Introduction
Terrill "Terry" Bouricius (born c. 1954) is an American political scientist and a former member of the Vermont House of Representatives (1991–2001). He is particularly known for his advocacy for instant runoff voting, and more recently sortition. He was a senior policy analyst for FairVote, a nonprofit organization that works to reform voting issues.
Background
Bouricius graduated from Middlebury College with a degree in political science in 1976.
Elections
In 1980, Bouricius was part of the group of people associated with the Citizens Party and the presidential candidacy of Barry Commoner, which became the Vermont Progressive Party, and associated with the successful independent campaign of Bernie Sanders for mayor of Burlington, Vermont. Bouricius, elected along with Sanders, served ten years on the Burlington City Council, including one term as Council President. (Sanders was later elected to the United States House of Representatives and subsequently to the United States Senate.) A group of Sanders supporters organized themselves as the Progressive Coalition forerunner of the Vermont Progressive Party to contest further elections.
Service in the House
Bouricius was first elected to the House in 1990 (as a Progressive), defeating incumbent Democrat Bennett Truman 587-533. He was re-elected four times, running unopposed in 1992, 1996 and 1998. He was succeeded in 2000 by fellow Progressive Carina Driscoll.