2021 Burlington, Vermont, mayoral election explained

Election Name:2021 Burlington mayoral election
Country:Vermont
Flag Image:Flag of Burlington, Vermont.svg
Type:presidential
Ongoing:no
Previous Election:2018 Burlington mayoral election
Previous Year:2018
Next Election:2024 Burlington mayoral election
Next Year:2024
Election Date:March 2, 2021
Nominee1:Miro Weinberger
Party1:Democratic Party (United States)
Popular Vote1:6,189
Percentage1:42.99%
Nominee2:Max Tracy
Party2:Progressive Party (Vermont)
Popular Vote2:6,060
Percentage2:42.09%
Nominee3:Ali Dieng
Party3:Independent (politician)
Popular Vote3:1,830
Percentage3:12.71%
Map Size:200px
Mayor
Before Election:Miro Weinberger
Before Party:Democratic Party (United States)
After Election:Miro Weinberger
After Party:Democratic Party (United States)

The 2021 Burlington mayoral election was held on March 2, 2021. Incumbent Democratic Mayor Miro Weinberger defeated Progressive nominee Max Tracy, independent Ali Dieng, and various other minor candidates. Weinberger's victory by 129 votes was the smallest margin of victory in Burlington's mayoral elections since Bernie Sanders' ten vote victory in 1981.

Weinberger faced no opposition for the Democratic nomination although C.D. Mattison considered running against him. Max Tracy, the president of the city council, defeated Brian Pine, a member of the city council, for the Progressive nomination. Dieng, a member of the city council who caucused with the Progressives, and Haik Bedrosian, who had served on the city council in the 1990s and had previously ran for mayor in the 1991 election, ran as independent candidates.

Although the Progressives lost the mayoral election they retained control of the city council, which they had gained control of during the 2020 election, and saw multiple ballot initiatives endorsed by them win.

Background

Democratic nominee Miro Weinberger's victory in the 2012 mayoral election made him the first Democrat to serve as Burlington, Vermont's mayor since Democratic mayoral incumbent Gordon Paquette lost to Bernie Sanders in the mayoral election of 1981.[1] Weinberger was reelected in the 2015 and 2018 mayoral elections.[2] [3] The Vermont Progressive Party took control of Burlington's city council after the 2020 elections.[4]

Campaign

Democratic

Weinberger announced through an email on November 10, 2020, that he would seek reelection as mayor of Burlington. Tim Ashe, who unsuccessfully sought the Democratic nomination in 2012, declined to run in 2021.[5]

C.D. Mattison, the vice-chair of the Burlington Democratic Party, considered running for the Democratic nomination against Weinberger, but chose not to due to him stabilizing Burlington's financial situation during his mayoralty. At the caucus she formally nominated Weinberger at the virtual caucus stating that "Miro has dedicated himself to the people of Burlington and delivered building a financially strong and nimble city. A Burlington ready to respond to the pandemic." and later served as his campaign's treasurer.[6] [7] [8]

Progressive

Brian Pine, who served on the city council in the 1990s and since 2018, announced that he would seek the Progressive mayoral nomination.[9] Max Tracy, the president of the city council, announced that he would seek the Progressive mayoral nomination.[10] Tracy won the Progressive nomination against Pine at the virtual nomination caucus.[11]

Other

Ali Dieng, an independent member of the city council who caucused with the Progressives, announced on November 10, 2020, that he was interested in running in the mayoral election and announced his campaign on December 7.[12] [13] [14] Haik Bedrosian, who served on the city council in 1990s and had run for mayor in 1991, ran as an independent. Patrick White, Will Emmons, and Kevin McGrath ran as independents.[15]

General election

Weinberger won the election with 6,189 votes which was only 129 more votes than Tracy's 6,060 votes. Dieng received 1,830 votes and the remainder of the candidates received less than one percent of the popular vote each.[16] Weinberger's victory by 129 votes was the smallest margin of victory in Burlington's mayoral elections since Bernie Sanders' ten vote victory in 1981. Despite losing the mayoral election the Vermont Progressive Party retained control of the city council with six out of twelve seats and saw multiple ballot initiatives endorsed by them win.[17]

During the campaign Weinberger raised $126,147 from 461 people, Tracy raised $63,336 from 547 people, and Dieng raised $10,920 from 115 people. Weinberger spent over $86,000 with $16,000 being spent on television ads and $10,000 being spent on mail advertising, Tracy spent over $47,770 with over $9,800 spent on brochures and over $3,000 spent on online advertising, and Dieng spent over $6,600 with over $6,600 spent on mail advertising and online fundraising software.[18]

Debates

2021 Burlington mayoral election debates
  Date & Time Host Moderator Link Participants
Key:
Participant   Absent   Non-invitee   Invitee
Miro WeinbergerMax TracyHaik BedrosianAli DiengWill EmmonsKevin McGrathPatrick White
1[19] [20]
2[21] [22]
3[23] [24]

Sasha GoldsteinMatthew Roy

4[25] [26]

Results

Results by ward

WardWeinbergerVotesTracyVotesDiengVotesMcGrathVotesWhiteVotesWrite-insVotesBedrosianVotesEmmonsVotesTotal votes[27] Votes
Ward 135.04%53554.42%8319.43%1440.26%40.39%60.26%40.13%20.07%1100.00%1,527
Ward 218.07%28971.61%1,1458.76%1400.38%60.44%70.31%50.31%50.13%2100.00%1,599
Ward 330.74%56255.14%1,00811.71%2140.49%90.49%90.27%50.44%80.72%13100.00%1,828
Ward 458.33%1,46722.27%56016.50%4151.15%290.87%220.52%130.24%60.12%3100.00%2,515
Ward 551.30%1,14436.14%80610.6%2370.45%100.54%120.54%120.18%40.22%5100.00%2,230
Ward 658.07%1,06133.11%6057.44%1360.27%50.33%60.55%100.16%30.05%1100.00%1,827
Ward 749.73%1,01321.11%43025.14%5121.67%341.13%230.54%110.49%100.20%4100.00%2,037
Ward 814.15%11880.94%6753.84%320.24%20.24%20.24%20.00%00.36%3100.00%834

External links

Notes and References

  1. News: November 27, 2020 . Burlington Dems to ‘play defense’ in 2021 races, only one council seat is contested . VT Digger . live . https://archive.today/20210606143700/https://vtdigger.org/2020/11/27/burlington-dems-to-play-defense-in-2021-races-only-one-council-seat-is-contested/ . June 6, 2021 . December 8, 2020 .
  2. News: March 3, 2015 . 2015 Burlington, Vermont mayoral election results . . live . https://archive.today/20210606144254/https://www.burlingtonvt.gov/sites/default/files/CT/ElectionResults/20150303/elected_candidates_declaration_20150303_burlington_vermont.pdf . June 6, 2021 . June 6, 2021 .
  3. News: March 6, 2018 . 2018 Burlington, Vermont mayoral election results . . live . https://archive.today/20210606144348/https://www.burlingtonvt.gov/sites/default/files/Election%20Results%20-%20Candidates%20-%20Signed.pdf . June 6, 2021 . June 6, 2021 .
  4. News: March 3, 2020 . Progressives take control of Burlington City Council . VT Digger . live . https://archive.today/20210606144014/https://vtdigger.org/2020/03/03/progressive-jane-stromberg-unseats-democrat-adam-roof-%EF%BB%BFin-burlington-council-race/ . June 6, 2021 . December 8, 2020 .
  5. News: November 10, 2020 . Burlington Mayor Miro Weinberger Will Run for Reelection . . live . https://archive.today/20210606131034/https://www.sevendaysvt.com/OffMessage/archives/2020/11/10/burlington-mayor-miro-weinberger-will-run-for-reelection . June 6, 2021 . June 6, 2021 .
  6. News: May 17, 2021 . Weinberger reverses course on decision to remove equity director from police study . VT Digger . live . https://archive.today/20210606131340/https://vtdigger.org/2021/03/17/weinberger-rethinking-decision-to-remove-equity-director-from-police-study/ . June 6, 2021 . June 6, 2021 .
  7. News: December 6, 2020 . Weinberger secures Democratic nomination for 2021 mayoral race . VT Digger . live . https://archive.today/20210606131652/https://vtdigger.org/2020/12/06/weinberger-secures-democratic-nomination-for-2021-mayoral-race/ . June 6, 2021.
  8. News: December 7, 2020 . Burlington Democrats Nominate Mayor Weinberger For Fourth Term . . live . https://archive.today/20210606131900/https://www.wamc.org/post/burlington-democrats-nominate-mayor-weinberger-fourth-term . June 6, 2021 . June 6, 2021 .
  9. News: November 16, 2020 . Second Progressive City Councilor Announces Mayoral Candidacy . . live . https://archive.today/20210606140249/https://www.wamc.org/post/second-progressive-city-councilor-announces-mayoral-candidacy . June 6, 2021 . June 6, 2021 .
  10. News: November 21, 2020 . City Council President Max Tracy Seeks Progressive Party Nomination For Burlington Mayor . . live . https://archive.today/20210606140516/https://www.wamc.org/post/city-council-president-max-tracy-seeks-progressive-party-nomination-burlington-mayor . June 6, 2021.
  11. News: December 3, 2020 . Tracy Wins Progressive Nomination for Burlington Mayor's Race . . live . https://archive.today/20210606132934/https://www.sevendaysvt.com/OffMessage/archives/2020/11/09/pine-tracy-to-seek-progressive-nomination-for-burlington-mayor . June 6, 2021 . December 9, 2020 .
  12. News: November 10, 2020 . Pine, Tracy to Seek Progressive Nomination for Burlington Mayor . . live . https://archive.today/20210606132934/https://www.sevendaysvt.com/OffMessage/archives/2020/11/09/pine-tracy-to-seek-progressive-nomination-for-burlington-mayor . June 6, 2021 . June 6, 2021 .
  13. News: December 7, 2020 . Dieng Outlines Campaign Promises in Announcing Burlington Mayoral Bid . . live . https://archive.today/20210606133547/https://www.sevendaysvt.com/OffMessage/archives/2020/12/07/dieng-outlines-campaign-promises-in-announcing-burlington-mayoral-bid . June 6, 2021 . June 6, 2021 .
  14. News: March 6, 2020 . Burlington Progressives — lots of them — eye mayor’s office after council wins . . live . https://archive.today/20210609165557/https://vtdigger.org/2020/03/06/burlington-progressives-lots-of-them-eye-mayors-office-after-council-wins/ . June 9, 2021 . June 9, 2021 .
  15. News: February 25, 2021 . Lower-profile candidates for Burlington mayor cite disparate priorities . VT Digger . live . https://archive.today/20210606141121/https://vtdigger.org/2021/02/25/lower-profile-candidates-for-mayor-of-burlington-cite-disparate-priorities-motivations/ . June 6, 2021.
  16. News: March 2, 2021 . 2021 Burlington, Vermont mayoral election results . . live . https://archive.today/20210606134541/https://www.burlingtonvt.gov/sites/default/files/GEMS%20ELECTION%20SUMMARY%20REPORT_6.pdf . June 6, 2021 . March 3, 2021 .
  17. News: March 10, 2021 . Progressives Feel Empowered After Nearly Toppling Burlington’s Incumbent Mayor . . live . https://archive.today/20210606135322/https://www.sevendaysvt.com/vermont/progressives-feel-empowered-after-nearly-toppling-burlingtons-incumbent-mayor/Content?oid=32505916 . Lamdin. Courtney. June 6, 2021.
  18. News: February 21, 2021 . Weinberger Breaks Fundraising Record in Burlington Mayor's Race; Tracy Boasts Most Donors . . live . https://archive.today/20210606133943/https://www.sevendaysvt.com/OffMessage/archives/2021/02/21/weinberger-breaks-fundraising-record-in-burlington-mayors-race-tracy-boasts-most-donors . June 6, 2021.
  19. Web site: Burlington Mayoral Matchup 2021: Local groups host virtual mayoral candidates forum. January 14, 2021. VTDigger.
  20. Web site: 1/14/2021 - Burlington Wards 2 & 3 NPA. www.youtube.com.
  21. Web site: 2021-01-21. Burlington’s mayoral candidates clash over CityPlace project, policing in second debate. 2021-01-22. VTDigger. en-US.
  22. Web site: 1/21/2021 - VICII Burlington Mayoral Forum. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20210129214704/https://www.youtube.com/watch?list=PLljLFn4BZd2MbdoB13aZa_F00fCfudPVi&v=hvODVyfWrMs&feature=emb_logo . January 29, 2021 .
  23. Web site: Promotions. Seven Days. Debate: Burlington's Mayoral Matchup, February 5. 2021-01-28. Seven Days. en.
  24. Web site: Promotions. Seven Days. Debate: Burlington's Mayoral Matchup, February 5. 2021-01-21. Seven Days. en.
  25. Web site: WCAX Burlington mayoral debate Sunday. WCAX News. Team. www.wcax.com.
  26. Web site: Team. WCAX News. YCQM: Feb. 21, 2021. 2021-02-22. www.wcax.com. en.
  27. News: March 3, 2021 . Statement of Votes Cast For Jurisdiction Wide, All Counters, All Races unofficial results . Burlington, Vermont city clerk . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20210310104233/https://www.burlingtonvt.gov/sites/default/files/GEMS%20SOVC%20REPORT_6.pdf . March 10, 2021.

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