Ali Dieng, a native of West Africa, has won a seat on Burlington's City Council.
The mayor's office says it believes Dieng is the first immigrant from Africa to serve on the council.
The Democrat and Progressive defeated Republican Vince Dober for the Ward 7 seat, earning 62 percent of the vote during the special election this week.
The Burlington Free Press reports Dieng won the endorsement of Sen. Bernie Sanders' Our Revolution, a group supporting grassroots progressive candidates.
Dieng is the only "New American" and non-white city resident on the council.
City Council President Jane Knodell said his election is "tremendously important and a promising development." She says "we know that our community is increasingly multicultural and it's important for people to see themselves, people who look like themselves, in leadership positions."
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