# 1997 Burlington, Vermont mayoral election

"none" is preferred when the title is sufficiently descriptive; see [[WP:SDNONE]]
Elections in Vermont :
Federal government
Presidential elections
1792
1796
1800
1804
1808
1812
1816
1820
1824
1828
1832
1836
1840
1844
1848
1852
1856
1860
1864
1868
1872
1876
1880
1884
1888
1892
1896
1900
1904
1908
1912
1916
1920
1924
1928
1932
1936
1940
1944
1948
1952
1956
1960
1964
1968
1972
1976
1980
1984
1988
1992
1996
2000
2004
2008
2012
2016
2020
2024
Presidential primaries
Democratic
2000
2004
2008
2012
2016
2020
2024
Republican
2008
2012
2016
2020
2024
U.S. Senate elections
1791
1794
1796
1796 sp
1797 sp
1800
1801 sp
1802
1806
1807 sp
1808
1809
1812
1814
1817 sp
1818
1818 sp
1821
1825
1827
1831
1833
1833 sp
1837
1839
1842 sp
1843
1845
1848
1850
1854 sp
1855
1856
1861
1862
1866
1866 sp
1868
1872
1874
1878
1880
1884
1886
1890
1892
1892 sp
1896
1898
1900 sp
1902
1904
1908
1908 sp
1909 sp
1910
1914
1916
1920
1922
1923 sp
1926
1928
1931 sp
1932
1934
1934 sp
1938
1940
1940 sp
1944
1946
1946 sp
1950
1952
1956
1958
1962
1964
1968
1970
1972 sp
1974
1976
1980
1982
1986
1988
1992
1994
1998
2000
2004
2006
2010
2012
2016
2018
2022
2024
2028
U.S. House elections
1791
1793
1794/95
1796/97
1797
2nd sp
1798
1800
1802/03
1804/05
1806
1808
1st sp
1810
1812
1814
1816
1818
1820/21
1822
1824
AL sp
1826/27
1828/29
1830/32
1831
2nd sp
1832
1st sp
1833
1834
5th sp
1836
1838
1840
1843
1844
1846
1848
1849
3rd sp
1850
1852
1854
1856
1858
1860
1863
1864
1866
1868
1870
1872
1874
1876
1878
1880
1882
1884
1886
1888
1890
1892
1894
1896
1898
1900
1902
1904
1906
1908
1910
1912
1914
1916
1918
1920
1922
1923
2nd sp
1924
1926
1928
1930
1932
1934
AL sp
1936
1938
1940
1942
1944
1946
1948
1950
1952
1954
1956
1958
1960
1962
1964
1966
1968
1970
1972
AL sp
1974
1976
1978
1980
1982
1984
1986
1988
1990
1992
1994
1996
1998
2000
2002
2004
2006
2008
2010
2012
2014
2016
2018
2020
2022
2024 :
State government
General elections
2002
2004
2006
2008
2012
2014
2016
2018
2020
2022
Gubernatorial elections
1778
1779
1780
1781
1782
1783
1784
1785
1786
1787
1788
1789
1790
1791
1792
1793
1794
1795
1796
1797
1798
1799
1800
1801
1802
1803
1804
1805
1806
1807
1808
1809
1810
1811
1812
1813
1814
1815
1816
1817
1818
1819
1820
1821
1822
1823
1824
1825
1826
1827
1828
1829
1830
1831
1832
1833
1834
1835
1836
1837
1838
1839
1840
1841
1842
1843
1844
1845
1846
1847
1848
1849
1850
1851
1852
1853
1854
1855
1856
1857
1858
1859
1860
1861
1862
1863
1864
1865
1866
1867
1868
1869
1870
1872
1874
1876
1878
1880
1882
1884
1886
1888
1890
1892
1894
1896
1898
1900
1902
1904
1906
1908
1910
1912
1914
1916
1918
1920
1922
1924
1926
1928
1930
1932
1934
1936
1938
1940
1942
1944
1946
1948
1950
1952
1954
1956
1958
1960
1962
1964
1966
1968
1970
1972
1974
1976
1978
1980
1982
1984
1986
1988
1990
1992
1994
1996
1998
2000
2002
2004
2006
2008
2010
2012
2014
2016
2018
2020
2022
2024
2026
Lieutenant gubernatorial elections
2022
2024
Attorney General elections
2022
2024
Senate elections
2014
2016
2018
2020
2022
2024
House of Representatives elections
2016
2018
2020
2022
2024 :
Ballot measures
2022
Proposal 2
Proposal 5 :
Burlington
Mayoral elections
1979
1981
1983
1985
1987
1989
1991
1993
1995
1997
1999
2001
2003
2006
2009
2012
2015
2018
2021
2024 :
vte :
On March 4, 1997, a mayoral election was held in Burlington, Vermont. Incumbent Progressive Coalition Mayor Peter Clavelle won reelection against three independent candidates.

## Background

Peter Brownell's victory in the 1993 election against Progressive Coalition Mayor Peter Clavelle was the first time a Republican had won Burlington's mayoralty since Edward A. Keenan left office in 1965, and ended the Progressive's control over the mayoralty which started with Bernie Sanders' victory in the 1981 election.
However, Clavelle returned to office and defeated Brownell in the 1995 election. By the time of the 1997 election, the city council was composed of 6 Progressives, 5 Republicans, 2 Democrats, and an independent.

## Nominations

Clavelle announced on December 2, 1996, that he would seek reelection and received the Progressive nomination without opposition on December 9.
The Democratic and Republican parties did not run candidates against Clavelle. John Patch, a Democratic candidate for city council, said the Democrats did not field a candidate as Clavelle "has been a pretty good Democrat". Kurt Wright declined to seek the Republican nomination.

## Campaign

Clavelle, lacking any major party opponents, used campaign money to hold a party attended by Progressive city councilors. Steve Hingtgen was Clavelle's campaign manager and expected to spend 1/4th of what Clavelle spent in 1995. He and Peter Baker were the only paid members of Clavelle's staff. The campaign focused on aiding Progressive city council candidates win.
Independent candidates Beaudin, Brown, and Capps were Clavelle's only opponents. Beaudin and Brown ran in the 1995 election as well. Brown spent $600 on a fundraising event in the Contois Auditorium in January 1997, but it was attended by nobody except one TV news reporter. Maja Capps did not raise any money as he was against the idea. Beaudin was vacationing in Florida until ten days before the election.
A mayoral forum sponsored by the Burlington Waterfront Board was held on February 19.
Clavelle won the election with over 70% of the popular vote. In the concurrent city council elections the Progressives maintained their seats while the Republicans lost one to the Democrats.

## Results

1997 Burlington, Vermont mayoral election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Progressive Coalition | Peter Clavelle (incumbent) | 4,487 | 76.13% |
| | Independent | Louis Beaudin | 413 | 7.01% |
| | Independent | Michael Brown | 398 | 6.75% |
| | Independent | Maja Capps | 216 | 3.66% |
| | Write-in | Write-in | 380 | 6.45% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 5,894 | 100.00% |