1991 Burlington mayoral election

1991 Burlington mayoral election

← 1989 March 3, 1991 1993 →

Nominee Peter Clavelle Haik Bedrosian Daniel Gregory Party Progressive Coalition Independent Independent Popular vote 6,162 865 522 Percentage 77.96% 10.94% 6.60%

Results by city council district Clavelle:   Clavelle: 70–80%   Clavelle: 80–90%

Mayor of Burlington before election Peter Clavelle Independent Elected Mayor of Burlington Peter Clavelle Progressive Coalition

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
v t e

The 1991 Burlington mayoral election was held on March 3, 1991 to elect the mayor of Burlington, Vermont. Incumbent independent Mayor Peter Clavelle ran as the candidate of the Progressive Coalition,^[1] and defeated Haik Bedrosian, Daniel Gregory, and Michael Hackett, who all ran as independent candidates. The Democratic and Republican parties did not run candidates in this election.

Clavelle faced no opposition for the endorsement of the Progressive Coalition. The Democratic and Republican parties did not run candidates in the election with the Democrats stating that there were no viable candidates against Clavelle and the Republicans having nobody who could commit to the campaign. Haik Bedrosian, Daniel Gregory, and Michael Hackett ran as independent candidates.

Clavelle won in the general election with over seventy percent of the popular vote, but the Democratic Party, which had focused on the city council elections, gained two seats. Voter turnout for this election was the lowest since the 1981 election.

Peter Clavelle won the 1989 mayoral election as an independent candidate with the support of the Progressive Coalition.^[2][3] At the time of the 1991 mayoral election the composition of the city council was five Progressive Coalition members, four Democratic members, and four Republican members.^[4]

Judith Stephany, who was the Democratic nominee in the 1983 mayoral election and Maurice Mahoney, a member of the city council from the 1st district, were speculated as possible candidates for the Democratic nomination. David W. Curtis, the chair of the Burlington Democratic Party, stated that the Democrats would run a candidate in the mayoral election.^[5][6] However, on January 23, 1991, the Democratic caucus did not nominate a candidate and a motion by Ion Laskaris to not run a candidate was approved. Laskaris stated that there were no candidates that could defeat Clavelle. The Democratic Party decided to not endorse Clavelle.^[7] The Democrats instead focused on winning control of the city council.^[8]

Terry Bouricius, co-chair of the Progressive Coalition, stated that there was no interest within the coalition to primary Clavelle and he also stated that Clavelle "did not run just to run for one term". Nancy Chioffi, who was the 1989 Democratic mayoral nominee, stated that Clavelle was enjoying the position of mayor and that she would be "amazed if he didn't run".^[9] Clavelle announced on December 17, 1990, that he would run for reelection and that he would seek the endorsement of the coalition.^[10] Clavelle won the endorsement of the coalition on December 19, with a unanimous vote.^[11] Clavelle focused on the passage of ballot propositions of a 6.5 cent tax increase per $100 property value for school funding and a $1 million bond to expand two elementary schools.^[12]

The Republican Party, which had not run a candidate in the 1985, 1987, and 1989 elections, chose to not run a candidate in the election at its caucus on January 25. Bob Minkewicz, the chair of the Burlington Republican Party, stated that nobody could commit to running a campaign against Clavelle.^{[13][14][15][16]}

Haik Bedrosian, a senior at Burlington High School, announced on January 22, 1991, that he would run for mayor as an independent candidate stating that he wanted to empower the youth and increase youth representation in office and due to the fact that there were no other candidates in the race. Clavelle welcomed Bedrosian and stated that he would not be "running against Haik or any other candidate", but instead running on "a record and a vision of the future".^[17] Daniel Gregory announced on January 28, that he would run as an independent.^[1] Michael Hackett, who had unsuccessfully run for office fifteen times, ran as an independent candidate.^[18]

Bedrosian called for Clavelle, Gregory, and Hackett to agree to a campaign finance limit of $5,000. Gregory did not agree to the limit, but stated that he would spend that much during the campaign.^[19] During the campaign there was one event where the mayoral candidates gave statements and answered questions and two debates.^[20][21]

Clavelle won the election against Bedrosian, Gregory, and Hackett. Although Hackett lost the mayoral election he narrowly defeated David L.R. Houston, an incumbent member of the school commission from the 3rd district, by three votes.^[18] The mayoral election had a voter turnout of 36% which was the lowest turnout for a mayoral election since 1981.^[22] The Democrats gained two seats on the city council from the Republicans bringing the composition of the thirteen-member city council to five Progressive Coalition members, six Democratic members, and two Republican members.^[23][24]