256:. He continued to win reelection every two years until 2016, when he was defeated in his bid for a 25th two-year term. At 48 years, Doyle's service makes him the longest-serving member of the state legislature in Vermont history. During his tenure, he was the longtime chairman of the Senate's Government Operations Committee, and he served as both Assistant Minority Leader and Minority Leader.
31:
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defeated Doyle by two votes for the third
Republican nomination; Doyle initially appeared to have won, but a recount uncovered 22 ballots for Ruggles that had not been included in the original tally. In 1968, Ruggles ran unsuccessfully for the Republican nomination for lieutenant governor, and Doyle
354:
Doyle was reelected every two years until 2014, and served continuously from 1969 to 2017. Washington County continues to elect three senators at-large, and Doyle was routinely the highest finisher among the district's candidates. He was the longtime chairman of the Senate's
Government Operations
390:
participants across
Vermont. Attracting thousands of responses annually, the Doyle poll asks respondents for their views on about a dozen issues of the day. Despite the poll's unscientific nature, the results are widely reported on in Vermont media and considered a barometer of current public
322:
In the 1960s, Doyle became active in local politics and government, serving on the
Montpelier School Board from 1964 to 1968, and as chairman from 1967 to 1968. He served on the Union #32 District High School Board from 1967 to 1968, and on the advisory committee of the
435:
In May 2018, Doyle retired from
Johnson State College. At a ceremony to celebrate the event, he was designated professor emeritus, and a granite bench created to recognize his contributions to the college was installed outside the campus library.
427:
On
January 10, 2017, Doyle was honored in the Vermont Senate chamber, including resolutions of appreciation, and current and former senators recounting stories of their experiences working with him. In addition, Governor
432:, one of Doyle's former colleagues from the Washington County district, signed a proclamation designating Vermont's 2017 local election and town meeting date, March 7, as "Bill Doyle Town Meeting Day".
249:, he became active in politics as a Republican and served on the party's city and county committees, in addition to serving on the city school board and in other local government positions.
963:"H.C.R. 392: House concurrent resolution honoring Professor and former State Senator William T. Doyle on the conclusion of his distinguished academic career at Johnson State College"
444:
In 1956, Doyle married the former Olene May
Ottoway (1932–2023). They were the parents of son Lee (1961–2021) and fraternal twins son Keith and daughter Kelly (b. 1965).
259:
After being defeated for reelection, Doyle continued teaching at
Johnson State College until retiring in 2018. The author of a 1984 book on Vermont political history,
342:
district in 1964 and 1966. Doyle placed sixth of seven candidates in the 1964 Republican primary, but obtained enough write-in votes to win one of the three
738:
907:
419:. Doyle trailed Brooks by approximately 200 votes; after initially indicating that he would request a recount, Doyle ultimately decided against doing so.
996:
947:"S.C.R. 1: Senate concurrent resolution honoring former Senator William T. Doyle and designating March 7, 2017 as "Bill Doyle Town Meeting Day""
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In 2016, Doyle was defeated for reelection; he finished fourth among the candidates running at-large in his State Senate district; incumbents
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Committee, and served as the
Assistant Minority Leader for several years. Doyle was the Senate's Minority Leader from 2010 to 2013.
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committees, a delegate to numerous state conventions, and a delegate to the
Republican National Conventions in 1976 and 1988.
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367:, a survey of the state's political development from its formation as an independent republic in 1777 to the election of
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Doyle was first elected to the Vermont Senate in 1968, after running unsuccessfully in the three-member at-large
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as Vermont Governor. He has continued to publish updates periodically since the book's first edition.
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210:(May 8, 1926 – August 15, 2024) was an American politician, academic, and author who served as a
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839:"Washington state Marriage Records (1854–2013), Entry for William T. Doyle and Olene Ottoway"
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from 1969 to 2017, he is the longest-serving state legislator in Vermont history.
407:(Progressive/Democrat) were reelected, and the third-place finisher was Democrat
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739:"Doyle loses re-election bid to Brooks, knocked out after serving since 1969"
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Area Vocational High School from 1965 to 1968. Doyle was also active in the
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571:"Washington County: Democrats to Ride with Two candidates for State Senate"
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in 1949, and received his master's (1955) and doctoral degrees (1960) from
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758:"Sen. Bill Doyle Withdraws Recount Request, Will Not Return To Statehouse"
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in 1958, and taught there until retiring in 2018. He became a resident of
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in 1949, and received master's (1955) and doctoral (1960) degrees from
178:
376:
A Lasting Impression: Vermont Historical Articles and Local Politics
265:
A Lasting Impression: Vermont Historical Articles and Local Politics
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After two unsuccessful campaigns, in 1968 Doyle won election to the
558:"State Sen. William Doyle '45 P'84 Honored for 48 Years of Service"
534:"State Sen. William Doyle '45 P'84 Honored for 48 Years of Service"
960:
386:
Beginning in 1969, Doyle conducted the annual "Doyle Survey" of
893:. Montpelier, VT: Guard and Sons Funeral Home. August 19, 2024.
540:. Lawrenceville, NJ: The Lawrenceville School. March 15, 2017.
579:. Burlington, VT. September 21, 1964. p. 17 – via
838:
283:, and his father Edward T. Doyle (d. 1984) was the mayor of
241:. In 1958, Doyle became a professor of political science at
603:. Burlington, VT. December 9, 1966. p. 27 – via
627:. Burlington, VT. November 7, 1968. p. 9 – via
972:. Montpelier, VT: Vermont General Assembly. pp. 7–8.
956:. Montpelier, VT: Vermont General Assembly. pp. 1–2.
287:. Bill Doyle was educated at Spring Lake Grammar School,
875:. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press. p. 56.
595:"Public Hearing Planned: Election Procedures Studied"
944:
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nominations, which he declined. In 1966, Republican
913:Project Vote Smart - Senator William T. Doyle (VT)
837:
374:In 2018, Doyle published a second historical work
961:Vermont House of Representatives (May 10, 2018).
619:"Many New Members Elected to 1969 Vermont Senate"
475:. Montpelier, VT: Vermont General Assembly. 2015.
306:Doyle became a professor of political science at
978:
848:. Provo, UT: Ancestry.com, LLC. August 21, 1956
653:. Bennington, VT: Bennington Museum. p. 1
672:"Bill Doyle's 'Vermont political tradition' "
394:
644:"Bill Doyle's 'Vermont political tradition'"
263:, in 2018 he also published a second work,
439:
331:, including service on the Montpelier and
29:
945:Vermont State Senate (January 13, 2017).
451:, on August 15, 2024, at the age of 98.
447:Doyle died at an elder care facility in
997:Republican Party Vermont state senators
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979:
866:
755:
725:"Doyle poll takes pulse of Vt. voters"
705:"Doyle poll takes pulse of Vt. voters"
686:"Sen. Bill Doyle: A man of the people"
521:"Biography, Senator Bill Doyle (2015)"
469:"Biography, Senator Bill Doyle (2015)"
814:. Johnson, VT: Johnson State College.
794:"Longtime senator Bill Doyle honored"
777:"Longtime senator Bill Doyle honored"
775:Goswami, Neal P. (January 11, 2017).
683:
908:2012 Town Meeting Day Survey Results
825:"Doyle honored with emeritus status"
808:"Doyle honored with emeritus status"
745:. Rutland, VT. Vermont Press Bureau.
737:Delcore, David (November 9, 2016).
415:and former Sergeant-at-Arms of the
317:
13:
867:Davies, John D. (March 12, 1968).
493:. New York, NY. February 26, 1984.
279:on May 8, 1926. He was raised in
220:Washington Vermont Senate District
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1027:21st-century American legislators
901:
684:Mills, Stephen (March 19, 2018).
642:Resch, Tyler (February 8, 2016).
1037:People from Sea Girt, New Jersey
887:"Obituary, William "Bill" Doyle"
756:Kinzel, Bob (December 2, 2016).
413:Vermont House of Representatives
411:, former Majority Leader of the
1002:People from Montpelier, Vermont
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365:The Vermont Political Tradition
261:The Vermont Political Tradition
16:American politician (1926–2024)
1032:Politicians from New York City
703:Allen, Susan (April 2, 2007).
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351:was elected as his successor.
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806:O'Leary, Tom (May 10, 2018).
473:2015-2016 Legislative Session
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1012:Manasquan High School alumni
52:from the Washington district
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1017:Princeton University alumni
1007:Lawrenceville School alumni
487:"Obituary, Edward T. Doyle"
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1022:Columbia University alumni
395:2016 defeat for reelection
624:The Burlington Free Press
600:The Burlington Free Press
576:The Burlington Free Press
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363:In 1984, Doyle published
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218:. As a senator from the
970:legislature.vermont.gov
954:legislature.vermont.gov
873:Princeton Alumni Weekly
440:Personal life and death
155:Olene Ottoway (m. 1956)
939:campaign contributions
651:Bennington Museum.org
348:Daniel B. Ruggles III
308:Johnson State College
289:Manasquan High School
243:Johnson State College
74:Daniel B. Ruggles III
762:Vermont Public radio
297:Princeton University
295:. He graduated from
293:Lawrenceville School
235:Princeton University
233:. He graduated from
231:Sea Girt, New Jersey
184:Princeton University
921:- William T. Doyle
449:Northfield, Vermont
417:Vermont State House
312:Montpelier, Vermont
301:Columbia University
239:Columbia University
188:Columbia University
172:Montpelier, Vermont
135:Northfield, Vermont
891:Guare and sons.com
869:"Class Notes: '49"
491:The New York Times
275:Doyle was born in
225:Doyle was born in
812:Basement Medicine
764:. Colchester, VT.
538:Lawrenceville.org
409:Francis K. Brooks
340:Washington County
333:Washington County
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86:Francis K. Brooks
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919:Follow the Money
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329:Republican Party
318:Political career
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208:William T. Doyle
197:Academic, author
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96:Personal details
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35:Doyle in 2007
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692:. Barre, VT.
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130:(2024-08-15)
81:Succeeded by
58:
992:2024 deaths
987:1926 births
781:Times Argus
709:Times Argus
690:Times Argus
111:May 8, 1926
69:Preceded by
981:Categories
455:References
430:Phil Scott
344:Democratic
281:New Jersey
271:Early life
247:Montpelier
212:Republican
194:Profession
179:Alma mater
146:Republican
107:1926-05-08
23:Bill Doyle
391:opinion.
314:in 1959.
168:Residence
63:1969–2017
59:In office
291:and the
285:Sea Girt
160:Children
118:New York
915:profile
852:July 8,
657:July 6,
423:Honors
359:Author
152:Spouse
137:, U.S.
120:, U.S.
966:(PDF)
950:(PDF)
647:(PDF)
325:Barre
937:1996
934:1998
931:2000
928:2002
925:2006
854:2018
659:2018
125:Died
101:Born
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