Republican gubenatorial candidate Scott Milne says he is disinclined to seek a recount of his narrow defeat to Gov. Peter Shumlin, deeming it a long shot that would still force him to go to the legislature to seek a potential victory.

While he will not make a formal announcement until tomorrow, Milne, who won 45.1 percent to Shumlin's 46.4 percent, said in an interview that he would need a "miracle" to overcome his current deficit of 2,400 votes. And he noted that, even if he pulled ahead, neither he nor Shumlin would clear a 50 percent total, which is legally required to avoid sending the decision to the legislature. 

"We're leaning toward 'probably not' with that," Milne said. "It probably won't work. Taxpayers would spend $60,000 for a recount where, even if by some miracle it worked, it's still going to the legislature."

Milne said he has not yet decided whether to contest the vote in the legislature. He has previously indicated he might ask legislators who represent districts that he carried on Election Day to vote for him. A Rutland Herald analysis concluded that, if lawmakers were to vote along those lines, the result would be a 90-90 tie. 

Traditionally, lawmakers have rubber-stamped the winner of the popular vote, with some exceptions. Vermont Public Radio reported that former governor Jim Douglas, one of the few Vermont Republicans whom Milne relied on for counsel during his campaign, has advised against contesting the vote.

But Milne, who had scant political experience before this race and received little help, said he will continue to trust his own judgment. He believes his strong showing on Election Day validated that. 

"I think I've done a good job of using my intuition as a starting point and combining that with talking to people, particularly people who aren't in media or political elite circles," Milne said. "I think that's served me pretty well."

Riding momentum from an Election Day that saw them gain 11 seats in the legislature, Republican leaders said they will press Democratic Gov. Peter Shumlin to scrap Vermont Health Connect and focus on pocketbook issues in the coming weeks.

But they acknowledged their plans are in doubt until their nominee for governor, Scott Milne, finishes a campaign that he is threatening to take into January.

Unofficial tallies say Milne lost by 2,000 votes. He has refused to concede the race to Shumlin. He says he may seek a recount or ask legislators — who must elect a governor since neither candidate cleared 50 percent — to select him, despite his second-place finish.

Republican leaders made it clear they will allow their members to vote however they wish if Milne seeks a contested vote. Traditionally, lawmakers have rubber-stamped the candidate with the most votes, regardless of party, but Milne says he may try to rally support, especially from legislators whose districts gave him a plurality of votes. Milne this week said he is "confident," he will find a way to oust Shumlin.

This article was originally posted on 11/05/14 at 5:10 am.

Vermonters issued a stunning rebuke to Gov. Peter Shumlin Tuesday, leaving the two-term Democrat within inches of his political life. 

By the end of the night, Shumlin was narrowly leading Republican Scott Milne, but neither candidate came close to winning a majority of the vote. That means no matter who prevails, the race will be decided by the legislature. 

Vermont Democrats appeared likely to lose two seats in the 30-member Senate and at least eight in the 150-member House, though their majorities in both bodies were not imperiled. The most prominent Democrat to lose his seat was Rep. Mike Fisher (D-Lincoln), who chaired the House Committee on Health Care. 

While Shumlin and his legislative allies suffered a tough night, Vermonters weren't ready to throw out all the bums. Republican Lt. Gov. Phil Scott handily defeated Progressive/Democrat Dean Corren, while Congressman Peter Welch (D-Vt.) beat Republican challenger Mark Donka by a similar margin.

The rest of Vermont's statewide Democratic incumbents — Attorney General Bill Sorrrell, Treasurer Beth Pearce, Secretary of State Jim Condos and Auditor Doug Hoffer — easily won reelection. 

Neither U.S. Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) nor Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) was on the ballot Tuesday, but both suffered the effects of a Republican wave that swept the nation. As Democrats lost control of the Senate, Leahy lost his ceremonial position as its president pro tempore and his chairmanship of the Senate Judiciary Committee. Sanders, who spent two years at the helm of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee, also lost his gavel.

The Burlington City Council on Monday night approved initiatives supporting non-citizens’ rights to participate in local elections and serve on city boards.

After more than a dozen people, including many refugees, voiced support for the proposals, the council took the first steps in what would be a lengthy, difficult process to bestow local voting rights on people who have not secured American citizenship.

By an 11-2 vote, councilors placed on the March ballot a non-binding referendum that would urge state lawmakers to change the Vermont constitution and give non-citizens the right to vote in municipal and school elections, with councilors Dave Hartnett (D-Ward 4) and Kurt Wright (R-Ward 4) opposed.

And in a unanimous vote, councilors ordered the charter change committee to draft a proposed ordinance for the March ballot that would allow non-citizens to serve on city boards and work as department heads. 

Even if city voters approve the measures, they would face a lengthy journey before being implemented. The legislature would have to approve both them, and the constitutional amendment would also require a majority vote from all Vermonters. The city has launched similar campaigns at least twice in the past decade, but they foundered well before they could get to state lawmakers.

Speakers urged the council to try again.

Jeetan Khadka, a refugee from Nepal who has been in Burlington for six years, mentioned that the city’s website features a welcome message from Mayor Miro Weinberger touting Burlington as “vibrant,” and “diverse.”

“It’s about building a city that stands up for its values,” Khadka said. “Burlington will be a better place to work, live, and raise a family if all residents are involved in the voting process.”

Burlington High School teacher Erika Lowe, the daughter of a Chinese refugee, said she teaches students in her school —14 percent of whom are learning English as a second language — to value their civic responsibilities.

“We spend a lot of time encouraging our students to value what’s happening in our community and to pay attention to the news,” Lowe said. “Essentially, we’re preparing out students to be a part of the community when they won’t have a vote in that community. Hearing that voice, it’s important.”

While the measures might face long odds in the legislature, Councilor Rachel Siegel (P-Ward) noted that one year after Burlington voters passed a non-binding referendum urging lawmakers to decriminalize marijuana, legislators made that historic step.

“The legislature really does look to us in Burlington as leaders for change,” Siegel said. “I think change is coming.”

We were surprised that neither Stephen Colbert nor Jon Stewart picked up on Republican gubernatorial candidate Scott Milne's fresh cow-pie-tossing campaign ad last week.

But it turns out the good people at Comedy Central are paying attention to Vermont, after all. They simply chose another bizarro campaign moment from Milne's growing catalogue of gaffes.

Last night's 'The Daily Show with Jon Stewart' ended with a clip of Milne stumbling to remember where he was born during last week's debate on Vermont PBS.


"Third generation, born in Vermont," Milne said, then paused awkwardly to amend his statement: "Ah, take that back, I was born in Brooklyn."

In all, it's been a banner week for mocking Vermont politicians. Numerous media outlets, including the Washington Post, and random people on the internet had a good old time skewering some of the lesser-known candidates, their outfits and the crazy things that they had to say during the Vermont PBS debate.

Everyone still convinced there's no such thing as bad publicity?

Robert Millar, executive director of the Vermont Progressive Party, has formally announced he is running under the party's banner for a seat in the Vermont House representing Winooski and part of Burlington.

Millar, who worked as U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders' office manager during Sanders' 2012 re-election campaign, will step down from his role with the Progressive Party to focus on his campaign and will work as a consultant. 

Millar is running for the seat held by Democrat George Cross, who declined to seek reelection. Republicans and Democrats have not announced a candidate for the seat.“My primary focus in my career has been a dedication to local government, community development, and empowering people," Millar said in a prepared statement.

"I am passionate about fighting for economic, social, and racial justice, working to end poverty, and helping people take charge of their political institutions and future. Although my experience of campaigns has primarily been behind the scenes, I can think of no better way to continue to advance these goals than to take the plunge and run for office myself.”

House Speaker Shap Smith (D-Morristown) gaveled Vermont's legislative biennium to a close early Saturday evening after the House and Senate signed off on a $5.5 billion budget and $5.5 million in new taxes. 

"We have done incredible work this year," Smith said. 

Gov. Peter Shumlin echoed the point in a speech he delivered to both chambers as they prepared to adjourn, calling the two-year period "one of the most productive and successful in recent memory."

"I'm extraordinarily proud of the work you have done, and I hope you are, too," the governor said. 

Like much of this year's legislative session, Saturday's finale was subdued and efficient. Lawmakers put the final touches on bills promoting economic development, banning drugged driving and helping low-income Vermonters move off state assistance. They overwhelmingly approved budget and tax deals worked out late Friday night. 

After daylong negotiations, Gov. Peter Shumlin and legislative leaders reached a deal Thursday afternoon to raise Vermont's minimum wage from $8.73 an hour to $10.10 over three years.

But a drafting error noticed late in the evening kept the House from taking action — and imperiled the deal's chances of approval in time for the legislature's planned Saturday adjournment. Because the text of the bill appearing in the House calendar did not precisely reflect what had passed the Senate on Monday, the House had to pull it and delay the minimum wage vote until Saturday.

Even before the technical snag, House liberals rebelled against the accord negotiated by their leaders behind closed doors. Just six weeks ago, they noted, the House voted to raise the minimum wage to $10.10 in a single year and rejected Shumlin's original proposal to spread it out over three years. 

"My question to the body, Mr. Speaker, is what has changed in six weeks?" Rep. Paul Poirer (I-Barre City) asked his colleagues. "Have we found out that the prices of food, gasoline, rental units — have the prices gone down? Maybe people don't need the money? Well, Mr. Speaker, it's obvious that none of these things have happened."

Calling Vermont the bravest state in the nation, Gov. Peter Shumlin signed legislation Thursday requiring producers to label food containing genetically modified organisms.

"We in this state today will sign the first bill in America, joining 60 other countries, where Vermonters will have the right to know what's in their food," Shumlin told a crowd of nearly 300 gathered on the front steps of the Statehouse.

Two other states, Connecticut and Maine, have passed similar laws, but those will not take effect until other states do the same. Vermont's law is scheduled to take effect in July 2016.

The exuberant governor compared GMO labeling to the state's major civil rights firsts.

"Vermont, as you know, has a long history of gettin' it right the first time," Shumlin said. "We got it right when we said we're the first [state] of this 50 states that abolished slavery. We got it right when we said we're the first state of the 50 states where you can marry the person that you love because we thought it was the right thing to do, not because judges were telling us we must."

When lawmakers returned to Montpelier in January, Campaign for Vermont founder Bruce Lisman called on them to pass sweeping ethics reforms to "keep our elected officials accountable."

"Sunlight, in almost all cases, cures problems," he said in a press conference unveiling his proposals.

Four months later, as lawmakers are set to leave Montpelier, the Vermont House took action Thursday morning and passed its own, more limited set of rules.

By a vote of 136 to 2, it adopted a resolution requiring House members to disclose the names of their employers and any boards or commissions on which they serve for compensation. The resolution also establishes a five-member ethics panel charged with investigating and enforcing alleged ethical violations.

At the outset of an hour-long debate, House Rules Committee Chairman David Deen (D-Westminster) made clear that proposing the resolution was in no way an admission of guilt.

"I want to say, the Vermont House and its members do not have an ethics problem," he said. "But there's an old bromide that I believe we all know: 'An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.'"