Will face Progressive Mulvaney-Stanak in March election
By Ted Cohen
Long-term city councilor Joan Shannon swept the Democrat party caucus voting Sunday, December 10 to capture her party’s nomination for mayor in Vermont’s largest city. She will face Progressive Emma Mulvaney-Stanak at the city elections in March.
Shannon received 1,689 votes, easily defeating fellow councilor Karen Paul, who received 1,173 votes.
A third candidate, newcomer CD Mattison, brought up the rear with 471 votes.
The voting was held largely online and brought a record turnout for the party caucus, an official said.
In the March city elections, Shannon will face Mulvaney-Stanak, who was nominated by city Progressives earlier this month.
Shannon made a cornerstone of her campaign her vote, two years ago, against reducing the size of the Burlington Police Department, separating herself from Paul who voted to cut the department’s roster.
The city’s burgeoning crime problem became a central focus of the mayoral primary.
During the campaign, Shannon was able to secure the endorsements of both the Burlington Police Union and also the working firefighters’ unit.
She has been a city councilor for 20 years, with Paul being next in seniority with 15 years. Shannon moved to Burlington as a college student. She is a working real-estate agent and lives in the southern district of the city near the lakefront. She is married with one child, a daughter.
Mattison hoped to be able to bring in new blood to the contest but fell far behind in the voting.
Incumbent Mayor Miro Weinberger chose not to seek reelection after 12 years in office.
Weinberger has been challenged by a growing crime and illicit-drug problem, especially in the city’s downtown shopping district.
Ted Cohen, a Burlington native, is a freelance writer. He is a longtime journalist, having begun his radio and then newspaper career locally after graduating from the University of Vermont.
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