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2012 Burlington, Vermont mayoral election

Burlington mayoral election, 2012

← 2009 March 6, 2012 2015 →
 
Nominee Miro Weinberger Kurt Wright Wanda Hines
Party Democratic Republican Independent
Popular vote 5,801 3,746 506
Percentage 57.27% 36.98% 5.00%

Results by ward
Weinberger:      60–70%
Wright:      50–60%

Mayor before election

Bob Kiss
Progressive

Elected mayor

Miro Weinberger
Democratic

On March 6, 2012, a mayoral election was held in Burlington, Vermont. Incumbent Progressive Mayor Bob Kiss declined to seek reelection. Democratic nominee Miro Weinberger defeated Republican nominee Kurt Wright and independent candidate Wanda Hines.

Ranked choice voting, which was used in the two prior elections, was repealed in 2010, amid scandals and declining popularity for Kiss' administration. Kiss declined to seek reelection and the Progressives declined to run a candidate for the first time in their history.

Weinberger defeated Tim Ashe, a Progressive, for the Democratic nomination and was later endorsed by former Progressive mayors Bernie Sanders and Peter Clavelle. This was the most expensive mayoral election in Burlington's history and Weinberger had the record for most expensive campaign, besting the record set in 2006.

Background

Since Bernie Sanders' election as mayor in 1981, his allies and the Vermont Progressive Party had continuously held the mayoralty except for two years.[1]

Ranked choice voting was used in the 2006 and 2009 mayoral elections, but was repealed by a referendum in 2010.[2] David Zuckerman stated that the success of the repeal was due to Kiss' unpopularity and scandals in his administration.[3]

Nominations

Democratic

Nominated

Eliminated

Jason Lorber announced his campaign in August 2011,[7] Miro Weinberger on September 13,[4] and Bram Kranichfeld on September 14, 2011.[6] Ashe, a Progressive, was allowed by his party's by-laws to run for the Democratic nomination, but a Democrat could not run for the Progressive nomination.[8]

Three candidate forums were held.[9] The caucus on November 13 failed to select a winner after three rounds of balloting and a recount produced a tie between Ashe and Weinberger.[10] Another forum was held on December 8,[11] before Weinberger won the nomination on December 11.[12]

By October 14, Lorber raised $19,305.[13] Weinberg raised $42,320 and spent $49,961 while seeking the Democratic nomination.[14]

2012 Burlington, Vermont mayoral Democratic primary election[15][12]
Candidate Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Round 4
Votes % Votes % Votes % Votes %
Miro Weinberger 391 29.87% 390 32.05% 540 50.00% 655 55.13%
Tim Ashe 458 34.99% 471 38.70% 540 50.00% 533 44.87%
Bram Kranichfeld 354 27.04% 356 29.25% Eliminated
Jason Lorber 106 8.10% Eliminated

Progressive

Declined

Incumbent Mayor Bob Kiss declined to seek reelection on November 30, 2011.[16] The Progressives held their caucus on December 11, but postponed a decision on their mayoral nomination until January.[17] Ashe said that he would not accept the Progressive nomination if he lost the Democratic nomination.[18] On January 22, the caucus, which Kiss did not attend, unanimously voted to not run a mayoral candidate. This was the first time the party did not run a mayoral candidate.[19][20]

Republican

Kurt Wright announced his campaign on September 20, 2011,[21] rather than seek reelection to the city council.[19] Tayt Brooks stepped down as chair of the Vermont Republican Party so that he could help Wright's campaign.[22] Democratic city councilor Dave Hartnett co-chaired Wright's campaign with Republican Charlie Smith and Democratic Planning Commissioner John Ewing managed it.[23] He received the nomination on December 11, at a caucus attended by 12 people.[24]

Campaign

Wanda Hines launched an independent campaign on January 6, 2012.[25] Wright was the first Republican to receive the endorsement of the Burlington Police Officers Association since Peter Brownell in 1993.[26] All three candidates participated in a debate on February 22, that had questions asked from Twitter users.[27]

Wright called for Weinberger to join him in releasing weekly campaign finance reports and limited themselves to $40,000 in spending,[28] but Weinberger declined.[29] By February, Wright had raised $32,611 and spent $15,143 to be left with $16,478 on hand while Weinberger raised $67,389 and spent $63,759 to be left with $3,630 on hand.[14] Wright criticized Weinberger for an event in Washington D.C. that raised $8,000 for his campaign.[29] In total, Weinberger raised $126,343 and spent $125,015,[30] Wright raised $60,358 and spent $58,261, and Hines raised $2,930.[31] It was the most expensive mayoral election in the city's history[32] and Weinberger broke the record for most expensive campaign, which was held by Hinda Miller's $66,758 in 2006.[31]

In the concurrent city council elections the Progressives gained one seat while the Republicans lost one. This produced a composition of 7 Democrats, 3 Progressives, 2 Republicans, and 2 independents.[33]

2012 Burlington, Vermont mayoral election debates and forums
 No. Date & Time Host Moderator Link Participants
Key:
 P  Participant    A  Absent    N  Non-invitee    I  Invitee
Democratic Republican Independent
Miro Weinberger Kurt Wright Wanda Hines
  1[34]  
January 5, 2012
Burlington Business Association
Burlington Social Media Breakfast Club
P P
  2  
January 12, 2012
6:30 p.m. EDT[35]
AARP[36]
Jennifer Wallace-Brodeur
Chapin Spencer
Michael Townsend[37]
P P P
  3[38]  
January 23, 2012
Sustainability Academy
P P P
  4[39]  
February 1, 2012
Burlington College's Institute for Civic Engagement
P P P
  5[40]  
February 2, 2012
Ward 6 Neighborhood Planning Assembly
Jennifer Wallace-Brodeur
Chapin Spencer
Michael Townsend
P P P
  6[41]  
February 8, 2012
The Burlington Free Press
P P P

Election results

Burlington mayoral election, 2012[42]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Miro Weinberger 5,801 57.27%
Republican Kurt Wright 3,746 36.98%
Independent Wanda Hines 506 5.00%
Write-in 76 0.75%
Total votes 10,129 100.00%
Democratic gain from Progressive

Endorsements

List of Wanda Hines endorsements
Local officials
List of Bram Kranichfeld endorsements
List of Miro Weinberger endorsements
Federal officials
State officials
Local officials
List of Kurt Wright endorsements
State officials
Local officials
Organizations
  • Burlington Police Officers Association[26]
No endorsement
Organizations
  • Burlington Firefighters Union[55]

References

Works cited