Zuckerman on his tractor, with his team and at the Hinesburg Town Hall after voting early on Monday. Photo by Anna Watts.

Hinesburg Farmer loses to Phil Scott

In Hinesburg Monday, you may have seen a red tractor pull up to a ballot drop-off box. That was David Zuckerman, riding in from his farm.

“You know I’ve often driven the tractor in parades and as a farmer, it’s been a large part of my identity and we just thought it would be sort of a fun thing to do that’s different,” Zuckerman said.

The Lt. Governor and former State Senator was never able to make much traction in the campaign against Republican Phil Scott, who defeated Zuckerman handily in the race, as he led the state’s response to the pandemic.

What next for David Zuckerman?

“I have been farming for a very long time now, about 25 years” Zuckerman said. “My spouse and I have an organic farm and would likely go back to prepare for the next growing season and having some time with my family.”

Either way, Zuckerman says he will not disappear, “ I will always stay active on these issues as well, I think it’s in my blood at this point.”

Voters returned Hinesburg Democrat Bill Lippert to the State House

“I look forward to returning to the State House to work with my colleagues,” Lippert said. “In such a divided atmosphere nationally I am glad that we can set a different tone in Vermont.”

Lippert, who chairs the House Health Care Committee is looking forward to working with his Vice-Chair, a Republican, as an indication of how Vermonters transcend party liines.

“There are many issues that we both care deeply about like mental health issues,” Lippert said.

Lippert, 70, who lives on Baldwin road, was first elected to the House in 1994.

Election day at town hall

Election day at Town Hall was much quieter than normal. Voters were greeted with a disenfanctant bottle to spray on their hands before stepping in to the unusually quiet town hall.

“We’re glad it’s not that busy because voting is a bit more complicated today” poll watcher Mary Crane, 61, of Hinesburg. For the first time in the state, every registered voter was mailed a ballot. Voters had to fill out an affidavit saying they had not voted by mail, Crane said. For COVID, plexi-glass and masks separated the poll workers. “It’s hard to get someone’s name because of the masks and plexi glass in front of us,” Crane said. “But because so many people have already voted it hasn’t been too busy which is great.”

Data compiled by student researchers from the Secretary of State finds that abut 71% of Hinesburg’s registered voters voted before the election.

So why are people voting in person?

Shane Hanley, 24, a 3D abstract design artist, has been undecided all election, as neither candidates seemed encouraging to him.

“Just the last couple of days, I’ve kind of come to a conclusion of what I want to do.,” he said. “So, even though I have the mail-in ballot, I just never used it.”

Megan Ashley, 24, a full-time eBay lister, was there to take in the experience.

“My personal thinking was that I’m a healthy, able-bodied person so I felt I had the opportunity to vote in person,” Ashley said.

As a Democrat concerned about climate change and police brutality, she plans to vote for Joe Biden. She’ll also vote for Phil Scott due to his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic.