse glasses could have also been a draw.

-April Barton

Ranked choice voting comes to Burlington

Burlington voters will choose their city councilor through ranked choice voting. The system calls for voters to fill out their ballots by ranking candidates in order of preference. If no candidate wins a majority, the candidate with the least no. 1 votes is dropped, and the second choice on the ballot is distributed to the remaining candidates. The process is repeated until a candidate wins a majority of votes. For a complete explanation of ranked choice voting, read reporter Lily St. Angelo’s story here.

Town Meeting Day brings some difficult decisions on school budgets, a new mayor for Burlington and more

Town Meeting Day 2024 is off and running. Polls in most community opened at 7 a.m. and will close at 7 p.m.

Vermont has same-day voter registration. That means if a voter isn't registered, they can do so at the polling station on election day. Here's what you need to know about voting in Vermont, including how to find your local polling station.

Many communities face difficult decisions over their school budgets, while in Burlington, the decision by Mayor Miro Weinberger to no seek reelection means voters are set to elect their first new mayor in 12 years. Find out what's on the ballot in your Chittenden County community here.

As the polls close, check here for town-by-town results from around Chittenden County.

Late action by Legislature complicates school budget votes

This Town Meeting Day was shaping up to be a tough one for school budgets as some communities faced a tax rate increase of as much as 20%. The outcry led the Legislature to take action, adjusting the formula used to calculate a town's education property tax rate. The measure was signed into law by Gov. Phil Scott on Feb. 22, just 12 days before Town Meeting Day. The measure allows communities to delay their school budget votes and sets aside money for new elections. For a deep dive on the why and how of the education tax increase, read reporter April Barton’s explainer here.

Burlington City Council seats up for grabs

Burlington voters are also choosing city councilors to represent each of the 8 wards. The councilors, one from each ward, serve 2-year terms. The City Council also has four councilors representing each of the city’s four districts, which are made up of two wards. Ward elections are held on even-numbered years, and district elections on odd-numbered years.

A fresh face in the mayor’s office

The Burlington ballot has no incumbent candidate for mayor for the first time since 2012 when Democrat Mayor Miro Weinberger won his first term. With the two leading candidates both being women, Progressive Emma Mulvaney-Stanak and Democrat Joan Shannon, the city is on course to elect its first female mayor. Also on the ballot are independents Chris Haessly, a local steering committee member, Church Street Marketplace commissioner and former school commissioner, and Will Emmons, a former American Postal Workers Union representative.

Nikki Haley in Vermont

Nikki Haley was the only major-party presidential candidate to visit Vermont ahead of the state’s primaries, when the former South Carolina governor made an appearance in South Burlington Sunday afternoon. Check out the on-the-scene report from Free Press reporter Sydney Hakes here.

Presidential primary: Trump, Biden and who else?

Vermont is part of the Super Tuesday slate of presidential primaries taking place on March 5. On the Republican primary ballot are former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley and former President Donald Trump. Democrats have three candidates from which to choose: President Joe Biden, Rep. Dean Phillips, D-Minn., and self-help author Marianne Williamson. Williamson suspended her campaign on Feb. 7, but re-entered the race last week. Here's a guide to who is on the ballot and where candidates stand on the issues.

Non-citizen voting expands

This year, Burlington joins Winooski and Montpelier in allowing non-residents who are legal residents of the city to vote in local elections. As the Associated Press reported, “Federal law prohibits non-citizens from voting in federal elections, including races for president, vice president, Senate or House of Representatives.” Check out the story here.

Vermont is part of Super Tuesday

Vermonters will also have the chance to vote in the Democratic or Republican presidential primary. Vermont’s presidential primaries on Town Meeting Day are part of the Super Tuesday slate of contests across the country. This is the day in the presidential election cycle when the largest number of states hold their primaries. Here’s what’s at stake on Super Tuesday this year.

Check back throughout the day for more information about what's happening on Town Meeting day.

Nikki Haley's best bet?

The political news site Politico has marked Vermont as one of the few states to watch as an indicator of how Nikki Haley will perform this Super Tuesday. From this morning's Playbook newsletter:

"Haley’s best states: Watch early returns from Vermont and Virginia, where polls close at 7 p.m. If Haley is not overperforming in these two states that don’t have partisan voter registration, she’s unlikely to make much of a splash anywhere else tonight. A few other states to keep an eye on if Haley is exceeding expectations: Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota (MARCO RUBIO won it in 2016), Colorado and Utah."

This article originally appeared on Burlington Free Press: Town Meeting Day 2024: Local elections, presidential primaries