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RESTAURANT GUIDE PAGES 13-20
Candidates line up for party primaries JUNE 11, 2026
Field set for statewide August election BY JASON STARR Observer staff
A slew of candidates has been certified by the Vermont Secretary of State’s office to appear on the ballot Aug. 11 seeking their party’s nomination to represent Williston in the Vermont Legislature. The deadline to file passed May. 28. Winners of the Aug. 11 primary will advance to the general election Nov. 3. Williston is part of the Chittenden-Southeast Senate District, along with 10 surrounding towns, which has three seats in the Senate. In the House of Representatives, the majority of Williston is represented by two seats in the Chittenden-2 District. A portion of southern Williston
WILLISTON’S NEWSPAPER SINCE 1985
falls in the Chittenden-8 District, with one seat shared with a portion of South Burlington. Voters can choose on Election Day which party’s ballot — Republican, Democrat or Progressive — to fill out.
SENATE CANDIDATES The three Democratic nominations for the Chittenden-Southeast Senate District are contested by five candidates. Incumbent Williston resident Ginny Lyons is positioning her experience as chair of Ginny Lyons the Senate Health and Welfare Committee and member of the Senate Appropriations Committee as her key re-election qualification. “Vermonters want leaders
E-motos, as opposed to electric bikes, typically lack pedals and can reach far greater speeds. PHOTO COURTESY OF THE VERMONT MOUNTAIN BIKE ASSOCIATION
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who listen, collaborate and stay grounded in the daily realities people are facing,” Lyons said in a statement announcing her candidacy. “Whether it’s health care, education, public health, housing, or supporting older Vermonters and working families, our focus remains on building a stronger and more affordable Vermont where people can thrive.” Her fellow incumbent, Kesha Ram Hinsdale of Shelburne, also emphasized her leadership experiKesha Ram ence. Hinsdale Hinsdale was the Senate Majority Leader during this year’s legislative session. She also served on the Education and Economic Development committees. “At a time when Vermonters are worried about affordability,
health care costs, housing, and fundamental rights and freedoms, experience matters,” Hinsdale said. The third inc u m b e n t , T h o m a s Chittenden of S o u t h Burlington, is Thomas also seeking Chittenden re-election. He is vice chair of the Senate Finance Committee and a member of the Senate Economic Development Committee. He pledged to focus on economic stability and affordability if re-elected. “Our team has worked together to tackle housing shortages, lower health care costs, strengthen our economy, and provide greater tax stability,” Chittenden said. “At a time of uncertainty
nationally, Vermont benefits from experienced legislators who know how to govern responsibly and get things done.” Challenges for the Democratic nominations are coming from Charlotte resident Elizabeth Hunt and Burlington resident Joanna Grossman. Hunt is a practicing pediatrician and mother of three. According to her campaign webElizabeth Hunt site, she is running “to ensure affordable health care, strong public schools, and the preservation of our open lands and natural beauty. “We can protect our freedoms, strengthen our families, and
BY JASON STARR Observer staff
residents who had seen the riders. “There were a lot of people concerned about it,” he said, noting that he hasn’t seen the behavior before or since. “My guess is that parents saw the post and had a conversation and said you shouldn’t ride here. Let’s find a safer place to ride,” he said. “I’m sure the kids got the message.” The incident mirrors others taking place across the Burlington area and urban and suburban zones nationwide. They are underpinned by confusion in the personal electric vehicle market about what is regulated as a bicycle with no age limit, riding restrictions or license requirement, and a motorcycle
with all the regulatory restrictions of owning a car. A key differentiator between e-bikes and e-motorcycles (also known as “e-motos”) is their top speed and acceleration capacity. E-motos can reach 65 mph and have no limit on their engine horsepower. Most e-bikes top out at 20 mph. A visual cue of an e-moto is lack of bike pedals. Existing statewide law bans e-motos from sidewalks and rec paths. Local Motion, a Burlingtonbased bike and pedestrian advocacy group, called a meeting about the issue Monday. Local Motion’s Jack Evans noted that e-motos are being marketed online to kids
see CANDIDATES page 4
Is this the summer of the e-moto?
There is a fading line between electric bikes and electric motorcycles — and cycling advocates, government officials and law enforcement are struggling to keep pace. Last week in Williston, a resident of Village Grove behind Williston Central School was startled by two students who were racing electric motorcycles “way above the speed limit” and “nearly killed my dog.” The resident, who posted about the incident on Front Porch Forum but wished to remain anonymous, said he heard from numerous other
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see E-MOTOS page 9