Former North District city councilor Ali Dieng has launched a last-minute write-in campaign against incumbent Mark Barlow (I).
Dieng announced his effort at the Wards 4 and 7 Neighborhood Planning Assembly on Wednesday. He told Seven Days on Friday that he waited until the week before Town Meeting Day to announce because he “did not really have time to run for city council.” He added that he would “always have time to represent my constituents.”
Barlow, who is seeking reelection for his North District seat, said he was not too concerned about Dieng’s effort. “It’s a really heavy lift this close to the election,” Barlow said.
Dieng is running as an independent. While on city council, Dieng gained a reputation for being a wildcard. He voted against a Progressive-led resolution to cut the police roster by 30 percent, while supporting other Progressive proposals, such as one to create a police oversight board.
Dieng first ran for city council in 2017 in a special election to fill a vacant seat midyear. He became the council’s only nonwhite member at the time, and its second ever New American. Dieng was born in the West African nation of Mauritania, but he grew up in French-speaking Senegal. He moved to the U.S. in 2007 and to Vermont the following year.
In 2015, Dieng started Parent University, a program that teaches New American parents English, cultural customs and other skills. Dieng manages the program, which is run through the Burlington School District.
Barlow, meanwhile, grew up in the New North End and has lived in the neighborhood for 21 years as an adult. He owns a small business that offers online marketing services to mortgage brokers, insurance agents and solar panel installers.
After two terms serving as an independent, Barlow is running as a Democrat. He’s sided with the Dems on a number of issues, such as lifting the police roster cap. Dieng cited Barlow’s change of party as one of his reasons for running.
“I think I’m pragmatic and centrist in my approach,” Barlow told Seven Days. “My north star is getting Burlington back to the place it was before we had a lot of the problems we have right now.”
Dieng said he worries that partisan politics are getting in the way of meaningful work. He voiced support for Progressive Mayor Emma Mulvaney Stanak, and said he hopes to see more of her proposals move forward.
“We need to come together and represent our constituents,” Dieng said. “I am jumping back in order to move us forward.”
Correction, February 28, 2025: A previous version of this story misidentified Ali Dieng’s former district.