click to enlarge - Rachel Hellman ©️ Seven Days
Town Meeting Day has arrived. As Vermonters head to the polls to hash out everything from snowplow purchases to bond votes, we’ll be keeping track of results.
In many towns, tradition perseveres. Elsewhere, change is afoot.
In Bethel, voters are heading to the town’s
first ever Town Meeting Day Opening Ceremony, where they’ll be greeted by a gaggle of cheerleaders. In Peacham, residents can enjoy a slice of Town Meeting Day pie, a longtime tradition.
Voters in Newfane might pass a resolution calling for a cease-fire in Gaza, while in Winooski, community members will decide whether to approve a bond for a new bridge.
In a number of Vermont communities, ballots will be shorter thanks to
unexpected spikes in school taxes. State lawmakers have given towns permission to postpone school budget votes until school boards have a chance to reconsider, and perhaps reduce, spending to hold down tax increases.
In Burlington, voters
will pick a new mayor for the first time in 12 years. It’s widely expected that either Rep. Emma Mulvaney-Stanak (P/D-Burlington) or City Councilor Joan Shannon (D-South District) will become the Burlington's first-ever woman mayor.
Independents Will Emmons and Chris Haessly round out the ballot.
If you’re still deciding which of those candidates to vote for, consider watching
a recording of our candidate forum or reading our
cover story outlining the candidates' perspectives on key issues.
The election also marks the city’s
return to ranked-choice voting, a system that allows voters to indicate their second, third and fourth choices.
Beyond local issues, Vermonters will vote in the U.S. presidential primary election. In Super Tuesday contests around the nation, more than one-third of all the available delegates for both the Republican and Democratic nominations are at stake, making it the biggest day nationwide for primary elections.
On Sunday, Republican presidential hopeful Nikki Haley — who got a boost from Gov. Phil Scott, who is also a Republican —
spoke at a well-attended rally in South Burlington. Vermont has open primaries, meaning voters can select whichever party's ballot they wish; Democrats, Progressives and independents could vote in the GOP primary if they are so inclined.
If you haven’t registered to vote yet, it’s not too late! You can still register on
the Vermont Secretary of State’s website or at your local town clerk’s office — up to and including on the day of the vote.
Seven Days reporters will be up late to provide the latest results and will share our findings.