Scenes from the Polls
Starting at 7 a.m. on Town Meeting Day, the Community News Service dispatched student reporters to polling places across Vermont. Published vignettes of Winooski voters can be found below.
4 p.m. — Current Winooski Councilor weighs in on the election
Michael Myers, 47, is a master electrician and current member of Winooski's City Council. His three-year term expires on March 3rd and the seat he will leave behind is one of two that is contested in this election.
Michael Myers. Photo by Jenny Koppang.
Myers said he hopes that his successor will share some of his political views to maintain a diverse set of beliefs on the City Council.
"I think that having a one-sided government at any level doesn't serve the city. Opposing views are an opportunity for great debate," he said. "I often had a different opinion than my fellow councilors, but that resulted in good conversations and let us look at the full scope of issues."
Myers also hopes that the person who takes his seat will pay attention to the city's Tax Increment Financing policy and advocate for the lowering of property taxes.
"Taxes are high here and a lot of people that live on fixed budgets are feeling the effects of the growth of our city government and all its social programming. This progress is good, but not at the expense of a raised cost of living," he said.
— Jenny Koppang
3:55 p.m. — 1st-time Winooski voter expresses candidate support
Samantha Brewer, 23, bundled against the bitter cold to cast her first ballot in Winooski since moving there last year. She is a master's student at UVM in the Department of Plant and Soil Sciences.
She admired that City Council candidates Aurora Hurd and Thomas Renner were prepared to address the $2 million American Rescue Plan Funding for COVID relief.
Brewer said she would like to see that money go back into the community in the form of financial relief for businesses and more affordable housing.
Brewer said that she is happy to exercise her constitutional right to vote, and is excited that this right has been extended to more Winooski residents this year.
"I think it's groundbreaking that Winooski and Montpelier are allowing non-citizens to vote," she said. "It's really important representation for a population where a big percentage of people aren't necessarily U.S. citizens."
— Jenny Koppang
3:41 p.m. — Former physician celebrates Winooski's welcoming atmosphere
Jean Szilva voted bright and early at 7 a.m., but ventured back out to bring provisions to her partner who was volunteering at the polls.
Szilva, 71, is a retired physician and former assistant professor at the University of Vermont.
Jean Szilva. Photo by Jenny Koppang.
As a member of the LGBTQ community, she said she faced a lot of discrimination when she first moved to Winooski in 1995. But she has watched the city evolve into an accepting and warm environment.
"The overwhelming majority of Winooski residents love this community. And that makes us strong," she said.
Szilva said that she is supporting Aurora Hurd and Thomas Renner in the election for City Council candidates because they reflect her beliefs about keeping Winooski a welcoming and accessible city.
"No matter who you are or what you look like, you have a place here in Winooski," Szilva said.
— Jenny Koppang
3:34 — One Winooski voter's support for early childhood education
Winooski resident Audrey Phillips values education and budget issues the most. Photo by Mal Flynn.
When Winooski resident Audrey Phillips came to vote at the Winooski Senior Center, budgets and education were the main issues on her mind.
"I think it's really important to pass budgets," said Phillips. "I think education is important, especially for local municipalities."
She said she voted yes on Article 7, which allows the School Board to lease space on Elm Street through 2025 for the District's Preschool or Early Head Start program.
"I don't really know what the big deal is. If they need more space, they need more space," said Phillips. "It's for preschoolers."
— Mal Flynn
3:25 p.m. — Two Winooski voters back education initiatives
George Cross has been attending town meetings for years. "Thirty-plus years," he said. And for him the big issue this year was the importance of education. He supported all the education-related articles on the ballot.
George Cross, a longtime resident of Winooksi, came to the Senior Center to vote on Mar. 1. Photo by Mal Flynn.
"I voted for the school budget," said Cross. "And I voted for all three of the articles in the school district."
Another strong supporter of education was Zoe Bishop.
Said Bishop: "Increasing the budget for the school -- schools can always use that." She said it was especially importance to support Article 7, which would allow the Winooski schools to lease new properties for early childhood education.
"I always support any early childhood education, whether that's funding or new buildings," she said. "Whatever we need to get our little kids taken care of."
— Mal Flynn
3:12 p.m. — One Winooski's voters support for property tax
Winooski resident Aaron Lipman came to town meeting with city and school budgets on his mind. "I was voting for the school budget," said Lipman, "and to make sure that, you know, Winooski public had access to facilities."
As a property owner, Lipman noted the importance of property taxes' role in the city budget and voted yes on Article 3, which would use additional funding from sources other than property taxes.
"That kind of seems like a no-brainer," said Lipman. "Why would I not want an additional source of revenue outside of you know, when I'm paying?"
— Mal Flynn
3:04 p.m. — New Americans excited to vote in Winooski
Bhutanese immigrant Buwani Kadariya was excited to cast his first vote as a Winooski resident. Photo by Jenny Koppang.
Buwani Kadariya gingerly tucked his new 'I Voted' sticker into his wallet, careful not to crease it.
This was an important moment for Kadariya, a refugee from Bhutan, and all of Winooski's immigrant community: This election is the first to allow all residents to cast a ballot due to Winooski's recent charter change that ensures the right to vote regardless of citizenship status.
Translated ballots were available at Winooski's polling center in eight additional languages. Kadariya voted with a ballot translated into his native Nepali.
Though English is a challenge for him, Kadariya said that he would like to support the school, as he has a young daughter in the Winooski School District.
Ambar and Lachi Pradhan, a couple who also immigrated from Bhutan, also proudly brandished their 'I Voted' stickers on their jackets as they exited the polls.
They expressed great enthusiasm about being involved in Winooski's voting process.
— Jenny Koppang
1:34 p.m. — Winooski voter says schools need all the help they can get
Lauren Read. Photo by Jack Pitblado.
Lauren Read, 34, has voted in Town Meeting Day since she was 18 years old.
To her, Town meeting day is “an opportunity for the community to raise their voice on issues and ensure the community is going in the direction that they want,” said Read.
She voted to pass the town and school budgets, pointing to the importance of providing support as the pandemic subsists.
“I always vote to pass the school budget,” said Read, “I feel especially recently, schools can use all of the help they can get with all of the issues surrounding COVID and they need to make sure they have the money to support the students as best they can .”
She voted for Thomas Renner and Aurora Hurd for City Council, saying she paid attention to the candidates and “wanted to vote for the two [I] felt most appropriate.”
Over the next term, she hopes to see more discussions on diversity and inclusion and fostering strong community engagement locally.
— Jack Pitblado
1:12 p.m. — First-time voter casts a ballot in Winooski
Danielle Cook, a Winooski voter, participated in her first town meeting day today.
Danielle Cook. Photo by Jack Pitblado.
Having moved from North Carolina last year, she feels the tradition is remarkable.
“I’ve never done this before, but I think it’s a really good thing because I heard about it on the radio, I got stuff in the mail, and it seems like people are pretty involved.”
She continued, “I’ve never been somewhere where local politics are a big deal.”
She hopes to see Winooski continue to become more diverse, and agreed with efforts to allow all residents to participate in the tradition.
“They’re here, they live here, they pay taxes, and they’re effected by the issues that are being voted on.”
— Jack Pitblado
11: 43 a.m. — School budget on the mind of this Winooski voter
Zoe Bishop was one of the many Winooski residents who showed up to vote at the Winooski Senior Center on town meeting day.
School budgets were the main issue on Bishop's mind when she voted today.
"Increasing the budget for the school" said Bishop, "schools can always use that."
With education on her mind, Bishop also noted the importance of article 7, which would allow the Winooksi schools to lease new properties for early childhood education.
"I always support any, any early childhood education," said Bishop. "Whether that's funding or new buildings, whatever we need to get our little kids taken care of."
— Mal Flynn