Shannon Raises Nearly Twice as Much as Mulvaney-Stanak in Burlington Mayor's Race

Joan Shannon (left) and Emma Mulvaney-Stanak Credit: File: James Buck/Courtney Lamdin

Updated on Tuesday, February 6.

Democratic City Councilor Joan Shannon has raised nearly twice as much money as her Progressive competitor, Vermont Rep. Emma Mulvaney-Stanak, in the race for Burlington mayor.

Shannon has raked in just under $132,124 from 651 contributors since her campaign kickoff in the fall, according to campaign finance reports filed with the Vermont Secretary of State’s Office on Sunday.

Her initial fundraising haul is almost equal to what Mayor Miro Weinberger raised during his entire 2021 reelection campaign — $134,638. And there’s still a month to go before the Town Meeting Day election on March 5.

Mulvaney-Stanak, meantime, raised $67,052 from 514 donors, the report shows. The majority of both candidates’ donors gave $100 or less.

Neither Chris Haessly nor Will Emmons, two independents who only recently entered the race, filed a report.

City Council President Karen Paul, who lost the Democratic nomination to Shannon, raised about $41,000 and spent almost all of it, the filings show.

Shannon touted her efforts in an email to supporters on Sunday evening.

“No Mayoral campaign in Burlington’s history has recorded as many contributions and contributors as our All Hands on Deck movement, and we are just getting started,” Shannon wrote, referencing her campaign slogan. “I never thought that I would have the privilege and opportunity to be running for Mayor of Burlington and I certainly did not expect this level of support.”

Though Mulvaney-Stanak fell short of Shannon’s haul, her campaign said the total is more than she expected to raise during the entire race.

“We are on track to raise significantly more than any other Progressive candidate for mayor in the history of Burlington,” her campaign said in an email to supporters. “That is a broad coalition of support.”

Donors to Shannon’s campaign include former attorney general T.J. Donovan ($250), former Vermont governor Howard Dean ($400) and Higher Ground co-owner Alan Newman ($1,000). Former Burlington Police Commission chair Michele Asch donated $1,200, though the campaign had to refund her $80; candidates can only accept up to $1,120 per person in an election cycle.

Former city attorney Eileen Blackwood chipped in $250, and Williston resident Ted Kenney, who unsuccessfully challenged Chittenden County State’s Attorney Sarah George in 2022, donated $150. Vonnie Murad, wife of Burlington Police Chief Jon Murad, gave $200.

Several landlords and developers also donated, including Doug Nedde ($1,100), Ernie Pomerleau ($1,120) and Stephen Unsworth ($1,120).

An earlier version of Shannon’s report said she used $9,145 of her own money in the campaign, but it has since been updated to reflect that the money came from her city council campaign account.

Mulvaney-Stanak has support from Vermont Attorney General Charity Clark ($250), former Burlington city councilor Vince Brennan ($435) and South End resident Jason Van Driesche ($250), who lost the South District’s Democratic nomination to Shannon in 2022.

Former city councilor Max Tracy, who challenged Weinberger for mayor in 2021, emptied his campaign war chest, adding $189.16 to Mulvaney-Stanak’s haul. Outgoing Councilor Zoraya Hightower (P-Ward 1) donated $1,100 from her 2020 campaign, plus $1,000 of her own cash. Mulvaney-Stanak also donated about $617 from her Emma for House Rep account to herself.

Mulvaney-Stanak’s report includes more than two dozen donors who live out of state. Daryn Forgeron, Mulvaney-Stanak’s campaign manager, said most are people the candidate knows from her previous work as a labor organizer “on the national level” and from her days at Smith College in Northampton, Mass.

Shannon spent nearly $60,000 while Mulvaney-Stanak spent about $35,000, including $5,400 on yard signs, $5,000 on postcards and $1,060 on brochures.

A large chunk of Shannon’s spending — $10,741 — went toward “miscellaneous printing,” a category that covers campaign swag such as buttons and apparel. She’s also spent about $1,780 on Facebook advertising and $1,675 on advertisements in the North Avenue News.

Both campaigns buy local to feed volunteers: Team Shannon enjoyed the fare at Myer’s Bagels and the Spot; Mulvaney-Stanak’s troops were treated to Miss Weinerz doughnuts and food from City Market. And when it came to pizza, both campaigns opted for Leonardo’s.

Two additional campaign finance reports are due before the election, on February 24 and March 1.