2021 Burlington mayoral election

Weinberger announced through an email on November 10, 2020, that he would seek reelection as mayor of Burlington. Tim Ashe, who unsuccessfully sought the Democratic nomination in 2012, declined to run in 2021.[5]

C.D. Mattison, the vice-chair of the Burlington Democratic Party, considered running for the Democratic nomination against Weinberger, but chose not to due to him stabilizing Burlington's financial situation during his mayoralty. At the caucus she formally nominated Weinberger at the virtual caucus stating that "Miro has dedicated himself to the people of Burlington and delivered building a financially strong and nimble city. A Burlington ready to respond to the pandemic." and later served as his campaign's treasurer.[6][7][8]

Brian Pine, who served on the city council in the 1990s and since 2018, announced that he would seek the Progressive mayoral nomination.[9] Max Tracy, the president of the city council, announced that he would seek the Progressive mayoral nomination.[10] Tracy won the Progressive nomination against Pine at the virtual nomination caucus.[11]

Ali Dieng, an independent member of the city council who caucused with the Progressives, announced on November 10, 2020, that he was interested in running in the mayoral election and announced his campaign on December 7.[12][13][14] Haik Bedrosian, who served on the city council in 1990s and had run for mayor in 1991, ran as an independent. Patrick White, Will Emmons, and Kevin McGrath ran as independents.[15]

Weinberger won the election with 6,189 votes which was only 129 more votes than Tracy's 6,060 votes. Dieng received 1,830 votes and the remainder of the candidates received less than one percent of the popular vote each.[16] Weinberger's victory by 129 votes was the smallest margin of victory in Burlington's mayoral elections since Bernie Sanders' ten vote victory in 1981. Despite losing the mayoral election the Vermont Progressive Party retained control of the city council with six out of twelve seats and saw multiple ballot initiatives endorsed by them win.[17]

During the campaign Weinberger raised $126,147 from 461 people, Tracy raised $63,336 from 547 people, and Dieng raised $10,920 from 115 people. Weinberger spent over $86,000 with $16,000 being spent on television ads and $10,000 being spent on mail advertising, Tracy spent over $47,770 with over $9,800 spent on brochures and over $3,000 spent on online advertising, and Dieng spent over $6,600 with over $6,600 spent on mail advertising and online fundraising software.[18]