2006 Burlington mayoral election explained

Election Name:2006 Burlington mayoral election
Flag Image:File:Flag of Burlington, Vermont (1990-2017).jpg
Type:presidential
Ongoing:no
Previous Election:2003 Burlington mayoral election
Previous Year:2003
Next Election:2009 Burlington mayoral election
Next Year:2009
Election Date:March 7, 2006
Image1:File:Bob Kiss (cropped).jpg
Nominee1:Bob Kiss
Party1:Progressive Coalition (Vermont)
Nominee2:Hinda Miller
Party2:Democratic Party (United States)
Image3:File:3x4.svg
Nominee3:Kevin Curley
Party3:Republican Party (United States)
1Blank:First round
1Data1:3,809
38.95%
1Data2:3,106
31.77%
1Data3:2,609
26.68%
2Blank:Maximum round
2Data1:4,761
54.43%
2Data2:3,986
45.57%
2Data3:Eliminated
Map Size:200px
Mayor of Burlington
Before Election:Peter Clavelle
Before Party:Vermont Progressive Party
After Election:Bob Kiss
After Party:Vermont Progressive Party

On March 7, 2006 a mayoral election was held in Burlington, Vermont, United States. Incumbent Mayor Peter Clavelle declined to seek reelection and Progressive nominee Bob Kiss was elected to succeed him.

Background

Peter Brownell's victory in the 1993 election against Progressive Coalition Mayor Peter Clavelle was the first time a Republican had won Burlington's mayoralty since Edward A. Keenan left office in 1965, and ended the Progressive's control over the mayoralty which started with Bernie Sanders' victory in the 1981 election.[1] However, Clavelle regained the mayoralty in the 1995 election.[2]

In 2005, voters approved a referendum implementing instant-runoff voting for mayoral elections.[3] Jo LaMarche, the director of elections for Burlington, organized a mock election using the system on January 27, 2006.[4] Burlington was the first place in Vermont to use the voting system.[5]

Democratic

Nominee

Eliminated in primary

Withdrew

Declined

John Tracy announced his campaign on March 16, 2005, but withdrew on September 23. Hinda Miller announced her campaign on September 20, and Andy Montroll announced on September 23. Christine Salembier managed Miller's campaign. Miller and Montroll participated in a 70-minute debate hosted by Town Meeting TV.[10]

The Democratic caucus was held on January 5, 2006. It was the most attended caucus in Burlington Democratic history, beating the previous record set during the 1989 election.[11] Carina Driscoll, a former Progressive member of the city council, voted for Miller in the caucus as the Progressives seemed to not have a candidate.[12] Montroll considered running as an independent after losing the Democratic nomination, but declined on January 19, 2006.[13] [14]

Progressive

Nominee

Declined

Clavelle sought the Democratic mayoral nomination in 2003, and ran with the Democratic nomination in the 2004 gubernatorial election. This angered Progressives, including chair of Burlington's Progressives Tiki Archambeau. Tiki stated that Clavelle was "not the candidate we have in mind" for the 2006 mayoral election.[16] Clavelle announced that he would not run for reelection on September 7, 2005.[17] Bob Kiss won the party's nomination at its caucus on January 8, 2006.[18]

Republican

Nominee

Eliminated

Kevin Curley, the Republican nominee in the 2001 mayoral election, announced his campaign on November 28, 2005.[20] Curley was the only councilor to vote against putting the proposal to use instant runoff voting for mayoral elections onto the ballot.[21] The Republican caucus was held on December 6.[22] Harry Snyder managed Curley's campaign.[23]

Others

Ion Laskaris', who served on the city council from 1990 to 1992, campaign announcement in January 2005, made him the first person to announce their campaign for mayor. He planned on running as an independent fusion candidate with the support of the Republican and Democratic parties. He criticized the Democrats for giving their nomination to Clavelle in the 2003 election.[24] He withdrew from the election on January 27, 2006.[25]

Less than ten people attended the Green Party's caucus. Loyal Ploof, a member of the school board and chair of the Burlington Green Party, was given the party's nomination. The active membership of the Green Party in the city was a maximum of seven according to Ploof and receiving 400 votes would be a great success for his candidacy. Craig Chevrier, the former chair of the Vermont Green Party, said that the party was dysfunctional and Ploof was an example of it.[26] [27]

General election

Curley told his supporters to rank Kiss second.[28] Miller spent $66,758,20 during the campaign, $28,188 before the nomination and $38,570 in the general election. Kiss spent $19,788 and Curley spent $11,148. Miller spent $16.75 per vote, Curley spent $4.27 per vote, and Kiss spent $4.15 per vote.[29] Miller had two paid staffers before winning the nomination and then one paid staffer and her campaign manager. Kiss's campaign manager was his only campaign employee.[30]

Endorsements

Results

2006 Burlington mayoral election[32]
PartyCandidateRound 1Round 2
Votes%Votes%
Vermont ProgressiveBob Kiss3,80938.954,76154.43
DemocraticHinda Miller3,10631.773,98645.57
RepublicanKevin Curley2,60926.68Eliminated
IndependentLouis Beaudin1191.22Eliminated
GreenLoyal Ploof570.58Eliminated
Write-in780.80Eliminated
Total active votes9,77899.908,74789.36
Exhausted ballots100.101,04110.64
Total votes9,7881009,788100

References

  1. News: March 3, 1993 . Brownell Wins . 1 . . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20220518201630/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/39879920/the-burlington-free-press/ . May 18, 2022 . Newspapers.com.
  2. News: March 8, 1995 . Clavelle squeaks by Brownell . 1 . . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20220519194444/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/102162346/the-burlington-free-press/ . May 19, 2022 . Newspapers.com.
  3. News: March 2, 2005 . City rejects local sales tax, approves mayoral run-off . 2B . . https://web.archive.org/web/20240116191955/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-burlington-free-press/138886539/ . January 16, 2024 . Newspapers.com.
  4. News: January 28, 2006 . Mock election tests IRV tabulation . 1B . . https://web.archive.org/web/20240116191624/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-burlington-free-press/138886243/ . January 16, 2024 . Newspapers.com.
  5. News: November 2, 2005 . Town eyes instant runoff . 3 . . https://web.archive.org/web/20240116192327/https://www.newspapers.com/article/bennington-banner/138886928/ . January 16, 2024 . Newspapers.com.
  6. News: September 21, 2005 . Sen. Miller announces run for Burlington mayor . 1B . . https://web.archive.org/web/20240116190042/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-burlington-free-press/138884885/ . January 16, 2024 . Newspapers.com.
  7. News: March 17, 2005 . Democratic leader making a run for Burlington mayor . B5 . . https://web.archive.org/web/20240116183753/https://www.newspapers.com/article/rutland-daily-herald/138882822/ . January 16, 2024 . Newspapers.com.
  8. News: September 24, 2005 . Tracy Out; Montroll will run . 1B . . https://web.archive.org/web/20240116185718/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-burlington-free-press/138884629/ . January 16, 2024 . Newspapers.com.
  9. News: November 2, 2005 . Lafayette passes on mayoral bid . 3B . . https://web.archive.org/web/20240117164921/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-burlington-free-press/138948076/ . January 17, 2024 . Newspapers.com.
  10. News: December 23, 2005 . Mayor: Democrats make their case . 3B . . https://web.archive.org/web/20240117165716/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-burlington-free-press/138948526/ . January 17, 2024 . Newspapers.com.
  11. News: January 6, 2006 . Burlington Democrats choose Miller as candidate for mayor . 10 . . https://web.archive.org/web/20240117021105/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-brattleboro-reformer/138919406/ . January 17, 2024 . Newspapers.com.
  12. News: January 6, 2006 . Mayor: Democrats nominate Miller . 17 . . live . https://archive.today/20210618131016/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/79662473/the-burlington-free-press/ . June 18, 2021 . Newspapers.com.
  13. News: January 13, 2006 . Montroll weighs independent run . 1B . . https://web.archive.org/web/20240117030036/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-burlington-free-press/138922796/ . January 17, 2024 . Newspapers.com.
  14. News: January 20, 2006 . Montroll declines to run for mayor as independent . 1B . . https://web.archive.org/web/20240117030254/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-burlington-free-press/138922857/ . January 17, 2024 . Newspapers.com.
  15. News: January 6, 2006 . City Democrats nominate Miller . 1B . . https://web.archive.org/web/20240117021533/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-burlington-free-press/138919674/ . January 17, 2024 . Newspapers.com.
  16. News: April 4, 2005 . Mayor: Clavelle to give annual speech . 3B . . https://web.archive.org/web/20240117014044/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-burlington-free-press/138917148/ . January 17, 2024 . Newspapers.com.
  17. News: January 19, 2005 . Clavelle to leave City Hall in April . 1A . . https://web.archive.org/web/20240117014438/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-burlington-free-press/138917559/ . January 17, 2024 . Newspapers.com.
  18. News: January 9, 2006 . Progressives nominate Kiss . 1B . . https://web.archive.org/web/20240117171552/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-burlington-free-press/138949855/ . January 17, 2024 . Newspapers.com.
  19. News: December 5, 2005 . Ryan seeks GOP nomination for mayor . 1B . . https://web.archive.org/web/20240117015823/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-burlington-free-press/138918478/ . January 17, 2024 . Newspapers.com.
  20. News: November 29, 2005 . Republican Councilor Curley makes 2nd run for mayor . 1B . . https://web.archive.org/web/20240116182332/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-burlington-free-press/79427278/ . January 16, 2024 . Newspapers.com.
  21. News: January 19, 2005 . Burlington Council sets March ballot items . 1B . . https://web.archive.org/web/20240117014241/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-burlington-free-press/138917376/ . January 17, 2024 . Newspapers.com.
  22. News: December 7, 2005 . Burlington Republicans nominate Curley for mayor . 1B . . https://web.archive.org/web/20240117015402/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-burlington-free-press/138918234/ . January 17, 2024 . Newspapers.com.
  23. News: January 24, 2006 . Candidates set dates for debates . 1B . . https://web.archive.org/web/20240117022834/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-burlington-free-press/138920648/ . January 17, 2024 . Newspapers.com.
  24. News: January 30, 2005 . Laskaris anxious to oust Mayor Clavelle . 1B . . https://web.archive.org/web/20240116184340/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-burlington-free-press/138223379/ . January 16, 2024 . Newspapers.com.
  25. News: January 30, 2005 . Kiss: Progressive candidate begins campaign . 2B . . https://web.archive.org/web/20240116191219/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-burlington-free-press/138885654/ . January 16, 2024 . Newspapers.com.
  26. News: January 21, 2006 . Green candidate runs for city mayor . 1B . . https://web.archive.org/web/20240118012245/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-burlington-free-press/138986846/ . January 18, 2024 . Newspapers.com.
  27. News: January 21, 2006 . Mayor: Green candidate runs for Burlington's top job . 2B . . https://web.archive.org/web/20240118012450/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-burlington-free-press/138986900/ . January 18, 2024 . Newspapers.com.
  28. News: March 6, 2006 . Burlington first to use runoff election . 3 . . https://web.archive.org/web/20240117024126/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-brattleboro-reformer/138921529/ . January 17, 2024 . Newspapers.com.
  29. News: April 1, 2006 . Miller outspent Kiss by 3-to-1 ratio in losing campaign . 1B . . https://web.archive.org/web/20240117032055/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-burlington-free-press/138924002/ . January 17, 2024 . Newspapers.com.
  30. News: March 2, 2006 . Mayoral candidates file finance reports . 3 . . https://web.archive.org/web/20240117032219/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-brattleboro-reformer/138921317/ . January 17, 2024 . Newspapers.com.
  31. News: February 13, 2006 . Burlington mayoral candidates debate tonight . 1B . . https://web.archive.org/web/20240117031436/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-burlington-free-press/138920825/ . January 17, 2024 . Newspapers.com.
  32. Web site: ChoicePlus Pro 2006 Burlington Mayor Round 2 Report . March 7, 2006. https://web.archive.org/web/20061006082546/http://www.ci.burlington.vt.us/ct/elections/2006%20Burlington%20Mayor%20Round2.htm . October 6, 2006. dead.

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