ADDISON COUNTY — In Australian ballot voting on Tuesday, residents in three of the largest communities in Addison County elected a series of candidates to leader their respective municipalities.
In Vergennes voters chose three members for the city council from among four candidates. Bristol residents elected one of two newcomers for their selectboard. Middlebury returned a veteran and introduced a rookie to its selectboard.
In a four-way race for three seats on the city council, Vergennes residents chose Deputy Mayor Lynn Jackson Donnelly, Alderman David Austin and first-time Councilor Tara Brooks to serve on the city council. Another first-time council candidate, Rebecca Rey, trailed the field.
Although she was new to the council race, Brooks was not new to Vergennes. She ended up being the top vote-getter with 584 tallies. Jackson Donnelly earned 557 and Austin came in with 457. Not far back was Rey with 421 votes.
Meanwhile in Bristol, elected a new member for its own selectboard in a race of first-time candidates. Darla Senecal defeated Bill Mount, 763 – 487, for a two-year term on the board.
“I am so happy to be able to serve my community as a selectboard member,” Senecal told the Independent in an email. “I was 20 when I moved to Bristol. I basically grew up here. I raised my family here. This community gave me the opportunity to create a home and lifelong friendships with people that I care deeply about. I hope to serve them all well.”
Incumbent Bristol selectboard member Michelle Perlee, who was running unopposed, was re-elected for another three-year term.
Middlebury filled two spots on its selectboard with two candidates who ran unopposed for their offices.
Those candidates included incumbent Selectman Brian Carpenter for another three years, who serves as chairman of the selectboard, and Dan Brown, who earned a three-year seat on the board.
Brown won the seat vacated by incumbent Laura Asermily.
Other winners in Town Meeting Day voting in Middlebury were Susan Shashok, town moderator, one year; Ann Webster, town clerk, three years; Jacqueline Sullivan, town treasurer, three years; Andy Hooper, Ilsley Library trustee, three years; and Gary Baker, lister, three years.