Vermont's Town Meeting Day was Tuesday, March 2. As with many things during the pandemic, it looked a little different. Some neighbors used to gathering in historic halls to debate warning articles attended virtual sessions and voted later by Australian ballot. Other meetings were postponed all together.
Scroll down for reports and results from VPR staff.
Wednesday
Results continued to flow in overnight and into Wednesday morning.
1:51 p.m.
Voters in 24 towns agreed to allow retail marijuana shops to open up in Tuesday’s Town Meeting Day elections.
Vermont’s new tax-and-regulate cannabis law says towns have to hold a vote before allowing pot shops to open.
And yesterday’s Town Meeting Day election was the first chance for municipalities to weigh in on the issue.
Towns like Burlington and Brattleboro were expected to approve their cannabis measures Tuesday, and they did.
But Eli Harrington, who’s a pro-cannabis advocate, says a lot of small towns also supported retail pot.
“And I think a lot of places, if you would have asked three or four years ago if they would have approved this, it would have been a hard no,” Harington said. “So it really shows how much things have changed.”
Harrington said the state now must set up the rules and regulations for the new industry.
Only three towns, Richmond, Lyndon and Newport rejected the cannabis question on Town Meeting Day.
- Howard Weiss-Tisman
11:50 a.m.
Dozens of Vermont towns approved retail cannabis for their communities at Town Meeting Day.
The issue was warned by 25 municipalities statewide.
Vermont's marijuana laws require towns to vote on whether they'll allow local cannabis operations. With local approval, pot shops could open by October 2022.
Among the towns to allow local cannabis operations are Bennington, Winooski, Brandon and Danville.
It was rejected by voters in Newport City and Richmond, with the "nays" getting about 4% more votes than the "yays".
Voters in the town of Lyndon strongly rejected the measure, with the "no's" getting 13% more votes.
- Matthew Smith
9:41 a.m.
Bennington voters once again rejected a chance to pivot to a mayor-led city government at Town Meeting yesterday.
The Bennington Banner reports it was the fifth time voters were asked – and declined – to amend the town charter to change to a mayoral form of municipal management, and abandon its longstanding town manager and select board model.
Bennington voters passed a $14 million budget, and created a town fund for recreation projects. They also approved a measure allowing cannabis cultivation and retail businesses in town, when state laws permit them starting next year.
- Matthew Smith
9:39 a.m.
Voters in South Burlington approved a nearly $56 million school budget at their town meeting day.
VTDigger reports voters approved two other ballot questions linked to school funding, including $2.5 million to replace the school's roof and other building upgrades.
More than 64% of South Burlington voters also approved a nearly $51 million city budget, and a $4 million fund for highway and intersection improvements.
- Matthew Smith
9:03 a.m.
The City of Vergennes has a new mayor.
The Addison Independentreports former City Manager and City Councilor Matt Chabot won his bid Tuesday against incumbent Mayor Lynn Donnelly, with 441 votes to Donnelly's 96. Donnelly ran as a write-in.
Vergennes has a new mayor: former City Councilor and City Manager Matt Chabot. He turned back a write-in challenge from incumbent Mayor Lynn Donnelly, 441-96. #vtpoli #tmdvt
— Addison Independent (@addyindy) March 3, 2021
Three seats up for grabs on the city council were won by former Addison Northwest School District board member Susan Rakowski and incumbents Ian Huizenga and Mel Hawley. They defeated multi-term incumbent and acting deputy mayor Lowell Bertrand and Raymond Paul.
The Little City also backed allowing cannabis shops, 387-185.
- Abagael Giles
8:29 a.m.
Winooski voters sent a clear message to the state at their Town Meeting yesterday: no more F-35 flights over the city.
More than 720 voters – about two-thirds of the votes cast – supported a measure to "urge the State of Vermont to halt F-35 training flights in a densely populated area."
It's unknown what, if any, effect the measure will have on the Vermont Air National Guard's regular flights of the fighter jets.
Since 2018, voters in Burlington, South Burlington and Winooski have passed multiple ballot measures criticizing the F-35 jets as a sonic nuisance, a health hazard or otherwise unsuitable for basing near the three cities.
Winooski voters also re-elected Mayor Kristin Lott and city councilor James Duncan. Write-in candidate Bryn Oakleaf also secured a city council seat, getting more votes than three candidates on the ballot and six other write-in candidates.
- Matthew Smith
8:19 a.m.
The Pawlet select board will have two new select board members, and the owner of a controversial shooting range near town will not be among them.
Daniel Banyai is in the midst of a lawsuit, filed against him and his Slate Ridge training facility by the town of Pawlet.
Banyai announced last month he'd seek one of the open seats, but he came in last place in the vote yesterday for his bid for both the three-year seat and one-year seats.
Winning the three-year seat was Banyai's neighbor and Slate Ridge critic, Rich Hulett. Jessica Van Oort won the one-year seat.
Former state representative John Malcom was also re-elected to a one-year term.
- Matthew Smith
8:16 a.m.
At least 19 Vermont towns approved retail cannabis for their community at Town Meeting Day.
More than two dozen municipalities warned the issue statewide.
Among the towns to allow local cannabis sales are Burlington, Middlebury, Montpelier and Brattleboro.
Results for a few towns are still pending, but VTDigger reports Lyndon voters rejected local pot shops, with a vote of 181 "nays" to 137 "yays."
And WCAX reports voters in Richmond also rejected the measure by more than 60 votes.
Vermont's marijuana laws require towns to vote on whether they'll allow local cannabis operations. With local approval, pot shops could open by October 2022.
- Matthew Smith
7:56 a.m.
Another effort to merge the municipal operations of the town of Essex with the village of Essex Junction failed at yesterday's Town Meeting.
Voters in the town of Essex rejected the merger by just 17 votes. The measure had been approved by village voters last fall.
Numerous merger votes have been held in the past. The town and village have consolidated some services over the years, but officials say further consolidation requires a formal merger.
- Matthew Smith
7:55 a.m.
Burlington Mayor Miro Weinberger narrowly won re-election to a fourth term last night.
Weinberger, a Democrat, got about 43% of the vote, while City Councilor Max Tracy, a Progressive, got 42%.
Weinberger says he was humbled by his slim margin of victory.
“I think we have hard work to do to forge consensus on some key issues: public safety, housing, how we move forward with racial justice,” Weinberger said. “I think in the results you see there's some real disagreement about that.”
Independent City Councilor Ali Dieng who also challenged Weinberger, received nearly 13% of the votes cast.
- Liam Elder-Connors
7:40 a.m.
Voters in four Windham County towns rejected a Town Meeting Day question that would have broken up their school district merged as a result of Act 46.
Brattleboro, Guilford, Putney and Dummerston all voted down a proposal Tuesday to dissolve the Windham Southeast School District.
All of the towns opposed the consolidation in 2017, and the state ordered the merger under Act 46, an education reform law that's let to dozens of Vermont towns and school districts merging into new union school districts.
Opponents of Act 46 wanted to force the vote this year, but there was an organized campaign to push back against the vote during the pandemic.
The results mean Brattleboro, Guilford, Putney and Dummerston will continue working together as one district.
- Howard Weiss-Tisman
Tuesday
9:14 p.m.
It appears that @MiroBTV will remain mayor, with a very slim margin of 129 over @maxformayorbtv. #btv #tmdvt pic.twitter.com/w1xeVq3hHd
— Liam Elder-Connors (@lseconnors) March 3, 2021
Unofficial results show Burlington Mayor Miro Weinberger won a fourth term Tuesday night, in a close win over City Council President and Progressive nominee Max Tracy.
- Liam Elder-Connors
9:13 p.m.
Rutland voters reelected Mayor David Allaire for a third term.
The 65-year old beat a record six challengers this year. According to PEG-TV, unofficial results showed Allaire won 39% of the votes with Chris Ettori, a long-time member of the city’s Board of Aldermen, coming in second with 29%.
Rutland voters also passed the city’s municipal and school budgets.
And in a crowded and hotly contested race for school board, Charlene Seward, Tricia O’Connor and Stephanie Stoodley won seats.
The three have been loud critics of the decision to change the name of Rutland High School’s mascot from the Raiders to the Ravens. School commissioners voted to retire the Raider name after a group of students and alumni complained it was offensive to Native Americans.
Seward, O'Connor and Stoodley campaigned together and promised voters that, if elected, they would demand the Board of School Commissioners reconsider the name change.
- Nina Keck
More from VPR: Rocky Road Away From ‘The Raiders’: The Controversy Over Rutland High School’s Mascot
6:51 p.m.
Although most Vermont municipalities traded in-person town meetings for some amalgamation of safer, remote options to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus, plenty of Vermonters still made their way to polling places today to drop off ballots.
In Essex Junction, voters opined on the importance of Town Meeting Day, a centuries-old tradition that puts direct democracy front and center.
“Oh, Town Meeting Day is probably my second favorite holiday after the Fourth of July. I'm sad because COVID has prevented us from gathering, but we had a fabulous informational meeting on Zoom last night, so it went great. And hopefully next year, we'll all be able to gather again, hold our community dinner, you know, sing the national anthem together, and do all the things, and just discuss with our neighbors the important things that are going on in our community. That'll never go away. We'll still gather to do that.” – Elaine Haney, Essex Select Board member.
Essex Junction resident James Pfeiffer, who recently moved from New Orleans, said while it may be easy to focus on Congress, local government is the force that most affects one's day-to-day life.
“But keeping the lights on and keeping the roads plowed, you know, that's what the mayors and the councilmen and the, you know, town leadership is for. There's a guy whose job is to plow the sidewalks and he has a tiny little plow. It was the most amazing thing the first time I saw that.
But just thinking that there's somebody in an office somewhere that has to make sure that that person has their equipment, you know, is trained, and knows where to go out, and where to go and they coordinate all that – I mean that's what local government does.” – James Pfeiffer
- Leah Kelleher for the Community News Service
6:16 p.m.
The Town of Essex and Village of Essex Junction are once again voting on whether or not to merge.
This marks the nineteenth time the town and village have voted on this issue.
At the Essex Junction polls today, voters were met with a large yellow street sign that read "merge." Essex Junction resident Mike Sullivan was holding the sign, and said the merger is a contentious issue between the town and village.
"I think things will get more efficient," Sullivan said. "I think some people say, 'No, no, that doesn't happen,' but no, it does."
Elaine Haney is a member of the Essex select board running for reelection. She says the merger will allow the town and village to share resources and a community vision.
"We're looking to save money, but also, going into the future, we want a single vision for our community. Things like, how to invest in recreation, how to invest in our businesses, how to speak with one voice in Montpelier," she said.
If the merger passes, different versions of both the town and village charters will be sent to the Legislature for approval.
- Leah Kelleher for the Community News Service
2:35 p.m.
In Mendon, voters went to the town garage to cast their votes on Tuesday, instead of the usual polling place. Poll workers checked residents in and out from behind Plexiglas barriers, and the coffee and baked goods was cordoned off behind a large plastic barrier.
Mendon Town Meeting voting before and after Covid-19. Nancy Gondella, Mendon Town Clerk says voters keeping asking her when they'll have cake again. (sigh) #VPR #TownMeetingVT2021 pic.twitter.com/6ynhpchhFX
— Nina Keck (@NinaPKeck) March 2, 2021
Poll volunteer Mary Rizk said this new arrangement allowed voters to see directly where their tax dollars go, ahead of voting on the town budget.
Because of Covid, Mendon volunteer Mary Rizk was working the polls in the town's garage today. "It's great," she said pointing to the road grader, "because when you vote the budget you can see exactly where your money is going." #VPR #TownMeetingVT2021 pic.twitter.com/UdRxDHVRKo
— Nina Keck (@NinaPKeck) March 2, 2021
- Nina Keck
2 p.m.
In Winooski Tuesday morning, signs reminded voters to cast their ballots at the senior center, the city's polling place.
- Henry Epp
12:01 p.m.
Burlington residents will choose their next mayor on this Town Meeting Day, with three-term Democratic Mayor Miro Weinberger hoping to keep his seat.
Weinberger faces challenges from two sitting members of the City Council: Progressive City Council President Max Tracy and Independent City Councilor Ali Dieng.
Four other independents are also on the ballot: Haik Bedrosian, Will Emmons, Kevin McGrath and Patrick White.
Burlington voters who have not mailed or dropped their ballots off can vote in-person Tuesday at local polling places.
- Karen Anderson
More from VPR: A Rundown Of The 2021 Burlington Mayoral Race
12 p.m.
Several Franklin County towns held informational meetings ahead of Town Meeting Day as most towns in the county will vote by Australian ballot this year.
St. Albans City and Town polls will be open for voting and ballot drop-off from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. today.
According to The St. Albans Messenger, one of the top agendas for St. Albans Town voters is a decision on a proposal for a new town hall, a longtime goal of officials to replace the existing 120 year-old meeting space.
In Sheldon, voters who decide to cast their ballot in person today will do so via a drive-through system at the town hall.
And Montgomery and Richford polls open at 10 a.m. today. Voters there will decide whether or not their municipalities should allow for recreational marijuana businesses to set up shop.
- Karen Anderson
11:57 a.m.
On Town Meeting Day, voters in Essex town and Essex Junction will decide whether to merge the two communities into a single municipality.
VTDigger reports that supporters of the merger say it would help consolidate municipal services, a process that's already underway. Critics say it would increase the tax burden on residents of Essex town.
This issue has come up before: in 2006, voters narrowly approved a merger but then overturned it a few months later, according to The Burlington Free Press.
- Henry Epp
11:48 a.m.
Bennington voters will take up a perennial local issue on Town Meeting Day: whether to change the town charter to have an elected mayor.
Currently, the town is run by a select board, which hires a town manager.
An elected mayor would replace the manager position, The Bennington Banner reports. If voters choose to have a mayor, the town would hold a mayoral election at the next town meeting.
The paper says this issue has come up in four previous votes and has been defeated every time.
- Henry Epp
11:45 a.m.
At Tuesday’s town meeting, six Addison County towns will decide whether or not the town of Ripton stays in the Addison Central School District.
Voters in Bridport, Cornwall, Middlebury, Salisbury, Shoreham and Weybridge must all vote in favor of Ripton’s bid to go it alone in order for that plan to move forward.
The Addison Independent reports the state board of education will also need to sign off on the break-up.
Ripton voted in favor of leaving the district in January.
- Henry Epp
More from VPR: In Battle Over Act 46 Merger, Ripton Tries To Save Its School
Monday
4:30 p.m.
Local officials in a number of smaller Vermont towns say they are very reluctant to give up their traditional town meetings.
This year, because of health concerns surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic, many communities that traditionally hold floor meetings have opted to decide local issues using the Australian ballot.
Andy McLean is the town clerk in Dover.
"The Australian ballot cuts out so much of our direct democracy process at town meeting," McLean said. "It isolates the very last little bit of that process, the actual vote, and takes it away from all of the discussion, the ability to make amendments."
Dover has postponed its town meeting until May 18. Officials hope it will be safe to bring residents together at that time.
- Bob Kinzel
4:10 p.m.
In the crowded race for Rutland's board of aldermen, a slate of six political newcomers are making equity and inclusion central to their campaigns.
And they’re hoping to sway voters under the banner "Rutland Foward."
Former Mayor Jeffrey Wennberg says it is a unique approach.
“A group of candidates for aldermen who are technically running against each other, but they're actually running kind of as a team, which is very, very, very unusual," Wennberg said. "It'll be very interesting to see how that works out."
Some current aldermen have come under fire for their views on diversity and for racially insensitive social media posts.
Among those hoping to change that: An openly gay 25-year-old public policy specialist who moved to Rutland less than a year ago, a seventh-generation Rutland educator, and the son of a long time deputy state’s attorney in Rutland.
- Nina Keck
Read more of VPR's Town Meeting Day coverage:
- Reporter Debrief: A Rundown Of The 2021 Burlington Mayoral Race
- Hartford Confronts Racism, Misogyny & Classism After Select Board Member Resigns Over Harassment
- This Year, Many Vt. Towns Are Grappling With How To Take Direct Democracy Digital
- In Vt., COVID-19 Means A Break From Town Meeting Day Tradition
- ‘Exercise In Social Solidarity’: On Town Meeting Day In Kirby, Vt.
- Reporter Debrief: To Sell Or Not To Sell Pot? About 20 Communities Will Consider It At Town Meeting
- A Most Unusual Year For Town Meeting Day
This post will be updated.
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