Selene Colburn
Chair of the Progressive Caucus in the Vermont House of Representatives
In office
2021–2023
Preceded byRobin Chesnut-Tangerman
Member of the Vermont House of Representatives
from the Chittenden-6-4 district
In office
2017–2023
Serving with Brian Cina
Preceded byChristopher Pearson
Kesha Ram Hinsdale
Succeeded byTroy Headrick
Member of the Burlington City Council
In office
2014–2017
Preceded byKevin Worden
Succeeded byRichard Deane
Constituency3rd district (2014–2015)
East district (2015–2017)
Personal details
Bornc. 1970
Burlington, Vermont, U.S.
Political partyProgressive
Other political
affiliations		Democratic
Children2
EducationBennington College (BA)
Simmons University (MA)

Selene Colburn is an American politician currently serving in the Vermont House of Representatives from the Chittenden-6-4 district since 2017 as a member of the Vermont Progressive Party. Prior to her tenure in the State House, she served on the city council in Burlington, Vermont. She is the first female chair of the House Progressive Caucus.

Colburn was born in Burlington, and educated at Burlington High School, Bennington College, and Simmons University. She became active in politics in her youth when she joined anti-war demonstrations.

Colburn was first elected to office with her election to the Burlington city council in the 2014 election and she won reelection in the 2015 and 2017 elections. She was elected to the state house alongside Brian Cina in the 2016 election with the nominations of the Progressive and Democratic parties and was reelected in the 2018 and 2020 elections. She was selected to serve as assistant chair of the Vermont Progressive Party's caucus in the state house and then to serve as chair.

Early life

Selene Colburn was born in Burlington, Vermont.[1] She participated in anti-war demonstrations as a teenager in the 1980s.[2] She graduated from Burlington High School in 1987.[3] Colburn graduated from Bennington College with a Bachelor of Arts in dance in 1991, and graduated with a master's degree in library and information science from Simmons University.[4][1]

Career

Local politics

Colburn was elected to the Burlington city council to succeed Kevin Worden with the nomination of the Vermont Progressive Party in the 2011 election without opposition after Democratic nominee Molly Loomis dropped out. During the campaign, she had raised $3,055 and spent $2,049.[5][6][7][8] She was redistricted into the East district and defeated Democratic nominee Carmen Scoles in the 2015 election.[9][10] She did not run for reelection in the 2017 election and was succeeded by Democratic nominee Richard Deane.[11][12][13]

She served as Rachel Siegel's campaign manager when Siegel ran for a seat on Burlington's city council.[14] Carina Driscoll won the endorsement of the Vermont Progressive Party during the 2018 Burlington mayoral election after Colburn nominated Driscoll for the party's endorsement.[15] During the 2019 election, she served as Jack Hanson's campaign treasurer for his city council campaign.[16] She served as city councilor Jack Hanson's campaign treasurer during the 2021 election.[17] Colburn endorsed Max Tracy, the Progressive nominee, during the 2021 Burlington mayoral election.[18]

Vermont House of Representatives

Representatives Chris Pearson, a member of the Progressive Party, and Kesha Ram, a member of the Democratic Party, declined to run for reelection to the Vermont House of Representatives in 2016.[19][20] Colburn ran for a seat in the state house from the Chittenden-6-4 district in the 2018 election with the nominations of the Democratic and Progressive parties and won in the general election alongside Brian Cina.[21][22] During the campaign she was endorsed by Senator Bernie Sanders.[23] She and Cina were reelection in the 2018 and 2020 elections.[24][25]

During the 2020 session of the state house Colburn served as assistant chair of the Vermont Progressive Party's caucus in the state house. In 2020, she was selected by a unanimous vote of seven to serve as chair of the Vermont Progressive Party's caucus in the state house while Emma Mulvaney-Stanak was selected to serve as assistant chair. She is the first woman to lead the Vermont Progressive Party's caucus in the state house.[26]

Political positions

Colburn introduced legislation in the state house to make all single occupancy restrooms gender neutral which was passed by the state legislature and signed into law by Governor Phil Scott.[27][28] She introduced legislation in the state house to decriminalize prostitution.[29]

The city council voted six to five, with Colburn in favor, in favor of a non-binding resolution encouraging employees of the Howard Center to be paid a living wage.[30] The state house voted 89 to 58, with Colburn in favor, in favor of raising the minimum wage and creating a paid family leave program.[31] She and Representatives Diana Gonzalez and Cina wrote an open letter calling for at least twenty percent of Vermont's police budget to be diverted to other services.[32]

Electoral history

Selene Colburn electoral history
2014 Burlington, Vermont city council 1st district election[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Progressive Selene Colburn 554 94.22%
Independent Write-ins 34 5.78%
Total votes 588 100.00%
2015 Burlington, Vermont city council East district election[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Progressive Selene Colburn (incumbent) 580 60.10%
Democratic Carmen Scoles 383 39.69%
Independent Write-ins 2 0.21%
Total votes 588 100.00%
2016 Vermont House of Representatives Chittenden-6-4 district Democratic primary[21]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Selene Colburn 575 47.09%
Democratic Brian Cina 378 30.96%
Democratic Judy P. Rosenstreich 264 21.62%
Democratic Write-ins 4 0.33%
Total votes 1,221 100.00%
2016 Vermont House of Representatives Chittenden-6-4 district election[22]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Progressive Selene Colburn
Democratic Selene Colburn
Total Selene Colburn 1,691 52.37%
Progressive Brian Cina
Democratic Brian Cina
Total Brian Cina 1,506 46.64%
Independent Write-ins 32 0.99%
Total votes 3,229 100.00%
Blank 1,633
2018 Vermont House of Representatives Chittenden-6-4 district Democratic primary[33]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Selene Colburn (incumbent) 575 56.15% +9.06%
Democratic Brian Cina (incumbent) 378 36.91% +5.95%
Democratic Write-ins 9 0.88% +0.55%
Total votes 1,024 100.00%
Blank 304
2018 Vermont House of Representatives Chittenden-6-4 district election[24]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Progressive Selene Colburn (incumbent)
Democratic Selene Colburn (incumbent)
Total Selene Colburn (incumbent) 2,199 52.92% +0.55%
Progressive Brian Cina (incumbent)
Democratic Brian Cina (incumbent)
Total Brian Cina (incumbent) 1,936 46.59% -0.05%
Independent Write-ins 20 0.48% -0.51%
Total votes 4,155 100.00%
Blank 1,335
2020 Vermont House of Representatives Chittenden-6-4 district Democratic primary[34]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Selene Colburn (incumbent) 904 53.15% -3.00%
Democratic Brian Cina (incumbent) 778 45.74% +8.83%
Democratic Write-ins 19 1.12% +0.24%
Total votes 1,701 100.00%
Blank 520
Spoiled 1
2020 Vermont House of Representatives Chittenden-6-4 district election[25]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Progressive Selene Colburn (incumbent)
Democratic Selene Colburn (incumbent)
Total Selene Colburn (incumbent) 2,147 52.92% ±0.00%
Progressive Brian Cina (incumbent)
Democratic Brian Cina (incumbent)
Total Brian Cina (incumbent) 1,858 45.80% -0.79%
Independent Write-ins 52 1.28% +0.80%
Total votes 4,057 100.00%
Blank 1,677

References

  1. 1 2 "Representative Selene Colburn". Vermont General Assembly. Archived from the original on June 16, 2021.
  2. ↑ "Stormy Demonstration Greets Bush". The Burlington Free Press. June 21, 1986. p. 1. Archived from the original on June 16, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. ↑ "Graduation Day '87". The Burlington Free Press. June 13, 1987. p. 21. Archived from the original on June 16, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ↑ "Archival project hires Benn. College graduate". Bennington Banner. July 30, 1999. p. 6. Archived from the original on June 16, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ↑ "Farewell to three councilors". The Burlington Free Press. April 1, 2014. p. B11. Archived from the original on June 16, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ↑ "Progressives Poised to Take Over Ward 1 Seat in Burlington City Council Race". Seven Days. January 24, 2014. Archived from the original on June 17, 2021.
  7. ↑ "PACs were big spenders in Burlington election". The Burlington Free Press. March 20, 2014. p. B11. Archived from the original on June 16, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. 1 2 "Results of 2014 Annual City Election" (PDF). Burlington, Vermont. March 4, 2014. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 10, 2021.
  9. ↑ "Burlington City Council changes under redistricting". The Burlington Free Press. March 1, 2015. p. A10. Archived from the original on June 16, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. 1 2 "State of Votes Cast For Jurisdiction Wide, All Counters, All Races" (PDF). Burlington, Vermont. March 3, 2015. p. 8. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 10, 2021.
  11. ↑ "Burlington Progressives pick City Council candidate". The Burlington Free Press. January 10, 2017. p. A9. Archived from the original on June 16, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ↑ "Knodell Wins Tight Race to Keep Burlington City Council Seat". Seven Days. March 8, 2017. Archived from the original on June 16, 2021.
  13. ↑ "Election Summary Report" (PDF). Burlington, Vermont. March 7, 2017. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 10, 2021.
  14. ↑ "Progressives elect Mulvaney-Stanak chair, outline agenda". Vermont Digger. November 10, 2013. Archived from the original on June 17, 2021.
  15. ↑ "Carina Driscoll Says She'll Run for Burlington Mayor 'Her' Way". Seven Days. December 13, 2017. Archived from the original on June 17, 2021.
  16. ↑ "Jack Hanson announces Burlington City Council run". Vermont Digger. January 4, 2019. Archived from the original on June 17, 2021.
  17. ↑ "City Councilor Jack Hanson announced re-election campaign". Vermont Digger. November 12, 2020. Archived from the original on June 17, 2021.
  18. ↑ "Max Tracy endorsements". WAMC. Archived from the original on June 6, 2021.
  19. ↑ "Max Tracy, Burlington's Most Outspoken Prog, Pulls No Punches". Seven Days. October 11, 2017. Archived from the original on June 17, 2021.
  20. ↑ "Democrats Maintain Majority in Vermont House". Seven Days. November 9, 2016. Archived from the original on June 17, 2021.
  21. 1 2 "2016 State Representative Democratic Primary". Secretary of State of Vermont. Archived from the original on June 16, 2021.
  22. 1 2 "2016 State Representative General Election". Secretary of State of Vermont. Archived from the original on June 16, 2021.
  23. ↑ "Primary". The Burlington Free Press. August 11, 2016. p. A7. Archived from the original on June 16, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  24. 1 2 "2018 State Representative General Election". Secretary of State of Vermont. Archived from the original on June 16, 2021.
  25. 1 2 "2020 State Representative General Election". Secretary of State of Vermont. Archived from the original on June 16, 2021.
  26. ↑ "Vermont House Progressive caucus elects all women leadership team". Vermont Digger. December 22, 2020. Archived from the original on June 16, 2021.
  27. ↑ "Gender-free restroom bill facing deadlines". Rutland Herald. April 15, 2017. p. A6. Archived from the original on June 16, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  28. ↑ "Gender neutral restroom requirement could be national model". Concord Monitor. May 11, 2018. Archived from the original on June 17, 2021.
  29. ↑ "Legislature takes look at prostitution". Rutland Herald. February 7, 2020. p. A3. Archived from the original on June 16, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  30. ↑ "Farewell to three councilors". The Burlington Free Press. May 19, 2015. p. A11. Archived from the original on June 16, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  31. ↑ "How your rep voted on minimum wage and paid leave". Vermont Digger. January 26, 2020. Archived from the original on June 17, 2021.
  32. ↑ "Progressive Lawmakers Want to Divert 20 Percent of State Police Budget". Seven Days. June 11, 2020. Archived from the original on June 17, 2021.
  33. ↑ "2018 State Representative Democratic Primary". Secretary of State of Vermont. Archived from the original on June 17, 2021.
  34. ↑ "2020 State Representative Democratic Primary". Secretary of State of Vermont. Archived from the original on June 17, 2021.
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