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Political notes from Free Press staff writers Terri Hallenbeck, Sam Hemingway and Nancy Remsen


3.03.2009

 

Who will it be for Burlington mayor?

As you may have heard, Burlington is voting for mayor today. From a field of four viable candidates, with instant runoff voting in play, it seems no one feels confident to predict a winner.

What do you think it'll be:

- Incumbent Progressive Bob Kiss, who three years ago surprised many by beating Democrat Hinda Miller and carries a Progressive mantle that has held consistent power in Burlington?

- Democrat Andy Montroll, who lost in the primary to Miller that year and is back for his own stab at it this year?

- Republican Kurt Wright, the unlikely council president in a city where Republicans could almost fit under one bus shelter?

- Independent Dan Smith, who's never held office but who has built an unusual network of supporters?

Even if you don't live in Burlington you can cast your entirely non-binding, unscientific, not-to-be-misconstrued-into-anything vote here.

- Terri Hallenbeck

Comments:
Round 1

Wright
Kiss
Smith
Montroll
Other Guy

Round 2

Wright
Kiss
Smith
Montroll

Round 3

Kiss
Smith
Wright

Round 4

Kiss
Smith

Kiss is Re-Elected
 
Local dems are so fed up with the Prog Mafia that they will list Montroll first, Wright second. So initial tally looks like this:

Kiss 30%
Wright 26%
Montroll 24%
Smith 18%
Other guy 2%

BUT while Kiss picks up a few points when the "other guy" is eliminated in the first runoff tabulation, the vast majority of Smith's votes in the second runoff go to Wright . . . and then a solid majority of Montroll's votes in the third round go to Wright, putting him over the top.

And on Wednesday, Progs call for ditching IRV . . .
 
Many thanks to the Prog Mafia for making Burlington such a great town.
 
Congratulations to the Mayor on his fabricated "majority" win. Even though more Burlington voters went to the polls and pulled the lever for another candidate, I'm sure he'll do just fine.

HOLD YOU HEAD UP HIGH, MR. MAYOR! TAKE PRIDE IN COMING IN SECOND!
 
With apologies to John Kerry:

"I came in second twice before I came in first."
 
Not much to be proud of here!
 
Burlington voters voted overwhelming for this system as their election method. No one has complained before this election. Now suddenly it is inappropriate. Wonder what would have happened if Wright had won? Would we be hearing all of this griping?
 
Lots of whining, for sure. Kiss was favored by more voters, you have to face it. Burlington voters supported IRV and after both times it was used, voters said they like IRV and found it easy to rank the candidates. You have to present a argument as to how it didn't work. Being unhappy with the result isn't enough.
 
"No one has complained before this election."

Huh?

You've got a short memory there, fella. There was indeed griping after the first IRV election three years ago, when Republican candidate Kevin Curley gamed the system by publicly urging his supporters to pick Kiss, not Hinda, as their second choice. Lotsa griping. Burlingtonians were left to wonder how their election system gave them a complete nobody for a mayor.

But at least in that election the eventual winner, Mr. Nobody, did get the most votes in the first round. That made the election seem more legitimate.

This time the guy loses in two rounds and is still declared the winner? That's called a FARCE.
 
"This time the guy loses in two rounds and is still declared the winner? That's called a FARCE."

No it's called a legitimate election.
The law specifies that one must have 50% +1 vote in order to win. That was achieved,as it happened, on the third go-round. Kiss won it.
 
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