Burkush tops Sullivan for Ward 9 alderman, unofficial results show
Mar. 16—Former Manchester Fire Chief Jim Burkush has won the city's Ward 9 Alderman Special Election, officials announced Tuesday night.
Unofficial results show 1,115 votes were cast in Tuesday's special election, according to City Clerk Matt Normand.
Retired Hooksett and Manchester Fire Chief Jim Burkush defeated two-time mayoral candidate and former state Rep. Victoria Sullivan, 645-460. Normand announced the unofficial results during Tuesday's Board of Mayor and Aldermen meeting.
Official results are expected to be announced on Wednesday, Normand said, after all paperwork is completed. Then a two-day recount period must pass before the winner can be sworn in.
If the unofficial results stand, Burkush will replace the late Alderman Barbara Shaw, 79, who died Dec. 22 following complications from a planned surgery. She had been an alderman for 12 years — the longest-serving female alderman in Queen City history — and was first elected to the state Legislature in 2000 as a Democrat.
Burkush would serve the remainder of Shaw's term, which runs into January 2024.
Sullivan said she is "concerned about the families that will be devastated by the results of this election."
"Property taxes are going up, harming our most vulnerable, our families, and those on a fixed income," said Sullivan. "I will never stop fighting for my city, and help forge a better Manchester."
The 1,115 votes represent a bump in turnout from the Ward 6 Alderman special election held in May 2021 when 992 ballots were cast, and may represent the highest number of votes ever cast in a special election in Manchester, Normand said.
Burkush, who served the Manchester Fire Department for four decades before retiring as chief in 2017, is a former state representative and current commissioner for the Manchester Department of Public Works.
In announcing his run, he said he brings over 44 years of experience in public service to his campaign.
"The people of Manchester are some of the hardest-working Granite State citizens you can find, and they deserve homegrown representation that is engaged, fiscally responsible, and in touch with the needs of the community," said Burkush in a statement.
"I've lived in Ward 9 my entire life, and I have worked to keep my neighbors and fellow residents safe and well-served by their public service agencies. As alderman, I will keep taxes low, ensure that all city services are running smoothly, and focus on addressing our housing and homeless crisis. I have proudly served this community for 44 years, and I look forward to working hard for the residents of our ward."
Burkush ran against Shaw for the Ward 9 seat in 2017, falling 23 votes short in a bid to unseat the incumbent — 924 to 901.
Park renaming
Also on Tuesday, aldermen supported a proposal by Mayor Joyce Craig to rename Brown and Mitchell Park in honor of Shaw.
Brown and Mitchell Park is located off West Mitchell Street near the Hollows Disc Golf Course North in Ward 9.
"As a former teacher and administrator in Manchester, Barbara's passion was focused on improving educational outcomes for our students," writes Craig in a memo to aldermen.
"And as a public servant, she continued that work and positively impacted the lives of countless Manchester residents. Barbara's kindness, dedication, and genuine love for Manchester were apparent in everything she did."
