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"Bob Kiss, a Progressive state representative but a newcomer to city politics, was elected mayor of Burlington on Tuesday, defeating Republican City Councilor Kevin Curley and Democratic state Sen. Hinda Miller.

The election marked the first in the city's history in which instant runoff voting was employed, and Kiss was awarded the victory only after the votes of runners-up in the five-way race were redistributed.

The vote, after second-choice ballots were counted, was 4,761 for Kiss and 3,986 for Miller. Curley received 2,609 votes in the first round. Independents Louie "The Cowman" Beaudin and Loyal Ploof had 119 and 57 votes, respectively.

Kiss won five of the city's seven wards and outpolled Miller in her home ward, Ward 6 . . . .

One effect of the five-way race and instant runoff voting is that Kiss will take office as the first choice of only 39 percent of Burlington voters. As mayor he will step into a maelstrom of competing needs: wage and benefit demands of city workers, infrastructure expenses, insistence from the city's poorer residents for the creation of local jobs paying livable wages and more affordable housing, and vastly different visions of the city's future from pro- and anti-growth advocates."

More info:

Read the article in its entirety at the Burlington Free Press

Areas of Focus:

Local Democracy, Election Reform (No More Stolen Elections), Democratizing Elections

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