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My name is Barbara S. Murphy, and I am running for Representative for Fairfax. Please Vote!

I am running for re-election to the legislature as the representative for Fairfax to continue to ensure the voice of Fairfax is heard. I found my home in Fairfax more than thirty years ago, and over those decades have been involved in many areas of the life of our community. Those experiences honed the skills I use to forward our community's interests.

From these positions and volunteer service, I have come to know the multi-faceted identity of Fairfax and I use that understanding to guide my actions in the General Assembly. Having an informed overall knowledge of the community and being unaligned with a political party allows me to always consider how any issue will affect Fairfax without the pressure of any other interest.

In my time as Fairfax's representative, I drew on this knowledge and conversations with fellow Fairfax residents to propose, shape, and pass legislation. A vote for me ensures the voice of Fairfax is heard when the Statehouse debates the issues affecting our community.


Fairfax Resident Since 1982

In introducing myself to a voter, I was asked if I was a Vermonter. The answer is yes.

I was born at the Mary Fletcher Hospital in Burlington in 1957, the youngest of four children to Levi and Sybil Smith. My childhood was a happy one, representative of the times, with extended family close and a mother who left her career path to be the stay at home parent. Civic duty was a keystone of our upbringing and I have several cousins who have preceded me in Vermont leadership postitions. As a teen I earned 100 service hours Candy Striping at the Degosbriand hospital and later supported the Red Cross as a donor and volunteer. I attended Burlington's public schools and graduated from the University of Vermont where I received my bachelor of arts degree with a major in philosophy.

I was introduced to my husband by his sister, while she and I worked together at a Burlington pizza restaurant. We married and after renting apartments for a few years, bought our first Fairfax home just months before the birth of our son. When our family grew to four with our daughter's birth, we had to move to a bigger house but were determined to remain in Fairfax. My desire to stay in this community was again present in response to the display of support from Fairfax that helped me go forward at the time of my husband's death. I reside in the home we built in 1986.

During my children's years at BFA I was involved in scouting and co-curricular activities as a volunteer and leader. My School Board terms overlapped their earlier grades and as they entered high school I joined the list of substitute teachers. It became difficult to stay on the sub list once I was hired at the Post Office. I also had to resign from my position as a Justice of the Peace because a federal employee is forbidden to hold or run for an elected office that involves political parties. My appointment on the Development Review Board allowed me to continue to serve Fairfax in a position that was not in conflict with this law.

I retired on Halloween in 2013 from my position at the Post Office to be a candidate for Fairfax's Representative. Democrat and Republican members asked me to be their parties candidate but I chose to remain Independent. My desire is to continue to serve Fairfax as its representative and I wish to have no confusion about who I am in Montpelier to serve.


A community leader

I've lived and worked in the community.

Over the past thirty plus years, I've come to know Fairfax through a number of roles, including:

  • State Representative for Franklin 2, Fairfax (2015-16, 2017-18, 2019-20)
  • Fairfax Post Office (1998-2013)
  • Fairfax Select Board (2004-2005)
  • Development Review Board (2000-2003, 2006-2014)
  • Franklin County Home Health Agency Board of Directors (1999-2005, 2009-2015)
  • Justice of the Peace (1998-1999)
  • United Church Executive Board (1998-2004)
  • Substitute Teacher, BFA (1997-2003)
  • Treasurer, Fairfax Rescue Squad, Inc. (1995-1998)
  • BFA School Board (1991-97, 2009)
  • Girl Scout Assistant / Leader (1991-2003)
  • President, BFA club / PTA (1989-1991)

Barbara with her children (Chris and Kathryn) and their families.

Barbara and her family