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Vermont Progressive Party
Chairperson Anthony Pollina
Secretary John Christopher Brimmer
Vice Chair Marielle Blais
Treasurer Will Anderson
House Leader Taylor Small
Founded 1980 (1980) Independent Coalition
1983 (1983) Progressive Coalition
1999-2000 (1999-2000) Vermont Progressive Party
Split from Citizens Party
Liberty Union Party
Democratic Party
Preceded by Franklin County Independent Coalition
Citizens Party
Liberty Union Party
Headquarters Montpelier, Vermont
Youth wing Progressive Youth Caucus
Ideology Democratic socialism
Social democracy
Progressivism
Environmentalism
Political position Left-wing
Colors      Red
Statewide Offices
2 / 6
Seats in the State Senate
1 / 30
Seats in the State House
4 / 150
Elected County Judges
1 / 42
Countywide Offices
1 / 42
Mayorships
2 / 8
Seats on the Burlington City Council
5 / 12
Local offices 14 (May 2024)

The Vermont Progressive Party is a political party in the United States that works in Vermont. It used to be called the Progressive Coalition and the Independent Coalition. It is the third-largest political party in Vermont. The two bigger parties are the Democratic Party and the Republican Party. As of 2023, the party has one member in the Vermont Senate and five members in the Vermont House of Representatives. Some other lawmakers also work with the Democratic Party but are connected to the Progressive Party.

It had been a long time since a third party had members elected to the state legislature in Vermont. The last time was in 1917.

History of the Vermont Progressive Party

How it Started

William H. Meyer, a member of the Democratic Party, was elected to the United States House of Representatives from Vermont in 1958. This was a big deal because it was the first time since 1853 that Republicans lost a statewide election in Vermont. Meyer was known for his left-leaning views. He lost his re-election in 1960.

Later, Meyer helped start the Liberty Union Party on June 27, 1970. About twenty people were at the first meeting, including Martha Abbott, who would later lead the Vermont Progressive Party. Bernie Sanders joined the Liberty Union Party in 1971. He ran for different offices, like the United States Senate and Governor, while he was with the party. Sanders left the party in 1977.

The Progressive Coalition Forms

Bernie Sanders' Role

Portrait of Bernie Sanders in c. 1986 (cropped)
The Vermont Progressive Party started as the Independent Coalition when Bernie Sanders ran for mayor in 1981. It then became the Progressive Coalition during his time as mayor.

In 1980, Bernie Sanders decided to run for mayor of Burlington, Vermont. He was encouraged by Richard Sugarman, who showed him that Sanders had good support in Burlington in a past election. Sanders won the 1981 election by just ten votes, defeating the current Democratic Mayor. He was re-elected three more times as mayor.

During his mayoral campaign, Sanders created the Independent Coalition. This group aimed to bring together working people, students, college staff, union members, and other independent citizens.

The Citizens Party supported Sanders in the 1981 mayoral election. Terry Bouricius, a Citizens Party member, was elected to the city council. He was the first member of that party to win an election in Vermont.

After winning in 1981, Sanders faced challenges because most of the city council members were against him. They often opposed his ideas and overturned his decisions. Only two council members, Terry Bouricius and Sadie White, supported Sanders.

In the 1982 elections, Sanders supported more candidates for the city council. Five pro-Sanders members were then on the council. This made the council split, with five pro-Sanders members, five Republicans, and three Democrats. The Republicans and Democrats often worked together against Sanders' supporters.

Gary DeCarolis, a pro-Sanders council member, asked people to call his group the Progressive Coalition. This group held a meeting in 1983 with over 100 people. The Progressive Coalition was not a political party at first. It was an organization that supported candidates.

In the 1984 elections, the Citizens Party mostly supported Progressive Coalition candidates. The Progressive Coalition gained another seat on the city council. The Citizens Party of Vermont later closed down in 1986.

The Progressive Coalition supported Jesse Jackson in the 1984 Democratic presidential primary. They later supported Walter Mondale in the main presidential election.

Terry Bouricius became the president of the city council in 1984. He was the only Progressive Coalition member to hold this position during Sanders' time as mayor.

Growth of the Coalition

The Vermont Progressive Alliance was formed in 1990 by members of the Progressive Coalition. This group supported ten independent candidates for the state legislature. Terry Bouricius and Tom Smith were elected to the Vermont House of Representatives in 1990. They were the first Progressive Coalition members to win seats in the state legislature.

Another group, the Franklin County Independent Coalition, also formed in 1990. It supported Sanders' campaign for the U.S. House of Representatives.

The Progressives gained control of the Burlington city council again in 1994. Five of their members won, and three independent members worked with them. The coalition also grew to Brattleboro, Vermont, in 1998.

The Vermont Progressive Party is Born

Becoming a Formal Party

In October 1999, the coalition started holding meetings in many towns to form a political party. The Vermont Progressive Party was officially created after organizing in sixteen communities. Its first big meeting was held on July 9, 2000.

After 2010

In 2010, Emma Mulvaney-Stanak was the only Progressive member on the fourteen-member Burlington city council. This was the lowest number for the party since 1981. In the 2016 election, the party had its most candidates, votes, and seats in the state house. Seven out of twenty candidates won, getting a total of 18,954 votes.

David Zuckerman was elected lieutenant governor. He ran as both a Democratic and Progressive candidate.

What the Party Believes (Platform)

The Progressive Party has a platform that focuses on progressive ideas. Here are some of their main goals:

  • Healthcare: They have always pushed for a healthcare system where everyone is covered by one plan. They helped create "Green Mountain Care" in Vermont.
  • Environment: They support renewable energy, like solar and wind power. They also want to stop using nuclear energy.
  • Transportation: They propose more public transportation options, including ideas for a high-speed rail system.
  • Justice: They want to reduce the number of people in prison and protect the rights of those who are convicted. They also want to end the "War on Drugs."
  • Homelessness: They aim to create programs to end homelessness in Vermont.
  • Education: They want to change education laws, like repealing "No Child Left Behind." They also want to reduce the focus on standardized tests in schools.
  • Peace: They are against war. They want to limit Vermont's National Guard from fighting in wars outside the U.S. They oppose wars that are started without being attacked first.
  • LGBT Rights: They strongly support LGBT rights. Party members helped make same-sex marriage legal in Vermont.

When it comes to the economy, the party also believes in:

  • Wages: Changing the minimum wage to a living wage, which means enough money to live on. They want this wage to increase with inflation.
  • Local Economy: Focusing on small and local businesses.
  • Worker Power: Supporting businesses owned by workers and publicly owned companies. They see these as better choices than large international companies.
  • Unions: Making state laws stronger to protect the right for workers to form unions.
  • Taxes: Having a progressive income tax, where people with higher incomes pay a larger percentage. They want to remove certain tax breaks.
  • Trade: Making sure all trade follows international rules for human rights.
  • Public Services: They are against selling off public services to private companies.

Election Results

The Vermont Progressive Party has taken part in many elections. Here are some of their results:

Presidential Elections

State Legislature Elections

Burlington City Council Elections

Elected Officials

The Vermont Progressive Party has members elected to various government positions.

State Offices

  • State-wide office
    • David Zuckerman (P/D), Lieutenant Governor of Vermont (2017–2021); (2023–present)
    • Doug Hoffer (D/P), Vermont Auditor of Accounts (2013–present)
  • Vermont Senate
    • President pro tempore Tim Ashe (D/P), Chittenden (2009–2021)
    • Senator Philip Baruth (D/P) Chittenden (2011–present)
    • Senator Cheryl Hooker (D/P) Rutland (2019–present)
    • Senator Tanya Vyhovsky (P/D), Chittenden (2017–present)
    • Senator Andrew Perchlik (D/P), Washington (2019–present)
    • Senator Anthony Pollina (P/D), Washington (2011–2023)
  • Vermont House of Representatives
    • Rep. Mollie Burke (P), Windham-3-2 (2009–present)
    • Rep. Robin Chesnut-Tangerman (P), Rutland-Bennington (2015–present)
    • Rep. Brian Cina (P), Chittenden-6-4 (2017–present)
    • Rep. Selene Colburn (P), Chittenden-6-4 (2017–present)
    • Rep. Mari Cordes (D/P), Addison-4 (2019–present)
    • Rep. Diana Gonzalez (P), Chittenden-6-7 (2015–present)
    • Rep. Sandy Haas (P), Windsor-Rutland-2 (2005–present)
    • Rep. Troy Headrick (P), Chittenden-15 (2023–present)
    • Rep. Zachariah Ralph (P), Windsor-1 (2019–present)

County Offices

City and Town Offices

City Officials

  • Burlington
    • City Council
      • Perri Freeman (Central District-Ward 2 & 3) (2019–present)
      • Jack Hanson (East District-Ward 1 & 8) (2019–present)
      • Zoraya Hightower (Ward 1) (2020–present)
      • Max Tracy (Ward 2) (2012–present)
      • Joe Magee (Ward 3) (2021–present)
      • Ali Dieng (D/P) (Ward 7) (2017–present)
      • Jane Stromberg (Ward 8) (2020–present)
    • Ward Clerk
      • Wendy Coe (Ward 2) (2010–present)
    • Ward Inspector
      • Jane Stromberg (Ward 1) (2019–present)
      • Alex Rose (Ward 2) (2019–present)
      • Kit Andrews (Ward 3) (2013–present)
      • Bonnie Filker (Ward 3) (2019–present)
  • Montpelier
    • Mayor
      • Anne Watson (2018–present)

Town Officials

  • Springfield
    • Selectboard
      • Stephanie Thompson (2010–present)
  • Fairlee
    • Zoning and Planning Administrator
      • John Christopher Brimmer (2012–present)
  • Berlin
    • Selectboard
      • Jeremy Hansen (2013–present)
  • Richmond
    • Selectboard
      • Steve May (2016–present)

The party also has many members elected to other local offices in town governments. They are also appointed as town officials. In Vermont, these elections are non-partisan, meaning no party name appears on the ballot.

Party Leaders

The current leader of the party's State Committee is State Senator Anthony Pollina. He has also run for Governor and Congress. The current Vice Chair is Marielle Blais, first elected in 2019. John Christopher Brimmer has been the Secretary since 2009. The Treasurer is Robert Millar, and the Assistant Treasurer is Martha Abbott. The party also has an Executive Director, Joshua Wronski, who has held the position since 2015.

  • Chair: Anthony Pollina (2007–2009, 2017–present)
  • Vice Chair: Marielle Blais (2019–present)
  • Secretary: John Christopher Brimmer (2009–present)
  • Treasurer: Robert Millar (2019–present)
  • Assistant Treasurer: Martha Abbott (2019–present)
  • Executive Director: Joshua Wronski (2015–present)
  • Senate Caucus Leader: Anthony Pollina (2013–present)
  • Senate Caucus Whip: Christopher Pearson (2017–present)
  • House Caucus Leader: Robin Chesnut-Tangerman (2017–present)
  • House Caucus Whip: Diana Gonzalez (2017–present)
  • Youth/Student Caucus Leader: Carter Neubieser (2015–present)
  • Coordinating Committee:
    • Nick Clark
    • Carter Neubieser
    • Adam Norton
    • Zachariah Ralph
    • Tanya Vyhovsky
    • Cindy Weed
    • Regional Advisers (Non-voting):
      • West-Central: Finnian Boardman Abbey
      • East-Central: Traven Leyshon
      • Northern: Jackie Stanton
      • Southeast: Pamela Whitefield
      • Southwest: Tim Guiles

Timeline of Party Chairs

# Name Term
- Heather Riemer
Acting		 1995–1999
1 Heather Riemer 1999–2001
- Robert Millar
Acting		 2001
2 Martha Abbott 2001–2005
3 Marrisa S. Caldwell 2005–2007
4 Anthony Pollina 2007–2009
5 Martha Abbott 2009–2013
6 Emma Mulvaney-Stanak 2013–2017
7 Anthony Pollina 2017–present

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Partido Progresista de Vermont para niños

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