Statement of Changes in Beneficial Ownership (4)

FORM 4 [ ] Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).	UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20549 STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES	OMB APPROVAL OMB Number: 3235-0287 Estimated average burden hours per response... 0.5
	Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940

1. Name and Address of Reporting Person * LAWTON LORILEE A	2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol MERCHANTS BANCSHARES INC [ MBVT ]	5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer (Check all applicable) __ X __ Director                      _____ 10% Owner _____ Officer (give title below)      _____ Other (specify below)
(Last)          (First)          (Middle) C/O MERCHANTS BANK, 275, KENNEDY DR	3. Date of Earliest Transaction (MM/DD/YYYY) 5/4/2017
(Street) S. BURLINGTON, VT 05403 (City)        (State)        (Zip)	4. If Amendment, Date Original Filed (MM/DD/YYYY)	6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing (Check Applicable Line) _ X _ Form filed by One Reporting Person ___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person

Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
1.Title of Security (Instr. 3)	2. Trans. Date	2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any	3. Trans. Code (Instr. 8)		4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4 and 5)			5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 3 and 4)	6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)	7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)
			Code	V	Amount	(A) or (D)	Price
Common Stock	5/4/2017		A		93   (1)	A	$51.05	34255	D
Common Stock								8959	I	By Lorilee A. Lawton Trust

Table II - Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned ( e.g. , puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)
1. Title of Derivate Security (Instr. 3)	2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security	3. Trans. Date	3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any	4. Trans. Code (Instr. 8)		5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4 and 5)		6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date		7. Title and Amount of Securities Underlying Derivative Security (Instr. 3 and 4)		8. Price of Derivative Security (Instr. 5)	9. Number of derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 4)	10. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)	11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)
				Code	V	(A)	(D)	Date Exercisable	Expiration Date	Title	Amount or Number of Shares

Explanation of Responses:

(1)

Represents shares of common stock underlying phantom stock units granted in accordance with the terms of the Issuer's 2008 Compensation Plan for Non-Employee Directors and Trustees (the "Plan"). Each phantom stock unit represents a contingent right to receive one share of the Issuer's common stock. The shares of phantom stock will become payable in common stock in seven equal annual installments commencing on the Reporting Person's 65th birthday and are subject to partial forfeiture by the Reporting Person, all as more fully described in the Plan.

Reporting Owners
Reporting Owner Name / Address	Relationships
	Director	10% Owner	Officer	Other
LAWTON LORILEE A C/O MERCHANTS BANK, 275 KENNEDY DR S. BURLINGTON, VT 05403	X

Signatures
/s/ Jamie Oberle, attorney-in-fact for Lorilee A. Lawton		5/8/2017
** Signature of Reporting Person		Date

Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly.
*	If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4(b)(v).
**	Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
Note:	File three copies of this Form, one of which must be manually signed. If space is insufficient, see Instruction 6 for procedure.
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