Democrats in Burlington are now debating how to proceed with their mayoral caucus, which was indefinitely suspended Sunday night.
Candidates Tim Ashe, a state senator, and Miro Weinberger, an airport commissioner, are in a dead heat in the race for the party’s nomination for Burlington mayor.
A recount determined the two candidates had split a third round of voting, 540 to 540, with neither one having the necessary majority of votes to win the party’s nomination.
The party is now considering whether it will host one-on-one debates between Ashe and Weinberger, and whether voting in a runoff will be open to all registered voters or just those who were registered for Sunday night’s caucus.
Steve Howard, the chair of the Burlington Democratic Party, says any delay in finding a candidate won’t hurt Democrats’ chances of ‘occupying’ City Hall.
"I really believe that what voters in Burlington are going to say is that the Democratic party respects the wishes of the campaigns, respects the process and wants a unified Democratic party to face Kurt Wright and his Tea Party supporters," Howard said.
City Councilor Kurt Wright is the only Republican currently in the race for Burlington mayor. The GOP caucus, if necessary, is scheduled for next month.
Incumbent Mayor Bob Kiss hasn’t yet announced whether he’ll seek a third term. The Progressive caucus is scheduled for December 11th.
Both the Weinberger and Ashe campaigns say the next round of voting in the Democratic mayoral caucus should include any registered Burlington voters who want to cast a ballot.