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Joanna Cole (politician)

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Joanna Cole
Member of the Vermont House of Representatives
from the Chittenden-6-1 district
In office
January 9, 2013 – 2017
Preceded byBill Aswad
Succeeded byCarol Ode
Personal details
Born (1948-01-23) January 23, 1948 (age 77)
Troy, New York, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
SpouseSarah Flynn
Residence(s)Burlington, Vermont, U.S.
ProfessionEducator (ret.)
Websitejoannacole.org

Joanna E. Cole (born January 23, 1948) is an American politician and educator from Burlington, Vermont, in the United States. A member of the Democratic Party, she was elected to the Vermont House of Representatives in 2012, representing the Chittenden-6-1 district, which includes Burlington's New North End. She took office on January 9, 2013.

Early life and career

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Born in Troy, New York and educated at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Cole taught college-level chemistry, including stints at Millersville University of Pennsylvania and Lebanon Valley College.[1]

In politics

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2008 campaign

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Cole first ran for the Vermont House in 2008, one of five candidates seeking two seats in the Chittenden-3-1 district. She placed second in the Democratic primary election behind incumbent Bill Aswad, beating the third-placed finisher by seven votes and assuring herself of a place on the general election ballot.[2] In the general election, the two Democratic nominees and the two Republican nominees were chasing two seats. Cole finished third, behind the two incumbents: Kurt Wright, a Republican, and Aswad, a Democrat.[3]

2010 campaign

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In 2010, Cole ran again in the Chittenden-3-1 district. This time, there were only three contenders: Cole and the two incumbents. In the general election, Cole once again placed third, trailing Wright and Aswad.[4]

2012 campaign

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In 2012, due to redistricting, Cole's home was placed in the new two-member Chittenden-6-1 district, as were Wright's and Aswad's residences. Cole was one of four candidates running, including three Democrats. In the Democratic primary election, she placed first, beating incumbent Bill Aswad into second place.[5] Cole and Aswad proceeded to the general election, as did Republican incumbent Kurt Wright. In the general election, Wright finished first with 2,332 votes while Cole came second, with 2,008. She beat out Aswad by just 21 votes.[6]

Personal

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She was director of the League of Women Voters of Vermont from 2007 to 2012. A Quaker, she has served as the representative of the Burlington Society of Friends to the Burlington Area Ministerial Association. She has also served as a Justice of the Peace since 2007.[1]

Cole is openly bisexual.[7] She is married to Sarah Flynn, a retired priest.[8] Her 2012 campaign won the support of the Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund.[9] She is one of six openly LGBT members of the Vermont Legislature, alongside representatives Bill Lippert (D–Hinesburg), Matt Trieber (D–Bellows Falls) and Herb Russell (D–Rutland), as well as senators Brian Campion (D–Bennington) and Becca Balint (D–Windham).

Electoral history

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Joanna Cole electoral history
2008 Vermont House of Representatives Chittenden 3-1 district election[10][11]
Primary election
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Bill Aswad (incumbent) 342 42.48%
Democratic Joanna Cole 234 29.07%
Democratic Susan Wheeler 227 28.20%
Write-in 2 0.25%
Total votes 805 100.00%
General election
Republican Kurt Wright (incumbent) 2,196 32.57%
Democratic Bill Aswad (incumbent) 2,195 32.56%
Democratic Joanna Cole 1,649 24.46%
Republican Scott Beaudin 694 10.29%
Write-in 8 0.12%
Total votes 6,742 100.00%
2010 Vermont House of Representatives Chittenden 3-1 district election[12][13]
Primary election
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Bill Aswad (incumbent) 843 50.97%
Democratic Joanna Cole 800 48.37%
Write-in 11 0.67%
Total votes 1,654 100.00%
Blank/Spoiled 668
General election
Republican Kurt Wright (incumbent) 1,806 39.18%
Democratic Bill Aswad (incumbent) 1,526 33.11%
Democratic Joanna Cole 1,277 27.71%
Total votes 4,609 100.00%
2012 Vermont House of Representatives Chittenden 6-1 district election[14][15]
Primary election
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Joanna Cole 658 36.04%
Democratic Bill Aswad (incumbent) 619 33.90%
Democratic Robert Hooper 536 29.35%
Write-in 13 0.71%
Total votes 1,826 100.00%
Blank/Spoiled 568
General election
Republican Kurt Wright (incumbent) 2,332 36.86%
Democratic Joanna Cole 2,008 31.74%
Democratic Bill Aswad (incumbent) 1,987 31.41%
Total votes 6,327 100.00%
2014 Vermont House of Representatives Chittenden 6-1 district election[16][17]
Primary election
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Joanna Cole (incumbent) 363 82.69%
Write-in 76 17.31%
Total votes 439 100.00%
Blank/Spoiled 591
General election
Republican Kurt Wright (incumbent) 1,598 30.95%
Democratic Joanna Cole (incumbent) 1,265 24.50%
Republican Michael Ly 1,217 23.57%
Democratic Robert Hooper 953 18.46%
Libertarian Loyal Ploof 68 1.32%
Libertarian Roy Collette 49 0.95%
Write-in 13 0.25%
Total votes 5,163 100.00%
Blank/Spoiled 359
2016 Vermont House of Representatives Chittenden 6-1 district election[18][19]
Primary election
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Joanna Cole (incumbent) 967 52.41%
Democratic Carol Ode 858 46.50%
Write-in 20 1.08%
Total votes 1,845 100.00%
Blank/Spoiled 885
General election
Democratic Carol Ode 2,559 34.08%
Republican Kurt Wright (incumbent) 2,135 28.44%
Democratic Joanna Cole (incumbent) 2,068 27.54%
Republican Mike McGarghan 729 9.71%
Write-in 17 0.23%
Total votes 7,508 100.00%
Blank/Spoiled 1,494

References

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  1. ^ a b "Representative Joanna Cole Biography". Project Vote Smart. Retrieved 2012-12-27.
  2. ^ "Election results: 2008 Democratic primary" (PDF). Vermont Elections Division. Retrieved 2012-12-27.
  3. ^ "Election results: 2008 general" (PDF). Vermont Elections Division. Retrieved 2012-12-27.
  4. ^ "Election results: 2010 general" (PDF). Vermont Elections Division. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2010-12-26. Retrieved 2012-12-27.
  5. ^ "Election results: 2012 Democratic primary" (PDF). Vermont Elections Division. Retrieved 2012-12-27.
  6. ^ "Election results: 2012 general" (PDF). Vermont Elections Division. Retrieved 2012-12-27.
  7. ^ Lauren Michelle Kinsey (2012-12-31). "The Top 5 Bisexual News Stories of 2012". The Huffington Post. Archived from the original on 2016-04-13. Retrieved 2013-01-03.
  8. ^ "Meet the Clergy". The Old Catholic Church of the United States. Archived from the original on 2013-12-10. Retrieved 2012-12-27.
  9. ^ "Joanna Cole : House of Representatives, Chittenden 6-1 Vermont". The Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund. Retrieved 2012-12-27.[permanent dead link]
  10. ^ "2008 State Representative Democratic Primary - Chittenden 3-1 District". Vermont Secretary of State. Retrieved May 29, 2025.
  11. ^ "2008 State Representative General Election - Chittenden 3-1 District". Vermont Secretary of State. Retrieved May 29, 2025.
  12. ^ "2010 State Representative Democratic Primary - Chittenden 3-1 District". Vermont Secretary of State. Retrieved May 29, 2025.
  13. ^ "2010 State Representative General Election - Chittenden 3-1 District". Vermont Secretary of State. Retrieved May 29, 2025.
  14. ^ "2012 State Representative Democratic Primary - Chittenden 6-1 District". Vermont Secretary of State. Retrieved May 29, 2025.
  15. ^ "2012 State Representative General Election - Chittenden 6-1 District". Vermont Secretary of State. Retrieved May 29, 2025.
  16. ^ "2014 State Representative Democratic Primary - Chittenden 6-1 District". Vermont Secretary of State. Retrieved May 29, 2025.
  17. ^ "2014 State Representative General Election - Chittenden 6-1 District". Vermont Secretary of State. Retrieved May 29, 2025.
  18. ^ "2016 State Representative Democratic Primary - Chittenden 6-1 District". Vermont Secretary of State. Retrieved May 29, 2025.
  19. ^ "2016 State Representative General Election - Chittenden 6-1 District". Vermont Secretary of State. Retrieved May 29, 2025.
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