BURLINGTON — Democrats held onto their majority on the Burlington City Council, fending off Progressive challenges for two open seats in Tuesday’s Town Meeting Day election.
In the South District, first-time candidate Ranjit “Buddy” Singh, a Democrat, easily beat Progressive Jennifer Monroe Zakaras, who was also making her first bid for a council seat.
And in the East District, Democrat Allie Schachter bested Progressive Kathy Olwell.
While the council will now have two new members, its political makeup remains unchanged. With Singh’s and Schachter’s wins, Democrats retained their 7-5 majority over the Progressives.
The Democratic Party was on the defensive this election season after Joan Shannon, a longtime Democratic councilor, announced in January she would not be running for reelection in the South District — for the first time in two decades.
And prior to that, Tim Doherty, a Democratic councilor who represented the East District, resigned last November after being appointed a superior court judge.
Four seats were up for election on Tuesday, but Progressives and Democrats only went head-to-head in two of those races.
In the North District, Mark Barlow, an independent councilor, announced he would be running as a Democrat this election cycle. He beat back a last-minute write-in challenge from former city councilor Ali Dieng, who announced his candidacy as an independent late last week.
Progressive Councilor Melo Grant, who ran unopposed, coasted to reelection in the Central District.
Tuesday’s election results mean Progressive Mayor Emma Mulvaney-Stanak will need to continue to seek buy-in from the Democratic coalition to move her policy agenda forward.
The results come as the city faces mounting pressure to address a substance use crisis, build more housing and rebuild its beleaguered police department, which has been short-staffed for years and is in the midst of a leadership transition.
The Queen City alternates elections between its eight ward seats and four district seats. Ward seats will be up next year.
The new councilors will be sworn in on April 7.
This story will be updated.
Read the story on VTDigger here: Democrats keep their majority on Burlington City Council.