November Election Highlights
by Ken Signorello
November 4, 2020
While national voting results may not appear for hours or even days more, we are pleased to bring you the local candidates and issues that won here in Essex.
Progressive / Democrat Tanya Vyhovsky secured a first-time general election victory in 8-1. She and incumbent Marybeth Redmond will be sworn in at the Statehouse in January. Tanya will fill the seat vacated by Republican Linda Myers upon retirement.
Newly-elected 8-1 House Rep, Tanya Vyhovsky
Lori Houghton (incumbent) and newcomer Karen Dolan were elected to represent Essex 8-2. Karen will fill a seat vacated by fellow Democrat Dylan Giambatista, who ran but failed to get past his party’s primary for Chittenden County Senator.
Democrat Alyssa Black of Essex notched an upset victory over three-term incumbent Republican Bob Bancroft of Westford to capture the lone 8-3 Essex-Westford seat.
Both the Village and Town-outside-the-Village districts overwhelmingly agreed to change the format of the Town and Village Annual Budget Vote from an in-person meeting to an Australian Ballot.
Village voters, on a separate ballot, voted decisively to change the format of their Village Annual Meeting as well. They also voted to approve the Trustees’ version of the Plan of Merger Charter.
Newly-elected 8-2 House Rep,
Karen Dolan
The Town voters must also approve a Plan of Merger put forth by the Selectboard for this initiative to advance to the State Legislature. Until then, the Village Plan of Merger remains in limbo.