You can feel the political fervor in the air. Tomorrow is primary day here in Vermont. More political signs are popping up. I saw my first Symington lawn sign this morning in Burlington's Hill Section.
There are some 19 known primary races around the state - from lieutenant governor on down through various legislative seats. But if the town clerks think tomorrow will be an easy day, consider all the write-ins they'll be counting.
The Progressives and the Republicans have a swarm coming.
The Progressive Party's entire statewide slate is via write-in. When Anthony Pollina became an independent, the party had nobody running for statewide office. A party has to snare 5 percent of the vote in a general election to achieve major-party status in the next election (Congress doesn't count). By its very wording, "major-party status" sounds nifty, so the Progs are scurrying to save that.
Here's the slate of write-in they are pushing:
Governor: Anthony Pollina
Lt. Governor: Richard Kemp
Secretary of State: Marjorie Power
Attorney General: Charlotte Dennett
Treasurer: Don Schramm
Auditor of Accounts: Martha Abbott
The Republicans couldn't manage a full slate of candidates by the party filing deadline in July, but they've come up with some more names since. They'll have five to add to Diane Snelling's
for Chittenden Senate. They are:
Darren Adams (who ran two years ago)
Dennis Bedard
Agnes Clift (who ran two years ago)
Robyn Myers Moore
Paul Spadaccini (who ran in 2004)
Republicans are pushing for write-in votes for Mary Houle for state House in Richmond. She is Selectboard chairwoman. The GOP was caught without a candidate in July when incumbent Denise Barnard opted to run for state Senate.
And former Rep. Frank Mazur will make a comeback attempt via write-in for the House in South Burlington. He was ousted four years ago by Michele Kupersmith, but word is that while Kupersmith is on the ballot, she plans to drop out. Presumably, the Dems will have a write-in for that slot too, which we'll add to this list just as soon as they cough it up.
- Terri Hallenbeck
