Contested Planning Seat, Timely Questions, and Town Meeting Interest on April Ballot

The ballot for Burlington's April 5, 2025, election has been set, and this election will be a unique one. While last year's lineup featured contested races in both Select Board and School Committee, this year's hot contest looks to be for a seat on the town's Planning Board. Three Town Meeting Members, Jack Kelly, Greg Ryan, and Jeremy Harrington, will be vying to fill the two seats that will soon be vacated by Bill Gaffney and Ernie Covino. You'll learn more about the candidates on our Burlington Buzz on the Mic podcasts, which will air in March.

Many Town Meeting races also have more candidates than the number of spaces available: Precincts 1, 3, 6, and 7 have seven (or eight, in the case of Precinct 6!) candidates for six three-year seats. Precincts 2, 4, and 5 have exactly six candidates. One one-year seat in Precinct 1 is without a candidate. There is still a chance to fill theis seat at the election, if enough voters write in the same candidate (and the candidate accepts the nomination). Eleven out of the 49 candidates are not currently serving on Town Meeting.

The Town Clerk role, vacated by current Town Clerk, Amy Warfield after 14 years and a year before her term was complete, has a candidate in Jennifer Priest, whose interview we will share in March, as well. Jennifer will take over the role for the final year of the term and would need to run again in 2026 if she wanted to keep the role, assuming the position remains elected. More about that below.

Contested races are one driver of election turnout, and the Planning Board and Town Meeting have great influence over the long-term future of the town. Planning Board interprets the town's vision for the future, and Town Meeting makes decisions as to how Burlington spends its money and approves updates and additions to the town's bylaws and zoning.

Perhaps more motivating still will be the two questions ballot questions. One question asks whether or not the Town Clerk should move to an appointed position. Currently, the role is elected, which restricts the search to Burlington residents only; further, the job doesn't outline the number of hours the person in this paid role must work or lay out requirements for experience and expertise. An appointed role would allow the town to cast a wider net and set up a job description and reporting structure that is in line with other town departments. Still, argue opponents, an appointed clerk could be subject to influence from town administration, who would be their supervisor. Read more about the pros and cons laid out by the Committee formed to investigate this role.

The other ballot question is designed to take the temperature of the town regarding whether or not recreational cannabis sales should be legalized. Proponents say it's a good way to raise more tax revenue in a time where many large capital projects are ahead, while opponents say there are plenty of places for Burlington residents to purchase cannabis products close to home and the tax revenue wouldn't be appreciable. The Buzz will report more on this as the election approaches.

Burlington's local election turnout has averaged 15% or so in recent years; last year's turnout was 22%. It is a primary part of the Burlington Buzz mission to equip voters with the information they need to make informed decisions at the polls, driving election turnout and civic engagement.

Read about all the candidates.

Editor's note: This article was updated on February 18 after the final list was released from the Town Clerk; this list contained incumbent Town Meeting candidates whose names had been missed in previous versions. Also note that incumbent Town Meeting candidates, provided they have had good attendance during their term are not required to obtain signatures or return nomination papers.