Democratic-Progressive candidate Ali Dieng easily won a special election Tuesday to take the recently vacated Ward 7 seat on the Burlington City Council.
The first-time candidate won 610 votes, more than double the tally of his nearest competitor, Republican Vince Dober, who finished with 302 votes. Independents Ellie Blais and Chris Trombly earned 47 and 29 votes, respectively. Dieng will be the only nonwhite member of the council and the second New American to ever serve on the city’s legislative body.
Dieng will replace Democrat Tom Ayres, who stepped down to take a new job in Randolph.
As the results were posted at the Robert Miller Community and Recreation Center minutes after polls closed at 7 p.m., the 35-year-old Dieng was all smiles. He said he wasn’t surprised at the margin of victory. “We won handily, like we won handily in the caucuses,” he said. “We worked hard.”
Dieng had been knocking on doors across the ward since he announced in April. The effort paid off: 989 voters, nearly a quarter of those registered in the district, turned out. Throughout the day Tuesday, Dieng and a posse of volunteers stood outside the New North End voting venue, greeting residents despite intermittent rain showers.
The New North End has long been Burlington’s most conservative district; neighboring Ward 4 is represented by Kurt Wright, the only Republican on the city council.
Voters were attracted by his vision for the area, Dieng said. He ran on a platform of building community cohesion and engagement, increased access to childcare, affordable housing, improved transportation, and engaging residents in the political process. Sen. Bernie Sanders’ (I-Vt.) organization Our Revolution, which supports Progressive candidates, endorsed Dieng.
Voters “saw the excitement we brought to the campaign,” Dieng said, as he hustled out to attend a celebratory party. “Republicans, Progressives, Democrats, young people, old people — people showed up.”
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Great news for the new North End, and for Burlington as a whole. He’ll be a great addition to the City Council (or who knows what beyond that…)
I’ve been blessed to represent the people of the New North End for the past four years. I thank everyone for giving me the opportunity to serve. I salute all the candidates who stepped forward to succeed me as the new Ward 7 city councillor. Vince Dober and Ellie Blais have served Burlington honorably in the past. Chris Trombly, a dedicated public servant, ran a thoughtful race for the Ward 7 seat. Heartfelt congratulations to Ali Dieng, who won a convincing, overwhelming victory in today’s election to succeed me.
Ali’s victory heralds a bold new direction for the NNE and the city. It means we’re embracing the future of our neighborhoods and not adhering to the tired dogma of the past. It means, just as responses to the most recent survey about the changes to North Avenue suggest, that we’re open to safer, more accessible streets and sidewalks for everyone. It means we in the NNE – and citywide – embrace and support the New Americans and young families in our midst, building toward a united community that treats everyone with respect, appreciation, and understanding, It means we’ve rejected the most strident and myopic views of those among us, who’ve argued that moving toward a more vibrant, green, accessible city, as well as a city more accepting of diverse cultural perspectives, is not the right direction. It signals a renewed dedication to socioeconomic justice, multiculturalism, and the equitable policing practices that have long been the hallmark of this great city.
Thanks again for the opportunity to serve for the past 4+ years. Please join me in congratulating Ali and wishing him the best as he takes the issues so dear to his soul to City Hall in the years ahead. He represents the brightest future for Burlington and the NNE.
Beautiful. Very well put, Tom. Best wishes in your new gig and thanks for all you have done for our city!