Burlington, Vermont, Question 5, Qualification of Voters Amendment (March 2023)

Burlington Question 5
Election date March 7, 2023
Topic Local charter amendments
Status Approved
Type Referral

Burlington Question 5 was on the ballot as a referral in Burlington on March 7, 2023. It was approved.

A "yes" vote supported this charter amendment to require voters to be resident of a ward or city district if casting a ballot for certain local officers or local public questions, and to provide that the City Council determines the number and location of polling places in each ward.

A "no" vote opposed this charter amendment to require voters to be resident of a ward or city district if casting a ballot for certain local officers or local public questions, and to provide that the City Council determines the number and location of polling places in each ward.

Election results

Burlington Question 5
Result		Votes	Percentage
Yes		7,623	76.47%
No		2,345	23.53%

Results are officially certified.

Source

Text of measure

Ballot title

The ballot title for Question 5 was as follows:

“

Shall the Charter of the City of Burlington, Acts of 1949, No. 298 as amended be further have Title II, Article 4, Qualifications of Voters, and Article 8, Method of Conducting Elections, amended as follows: TITLE II. ELECTIONS AND CITY MEETINGS—CITY ELECTIONS ARTICLE 4. QUALIFICATIONS OF VOTERS §8. Person to vote in ward or City district in which the person resides; residence requirement. Person to reside in ward or City district if casting ballot for particular local officers or local public questions. No such citizen shall vote except in the ward or City district of which he or she is at the time a resident. A legal voter may cast a ballot for local officers and local public questions specific to a ward or City district only if that legal voter resides in that ward or City district at the time of casting that ballot. ARTICLE 8. METHOD OF CONDUCTING ELECTIONS §19. Where elections held; early voter absentee ballots. Designation of Polling Places. Annual and special elections shall be held in the several wards. Notwithstanding 17 V.S.A. chapter 51, the ballots of early or absentee voters may be returned to the ward clerks of the various wards within the City. At least thirty days prior to a local, primary, or general election, the City Council, in consultation with the City Clerk's Office, ward clerks and inspectors of election, shall determine the number and location of polling places. Polling places shall be located in each ward unless a more accessible facility is available outside the ward which is in as close proximity as possible to the ward in which each voter resides. If more than one polling place is located within the same building, each shall be located so that it is separate and distinct from the others, in accordance with 17 V.S.A. 2501(e).

”

Full Text

The full text of this measure is available here.

Path to the ballot

This measure was put on the ballot through a vote of the Burlington City Council.

How to cast a vote

See also: Voting in Vermont

See below to learn more about current voter registration rules, identification requirements, and poll times in Vermont.

How to vote in Vermont

Poll times

In Vermont, all polls must open by 10 a.m. All polls close at 7 p.m. An individual who is in line at the time polls close must be allowed to vote.

Registration

Check your voter registration status here.

A United States citizen and state resident who is at least 18 years of age may register to vote in Vermont. The registrant must take the "Voter's Oath," which is included on the voter registration form.

According to the secretary of state's website, "Beginning January 1, 2017, eligible persons may register to vote on any day up to and including the day of the election. Registration is available during all normal business hours of your town or city clerk's office on days preceding the election and during polling hours on Election Day. "

Automatic registration

Vermont automatically registers eligible individuals to vote through the Department of Motor Vehicles.

Online registration

See also: Online voter registration

Vermont has implemented an online voter registration system. Residents can register to vote by visiting this website.

Same-day registration

Vermont allows same-day voter registration.

Residency requirements

To register to vote in Vermont, you must be a resident of the state. State law does not specify a length of time for which you must have been a resident to be eligible.

Verification of citizenship

See also: Laws permitting noncitizens to vote in the United States

Vermont does not require proof of citizenship for voter registration. An individual applying to register to vote must attest that they are a U.S. citizen under penalty of perjury.

As of November 2024, Burlington, Vermont had authorized noncitizen residents to vote in local board elections. Noncitizens must register to vote using a separate application from the state voter registration application.

All 49 states with voter registration systems require applicants to declare that they are U.S. citizens in order to register to vote in state and federal elections, under penalty of perjury or other punishment. Seven states — Alabama, Arizona, Georgia, Kansas, Louisiana, New Hampshire, and Wyoming — have laws requiring verification of citizenship at the time of voter registration, whether in effect or not. In three states — California, Maryland, and Vermont — at least one local jurisdiction allows noncitizens to vote in some local elections. Noncitizens registering to vote in those elections must complete a voter registration application provided by the local jurisdiction and are not eligible to register as state or federal voters.

Verifying your registration

The My Voter Page, run by the Vermont Secretary of State office, allows residents to check their voter registration status online.

Voter ID requirements

Vermont does not require voters to present identification while voting in most cases. However, first-time voters who registered by mail are required to present identification at the polls.

The following list of accepted ID was current as of April 2023. Click here for the Vermont Secretary of State's page on accepted ID to ensure you have the most current information.

• Valid photo ID (driver’s license or passport)
• Current utility bill
• Current bank statement
• Another government document containing your residential address

See also

Local measures

• Local measures in 2023
• Local elections and campaigns on the ballot

Vermont

• Vermont 2023 local measures
• Local ballot measures, Vermont
• Burlington, Vermont

News and analysis

• State and local preemption conflicts
• Measures advancing national agendas