Democratic Party primaries in Vermont, 2018
- General election: Nov. 6
- Voter registration deadline: Nov. 6
- Early voting: Sept. 21 - Nov. 5
- Absentee voting deadline: Nov. 5
- Online registration: Yes
- Same-day registration: Yes
- Voter ID: No
- Poll times: 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.[2]
Primary elections—in which registered voters select a candidate whom they believe should run on their party's ticket in the general election—can reflect internal conflict over the direction of a party.
Heading into the 2018 election, the Democratic Party sought to increase its power at the state and federal levels under the Trump administration. Its membership, however, disagreed on several major policy areas, including healthcare, free trade, education funding, a federal job guarantee, and a proposal to abolish U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).[3][4]
Candidates endorsed by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee won 31 of 33 primaries in 2018.[5] Democratic Socialists of America member Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's (D) primary victory over incumbent Joseph Crowley (D) in New York's 14th Congressional District was a notable victory for progressive activists.[6][7][8]
Democrats also won a U.S. Senate seat in Alabama for the first time in 30 years and flipped longtime Republican seats in the Wisconsin state Senate and Pennsylvania's 18th Congressional District. A record number of Republican congressional retirements also led to large Democratic fields for typically non-competitive seats.[9]
This page focuses on the Democratic primaries that took place in Vermont on August 14, 2018. In addition, the page provides context for understanding the state party apparatus.
Federal elections
U.S. Senate
Democratic primary candidates- Bernie Sanders (Incumbent) ✔
- Folasade Adeluola
U.S. House
Democratic primary candidates- Peter Welch (Incumbent) ✔
- Daniel Freilich
- Ben Mitchell
State elections
Vermont Party Control: 1992-2024
Ten years of Democratic trifectas • No Republican trifectas
Scroll left and right on the table below to view more years.
| Year | 92 | 93 | 94 | 95 | 96 | 97 | 98 | 99 | 00 | 01 | 02 | 03 | 04 | 05 | 06 | 07 | 08 | 09 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Governor | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | D | D | D | D | D | D | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R |
| Senate | D | R | R | R | R | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D |
| House | R | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | R | R | R | R | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D |
Gubernatorial election
Democratic primary candidates
= candidate completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey
- John Rodgers (Write-in)
Lieutenant gubernatorial election
There are no official candidates yet for this election.
Attorney general election
Democratic primary candidates
- T.J. Donovan (Incumbent) ✔
Secretary of state election
Democratic primary candidates
- Jim Condos (Incumbent) ✔
State legislative elections
Ballotpedia identified battleground races in the 2018 Vermont state legislative Democratic primary elections. These primaries had the potential to be more competitive than other races and could have led to changes in the membership of the Republican caucus or had an impact on general election races.
To determine the Vermont state legislative Democratic primary battleground races in 2018, Ballotpedia examined races that fit one or more of the three factors listed below:
- Identified by the media as a notable primary election.
- One or more of the candidates received a notable endorsement.
- The primary was known to be competitive based on past results or because it was a rematch of a primary that was competitive in the past.
State party overview
- See also: Democratic Party of Vermont
State political party revenue
State political parties typically deposit revenue in separate state and federal accounts in order to comply with state and federal campaign finance laws. The following table displays the Democratic Party of Vermont's revenue over a six-year period from 2011 to 2016. Revenue totals are broken down by account type and year. The data was compiled through publicly available state and federal campaign finance reports.
| Democratic Party of Vermont revenue, 2011 to 2016[11][12] | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Federal account | State account(s) | Total |
| 2011 | $259,992.30 | --[13] | $259,992.30 |
| 2012 | $809,118.95 | $53,897.33 | $863,016.28 |
| 2013 | $318,208.07 | --[13] | $318,208.07 |
| 2014 | $819,669.89 | $35,322.23 | $854,992.12 |
| 2015 | $364,320.82 | --[13] | $364,320.82 |
| 2016 | $968,690.84 | $497,989.72 | $1,466,680.56 |
Vermont compared to other states
The Democratic Party and the Republican Party maintain state affiliates in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and select U.S. territories. The following maps display total state political party revenue per capita for the Democratic and Republican state party affiliates from 2011 to 2016. The blue map displays Democratic state parties and the red map displays Republican state parties. Click on a state below to view the state party's revenue per capita totals:
Total Democratic and Republican state political party revenue per capita in the United States, 2011-2016
Primary election scheduling
Vermont was one of four states to hold a primary election on August 14, 2018.
Voter information
How the primary works
A primary election is an election in which registered voters select a candidate that they believe should be a political party's candidate for elected office to run in the general election. They are also used to choose convention delegates and party leaders. Primaries are state-level and local-level elections that take place prior to a general election. Vermont utilizes an open primary system, in which registered voters do not have to be members of a party to vote in that party's primary.[14][15]
For information about which offices are nominated via primary election, see this article.
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.[16]
Registration requirements
- 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.[17][18]
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. "[17]
Automatic registration
Vermont automatically registers eligible individuals to vote through the Department of Motor Vehicles.[18]
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.[17]
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.[17]
Verification of citizenship
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.[19]
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.[20] 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.[21]
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
Early voting
Vermont permits early voting. Learn more by visiting this website.
Early voting permits citizens to cast ballots in person at a polling place prior to an election. In states that permit no-excuse early voting, a voter does not have to provide an excuse for being unable to vote on Election Day. States that allow voters to cast no-excuse absentee/mail-in ballots in person are counted as no-excuse early voting states.
Forty-seven states and the District of Columbia permit no-excuse early voting.
Absentee voting
For general elections, Vermont holds what are commonly referred to as all-mail elections, meaning that voting is conducting primarily, although not necessarily exclusively, by mail. Election officials automatically distribute mail-in ballots to eligible electors in general elections. For primary elections, voters who wish to vote by mail must request a mail-in ballot.
See also
| Federal primaries in Vermont | State primaries in Vermont | Vermont state party apparatus | Vermont voter information |
|---|---|---|---|
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Footnotes
- ↑ Polls may have opened earlier than 10:00 a.m.; 10:00 a.m. was the latest poll opening time.
- ↑ Polls may have opened earlier than 10:00 a.m.; 10:00 a.m. was the latest poll opening time.
- ↑ CNN, "Why a 'federal jobs guarantee' is gaining steam with Democrats," April 26, 2018
- ↑ The Atlantic, "What ‘Abolish ICE’ Actually Means," July 11, 2018
- ↑ CNBC, "Despite Ocasio-Cortez upset, Democratic primaries have not gone as far left as some argue," June 28, 2018
- ↑ New York Times, "There Is a Revolution on the Left. Democrats Are Bracing." July 21, 2018
- ↑ New York Times, "Democrats Are Moving Left. Don’t Panic," July 23, 2018
- ↑ Time, "How Democrats in Congress Responded to Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's Surprise Win," June 28, 2018
- ↑ CNN, "9 Democratic primaries to watch in 2018," October 26, 2017
- ↑ The Hill, "DNC votes down resolution demanding Sanders, King join Dem Party," October 20, 2017
- ↑ Vermont Secretary of State, "Campaign Finance," accessed May 2016 (Search terms Vermont Republican State Committee and Vermont Democrats)
- ↑ Federal Election Commission, "Candidate and Committee Viewer," accessed May 2016 (Search terms Vermont Republican Federal Elections Committee and Vermont Democratic Party)
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 Biennial reporting schedule.
- ↑ NCSL,"State Primary Election Types," accessed October 4, 2024
- ↑ Vermont Secretary of State,"Party Organization," accessed October 4, 2024
- ↑ Vermont State Legislature, “17 V.S.A. § 2561,” accessed April 20, 2023
- ↑ 17.0 17.1 17.2 17.3 Vermont Secretary of State, "Voter Registration," accessed April 20, 2023
- ↑ 18.0 18.1 Vermont Secretary of State, "Frequently Asked Questions," accessed April 20, 2023
- ↑ City of Burlington, Vermont, "City of Burlington All Legal Resident Voter Registration Form," accessed November 14, 2024
- ↑ Under federal law, the national mail voter registration application (a version of which is in use in all states with voter registration systems) requires applicants to indicate that they are U.S. citizens in order to complete an application to vote in state or federal elections, but does not require voters to provide documentary proof of citizenship. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, the application "may require only the minimum amount of information necessary to prevent duplicate voter registrations and permit State officials both to determine the eligibility of the applicant to vote and to administer the voting process."
- ↑ Vermont Secretary of State, "Election Day FAQs," accessed April 20, 2023
