# 2012 Burlington, Vermont mayoral election

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On March 6, 2012, a mayoral election was held in Burlington, Vermont. Incumbent Progressive Mayor Bob Kiss declined to seek reelection. Democratic nominee Miro Weinberger defeated Republican nominee Kurt Wright and independent candidate Wanda Hines.
Ranked choice voting, which was used in the two prior elections, was repealed in 2010, amid scandals and declining popularity for Kiss' administration. Kiss declined to seek reelection and the Progressives declined to run a candidate for the first time in their history.
Weinberger defeated Tim Ashe, a Progressive, for the Democratic nomination and was later endorsed by former Progressive mayors Bernie Sanders and Peter Clavelle. This was the most expensive mayoral election in Burlington's history and Weinberger had the record for most expensive campaign, besting the record set in 2006.

## Background

Since Bernie Sanders' election as mayor in 1981, his allies and the Vermont Progressive Party had continuously held the mayoralty except for two years.
Ranked choice voting was used in the 2006 and 2009 mayoral elections, but was repealed by a referendum in 2010. David Zuckerman stated that the success of the repeal was due to Kiss' unpopularity and scandals in his administration.

## Nominations
### Democratic

Nominated
* Miro Weinberger, developer and member of the Burlington Airport Commission
Eliminated
* Tim Ashe, member of the Vermont Senate (2009–2021) and Burlington City Council from the 3rd ward (2004–2008)
* Bram Kranichfeld, member of the Burlington City Council from the 2nd ward
* Jason Lorber, member of the Vermont House of Representatives (2005–2013)
Jason Lorber announced his campaign in August 2011, Miro Weinberger on September 13, and Bram Kranichfeld on September 14, 2011. Ashe, a Progressive, was allowed by his party's by-laws to run for the Democratic nomination, but a Democrat could not run for the Progressive nomination.
Three candidate forums were held. The caucus on November 13 failed to select a winner after three rounds of balloting and a recount produced a tie between Ashe and Weinberger. Another forum was held on December 8, before Weinberger won the nomination on December 11.
By October 14, Lorber raised $19,305. Weinberg raised $42,320 and spent $49,961 while seeking the Democratic nomination.
2012 Burlington, Vermont mayoral Democratic primary election :
| Candidate | Round 1 | Round 1 | Round 2 | Round 2 | Round 3 | Round 3 | Round 4 | Round 4 |
| Candidate | Votes | % | Votes | % | Votes | % | Votes | % |
| Miro Weinberger | 391 | 29.87% | 390 | 32.05% | 540 | 50.00% | 655 | 55.13% |
| Tim Ashe | 458 | 34.99% | 471 | 38.70% | 540 | 50.00% | 533 | 44.87% |
| Bram Kranichfeld | 354 | 27.04% | 356 | 29.25% | Eliminated | Eliminated | Eliminated | Eliminated |
| Jason Lorber | 106 | 8.10% | Eliminated | Eliminated | Eliminated | Eliminated | Eliminated | Eliminated |

### Progressive

Declined
* T. J. Donovan, State's Attorney of Chittenden County, Vermont (2007–2017) (Declined August 15, 2011)
* Bob Kiss, 41st Mayor of Burlington, Vermont (2006–2012) (Declined November 30, 2011)
Incumbent Mayor Bob Kiss declined to seek reelection on November 30, 2011. The Progressives held their caucus on December 11, but postponed a decision on their mayoral nomination until January. Ashe said that he would not accept the Progressive nomination if he lost the Democratic nomination. On January 22, the caucus, which Kiss did not attend, unanimously voted to not run a mayoral candidate. This was the first time the party did not run a mayoral candidate.

### Republican

Kurt Wright announced his campaign on September 20, 2011, rather than seek reelection to the city council. Tayt Brooks stepped down as chair of the Vermont Republican Party so that he could help Wright's campaign. Democratic city councilor Dave Hartnett co-chaired Wright's campaign with Republican Charlie Smith and Democratic Planning Commissioner John Ewing managed it. He received the nomination on December 11, at a caucus attended by 12 people.

## Campaign

Wanda Hines launched an independent campaign on January 6, 2012. Wright was the first Republican to receive the endorsement of the Burlington Police Officers Association since Peter Brownell in 1993. All three candidates participated in a debate on February 22, that had questions asked from Twitter users.
Wright called for Weinberger to join him in releasing weekly campaign finance reports and limited themselves to $40,000 in spending, but Weinberger declined. By February, Wright had raised $32,611 and spent $15,143 to be left with $16,478 on hand while Weinberger raised $67,389 and spent $63,759 to be left with $3,630 on hand. Wright criticized Weinberger for an event in Washington D.C. that raised $8,000 for his campaign. In total, Weinberger raised $126,343 and spent $125,015, Wright raised $60,358 and spent $58,261, and Hines raised $2,930. It was the most expensive mayoral election in the city's history and Weinberger broke the record for most expensive campaign, which was held by Hinda Miller's $66,758 in 2006.
In the concurrent city council elections the Progressives gained one seat while the Republicans lost one. This produced a composition of 7 Democrats, 3 Progressives, 2 Republicans, and 2 independents.
2012 Burlington, Vermont mayoral election debates and forums :
| No. | Date & Time | Host | Moderator | Link | Participants | Participants | Participants |
| Key: P Participant  A Absent  N Non-invitee  I Invitee | Key: P Participant  A Absent  N Non-invitee  I Invitee | Key: P Participant  A Absent  N Non-invitee  I Invitee | Key: P Participant  A Absent  N Non-invitee  I Invitee | Key: P Participant  A Absent  N Non-invitee  I Invitee | Democratic | Republican | Independent |
| Key: P Participant  A Absent  N Non-invitee  I Invitee | Key: P Participant  A Absent  N Non-invitee  I Invitee | Key: P Participant  A Absent  N Non-invitee  I Invitee | Key: P Participant  A Absent  N Non-invitee  I Invitee | Key: P Participant  A Absent  N Non-invitee  I Invitee | Miro Weinberger | Kurt Wright | Wanda Hines |
| 1 | January 5, 2012 | Burlington Business Association Burlington Social Media Breakfast Club | | | P | P | |
| 2 | January 12, 2012 6:30 p.m. EDT | AARP | Jennifer Wallace-Brodeur Chapin Spencer Michael Townsend | | P | P | P |
| 3 | January 23, 2012 | Sustainability Academy | | | P | P | P |
| 4 | February 1, 2012 | Burlington College's Institute for Civic Engagement | | | P | P | P |
| 5 | February 2, 2012 | Ward 6 Neighborhood Planning Assembly | Jennifer Wallace-Brodeur Chapin Spencer Michael Townsend | | P | P | P |
| 6 | February 8, 2012 | The Burlington Free Press | | | P | P | P |

## Election results

Burlington mayoral election, 2012 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Miro Weinberger | 5,801 | 57.27% |
| | Republican | Kurt Wright | 3,746 | 36.98% |
| | Independent | Wanda Hines | 506 | 5.00% |
| | Write-in | Write-in | 76 | 0.75% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 10,129 | 100.00% |
| | Democratic gain from Progressive | Democratic gain from Progressive | Democratic gain from Progressive | Democratic gain from Progressive |

## Endorsements
### Local officials

* Ron Ruloff, candidate for Burlington City Council from the 3rd ward (independent)

### State officials

* Bill Aswad, member of the Vermont House of Representatives (1995–2012)
* Sandy Baird, member of the Vermont House of Representatives
* Johannah Leddy Donovan, member of the Vermont House of Representatives
* Mary Sullivan, member of the Vermont House of Representatives
* Suzi Wizowati, member of the Vermont House of Representatives

### Federal officials

* Bernie Sanders, member of the United States Senate (2007–present)
* Peter Welch, member of the United States House of Representatives from Vermont's at-large congressional district (2007–2023)

### State officials

* Philip Baruth, member of the Vermont Senate (2011–present)
* Howard Dean, 79th Governor of Vermont (1991–2003)
* Madeleine Kunin, 77th Governor of Vermont (1985–1991)
* Hinda Miller, member of the Vermont Senate (2002–2013)
* Peter Shumlin, 81st Governor of Vermont (2011–2017)
* Rachel Weston, member of the Vermont House of Representatives (2007–2012)

### Local officials

* David Berezniak, member of the Burlington City Council from the 2nd ward
* Norm Blais, member of the Burlington City Council from the 6th ward
* Peter Clavelle, 38th and 40th Mayor of Burlington, Vermont (1989–1993; 1995–2006)
* Bill Keogh, member of the Burlington City Council from the 5th ward and president of the Burlington City Council
* Joan Shannon, member of the Burlington City Council from the 5th ward
* George Thabault, member of the Burlington City Council from the 5th ward (Progressive)

### State officials

* Sandy Baird, member of the Vermont House of Representatives (Democratic)

### Local officials

* Vince Brennan, member of the Burlington City Council from the 3rd ward (Progressive)
* Sharon Bushor, member of the Burlington City Council from the 1st ward (independent)

### Organizations

* Burlington Police Officers Association

### Organizations

* Burlington Firefighters Union