Samuel Douglass

Samuel Douglass

Republican Party

Vermont State Senate Orleans District

Tenure

2025 - Present

Term ends

2027

Years in position

0

Elections and appointments

Last elected

November 5, 2024

Education

High school

North Country Union High School

Bachelor's

Northern Vermont University

Personal

Birthplace

Newport, Vt.

Profession

Mental health professional

Contact

Campaign website

Campaign Facebook

Campaign Instagram

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Samuel Douglass (Republican Party) is a member of the Vermont State Senate, representing Orleans District. He assumed office on January 8, 2025. His current term ends on January 6, 2027.

Douglass (Republican Party) ran for election to the Vermont State Senate to represent Orleans District. He won in the general election on November 5, 2024.

Douglass completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. Click here to read the survey answers.

On October 17, 2025, Douglass announced his intent to resign, effective October 20, 2025. The governor's office and the state senate secretary have not reported receiving his formal resignation. Click here to read more.

Biography

Samuel Douglass was born in Newport, Vermont. Douglass earned a high school diploma from North Country Union High School and a bachelor's degree from Northern Vermont University. His career experience includes working as a mental health professional and in real estate. Douglass has been affiliated with the Vermont Republican Party and the Young Republicans of Vermont.

Sponsored legislation

The following table lists bills this person sponsored as a legislator, according to BillTrack50 and sorted by action history. Bills are sorted by the date of their last action. The following list may not be comprehensive. To see all bills this legislator sponsored, click on the legislator's name in the title of the table.

Committee assignments

2025-2026

Douglass was assigned to the following committees:

• Health and Welfare Committee
• Institutions Committee
• Sexual Harassment Prevention Panel

Elections

2024

See also: Vermont State Senate elections, 2024

General election

General election for Vermont State Senate Orleans District

Samuel Douglass defeated Katherine Sims in the general election for Vermont State Senate Orleans District on November 5, 2024.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Samuel Douglass (R)	59.2	7,168
		Katherine Sims (D)	40.4	4,894
		Other/Write-in votes	0.4	51

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 12,113
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Vermont State Senate Orleans District

Katherine Sims advanced from the Democratic primary for Vermont State Senate Orleans District on August 13, 2024.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Katherine Sims	96.6	1,204
		Other/Write-in votes	3.4	43

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 1,247
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Republican primary election

Republican primary for Vermont State Senate Orleans District

Samuel Douglass defeated Aime Conrad Bellavance in the Republican primary for Vermont State Senate Orleans District on August 13, 2024.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Samuel Douglass	54.1	713
	Submit photo	Aime Conrad Bellavance	44.2	582
		Other/Write-in votes	1.7	22

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 1,317
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Endorsements

Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for Douglass in this election.

2022

See also: Vermont State Senate elections, 2022

General election

General election for Vermont State Senate Orleans District

Incumbent Robert Starr defeated Samuel Douglass in the general election for Vermont State Senate Orleans District on November 8, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Robert Starr (D)	58.1	5,286
		Samuel Douglass (R)	41.7	3,791
		Other/Write-in votes	0.2	19

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 9,096
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Vermont State Senate Orleans District

Incumbent Robert Starr advanced from the Democratic primary for Vermont State Senate Orleans District on August 9, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Robert Starr	98.5	1,793
		Other/Write-in votes	1.5	27

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 1,820
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Republican primary election

Republican primary for Vermont State Senate Orleans District

Samuel Douglass advanced from the Republican primary for Vermont State Senate Orleans District on August 9, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Samuel Douglass	95.1	1,066
		Other/Write-in votes	4.9	55

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 1,121
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Campaign themes

2024

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Samuel Douglass completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Douglass' responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

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Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I'm a native of the Northeast Kingdom and my family has lived here for generations. I grew up hunting, fishing, riding ATVs and snowmobiles, picking fiddleheads, playing football, milking cows, and riding bikes around the neighborhood.

My roots here run deep. My family operated multiple businesses in our town, and as carpenters, we built a large number of the homes still standing in our region. Since my youth, I have seen a drastic change in the Northeast Kingdom. Businesses have closed, crime & addiction have skyrocketed, taxes have ballooned, people are less friendly, and many of the families I grew up with have left for other states. All of this concerns me and leads me to ask, what has the NEK lost? I am running for this seat to do what I can to heal the spirit of community and Vermont culture that I once saw everywhere, and to bring about greater affordability before all working Vermonters are priced out of the state.

Professionally, I work as a Crisis Intervention Specialist dealing primarily with suicidal ideation, abuse, and addiction. I'm also a real estate agent for REMAX All Seasons. I volunteer heavily across the region, from 'Meals on Wheels' to blood drives to helping my town organize community events. My wife and I run a family homestead and a small business. We raise chickens, ducks, dairy goats, and honeybees.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

• Vermont is unaffordable. Many people, including myself, live paycheck to paycheck. Rents and basic necessities are rising in price and many Vermonters can't afford to live in Vermont anymore. I stand for lowering taxes for our seniors, veterans, businesses, and working families. I want a Vermont that spends only what it can afford, not a Vermont that squeezes the last penny from its residents.
• I support our agriculture and farmers. I come from a farming family in a farming community in a farming region. Dairy farming in particular is an integral part of our cultural identity, and very few of our lawmakers advocate for it. Many local farms support me because they know that I will represent their interests and work to fight against those who would tear them down.
• I'm not a politician. I'm running because I see a desperate need for common sense, and we need fewer people in Montpelier that act like politicians. Lawmakers derive their legislative power from the people and are answerable to the people. If elected, I won't stop going door-to-door in our communities. Being active and engaged with the community doesn't end when the election year ends.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Agriculture, housing, mental health, energy, and the economy.

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

I look up to many people for various aspects of their personalities and lives.

George Washington for his integrity and resigning from the presidency when he could've held power for life.

Calvin Coolidge for his fiscal responsibility and small-town values.

Governor Jim Douglas for his integrity and values.

When hard moments come, I hope to live up to their examples and trust my instincts to do the right thing.

Is there a book, essay, film, or something else you would recommend to someone who wants to understand your political philosophy?

"The Vermont Way" (James H. Douglas) and "The Autobiography of Calvin Coolidge".

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

Humility, honesty, and integrity. Lawmaking and representing your community are not about you, your ego, or your ambitions. As a Senator or Representative, you must set aside your own ego and remember who you represent.

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

Responding to emails, returning letters, answering and returning phone calls, and being present on the senate floor for votes - not chatting or taking phone calls in the hallway. Going to community events and engaging with the public. Serving as an intermediary between the towns, local government, and the voters. Visiting voters door-to-door and hearing their concerns.

What do you believe is the ideal relationship between the governor and state legislature?

Ideally, the governor and the state legislature should operate independently, however, the governor's ability to veto and his budgetary involvement necessitates cooperation and effective communication between his office and the legislature.

What do you perceive to be your state's greatest challenges over the next decade?

Housing, rising prices, and crime.

Do you believe that it’s beneficial for state legislators to have previous experience in government or politics?

Beneficial, but never necessary. I have never thought that experience in government or politics should be a deciding factor in elections. Incumbents already have extreme advantages in elections. The best legislators often come from humble backgrounds with zero experience in government or politics. As a legislator, your responsibility is to represent, so the only requirement for office is a desire to serve faithfully and a dedication to your constituents.

Do you believe it’s beneficial to build relationships with other legislators? Please explain your answer.

Absolutely! The governor and local government too, as it increases cohesion and cooperation. In fact, as a way to expand your perspective, it's beneficial to build relationships with legislators and elected officials out-of-state as well.

Is there a particular legislator, past or present, whom you want to model yourself after?

Representative Mark Higley and Senator Bobby Starr. Both men have served the Northeast Kingdom and have protected our rights and traditions.

Are you interested in running for a different political office (for example, the U.S. Congress or governor) in the future?

Not really. I don't believe in using elected office as a steppingstone into another office. It's pure disrespect to the voters and is the prioritization of your own ego over the needs of your constituents.

Both sitting legislators and candidates for office hear many personal stories from the residents of their district. Is there a story that you’ve heard that you found particularly touching, memorable, or impactful?

Yes. I have too many.

Members of my community choosing between buying heating fuel or groceries.

Crime and regular shootings on the street that young children use to walk to school.

Businesses closing because of high taxes.

Families leaving the state because they simply can't afford to live here.

Generational farms closing because their dairy operation doesn't cover the bills, or because their children didn't want to continue running the family farm.

Should the legislature oversee or grant the use of emergency powers?

Legality provided, if the emergency warrants it. Extreme weather conditions or war included.

What is the first bill you would introduce if elected?

I have several ideas. In particular, through my work with elected officials, community leaders, and industry professionals, I intend to work towards the introduction of legislation to incentivize rapid development of affordable homes.

What committees interest you?

Agriculture, Appropriations, Government Operations, Economic Development, Housing, and General Affairs. Though, I am interested to serve on any committee.

What are your views on financial transparency and government accountability?

Article 6 of the Vermont Constitution states, "That all power being originally inherent in and co[n]sequently derived from the people, therefore, all officers of government, whether legislative or executive, are their trustees and servants; and at all times, in a legal way, accountable to them."

This article has been a guiding principle of mine for a number of years and informs my opinions on the relationship between the people and their government.

I believe that lawmakers are accountable to the people and should answer to them as such. Sometimes a legislator must make a difficult vote, and they must be prepared to face the voters and explain that vote.

Would a state ballot initiative process be good or bad for your state?

That's a tricky one. As it stands, national organizations are already injecting a lot of money into our state, which is contrary to our small-town ideals. This would encourage organizations to spend more money here to collect signatures for ballot initiatives. I'm concerned about external/internal bad actors.

I'm also concerned about large population centers being the deciding factor in adding provisions to the ballot, as this distribution of population would result in small sections of the state having undue influence.

However, ballot initiatives are a form of citizen-directed civic duty, which I am in favor of encouraging as civic duty of all kinds are in decline. Not to mention that right now in Vermont, one party maintains a super-majority and has complete control over the legislative process, which is an abuse of the minority.

I think this is a question which merits long debate and consideration, but my gut instinct is that a state ballot initiative process would be good for Vermont as a protection of the minority, which is important to me.

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

2022

Samuel Douglass completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2022. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Douglass' responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

Expand all | Collapse all

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I am a born and raised Vermonter with deep Vermont roots. I've lived in this area my entire life and I want to see our communities succeed. I run a family homestead where we grow and produce the majority of what we eat. I'd like to see other people have the chance to live their lives with similar self-sufficiency.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

• I will work to make Vermont more affordable and to lower the tax burden.
• I am a Vermonter for Vermonters. Your friend and your neighbor.
• I am committed to giving adequate representation to the members of my district.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Law enforcement, natural resources, and taxation.

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

For any person, but especially for elected officials, the most important characteristic is humility. Letting go of pride and laying bare your faults and shortcomings is the only way to become a better person. Our elected officials must be good people. They must be wise and understanding to the problems faced by others. I firmly believe that humility is the first step in this.

What legacy would you like to leave?

I want to make life easier for people. I want people to be able to provide sufficiently for themselves and their families without the need for charity or government. That is the legacy I want to leave.

What do you perceive to be your state's greatest challenges over the next decade?

Vermont has a number of challenges in the coming decades but perhaps its greatest challenge is the problem of youth retention. Many of our young people leave the state in search for opportunities elsewhere. The younger population constitutes a large portion of our workforce and with our rapidly aging population, Vermont faces a workforce shortage. Vermont's agricultural sector faces great threats by this with fewer workers and fewer successors to take over family farms.

Do you believe that it’s beneficial for state legislators to have previous experience in government or politics?

Yes, but it's more complicated than that. Legislators serve on the behalf of the people and should thereby be representative of the communities they serve. It is helpful to have knowledge and experience in government or politics, but it is far more important to be in touch with the fellow people of the district. A legislator should foremost have the experience of living and working in the communities they represent.

Do you believe that compromise is necessary or desirable for policymaking?

Compromise is necessary in every part of life, including policymaking. Each district is made up of a variety of people with diverse views and opinions. It's important in policymaking to represent all of those people, even those in the minority. Compromising allows lawmakers to serve their constituents in a way that appeals to the largest amount.

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

Campaign finance summary

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Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.

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Samuel Douglass campaign contribution history

Year	Office	Status	Contributions	Expenditures
2024*	Vermont State Senate Orleans District	Won general	$42,141	$27,460
2022	Vermont State Senate Orleans District	Lost general	$0	$0
Grand total			$42,141	$27,460
Sources: OpenSecrets,  Federal Elections Commission ***This product uses the openFEC API but is not endorsed or certified by the Federal Election Commission (FEC).
* Data from this year may not be complete

Noteworthy events

Douglass announces resignation following report of inappropriate messages (2025)

On October 14, 2025, a news report from Politico revealed messages initiated by Douglass within a Young Republicans Telegram chat that were deemed racist and inappropriate in nature.

Vermont Gov. Phil Scott (R) called for Douglass' resignation following the Politico report, saying, "The hateful statements made in this group chat are disgusting and unacceptable. The vile, racist, bigoted, and antisemitic dialogue that has been reported is deeply disturbing. There is simply no excuse for it. Those involved should resign from their roles immediately and leave the Republican party – including Vermont State Senator Sam Douglass."

On October 15, Douglass apologized for his comments. On October 17, he announced he would resign effective October 20, 2025.

Scorecards

See also: State legislative scorecards and State legislative scorecards in Vermont

A scorecard evaluates a legislator’s voting record. Its purpose is to inform voters about the legislator’s political positions. Because scorecards have varying purposes and methodologies, each report should be considered on its own merits. For example, an advocacy group’s scorecard may assess a legislator’s voting record on one issue while a state newspaper’s scorecard may evaluate the voting record in its entirety.

Ballotpedia is in the process of developing an encyclopedic list of published scorecards. Some states have a limited number of available scorecards or scorecards produced only by select groups. It is Ballotpedia’s goal to incorporate all available scorecards regardless of ideology or number.

Click here for an overview of legislative scorecards in all 50 states. To contribute to the list of Vermont scorecards, email suggestions to editor@ballotpedia.org.

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Vermont State Senate Orleans District

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Footnotes

[show]

Current members of the Vermont State Senate

Leadership

Majority Leader:Kesha Ram Hinsdale

Senators

Addison District

Ruth Hardy (D)

Steven Heffernan (R)

Bennington District

Seth Bongartz (D)

Robert Plunkett (D)

Caledonia District

Scott Beck (R)

Chittenden Central District

Philip Baruth (D)

Martine Gulick (D)

Tanya Vyhovsky (V)

Chittenden North District

Chris Mattos (R)

Chittenden Southeast District

Thomas Chittenden (D)

Virginia Lyons (D)

Kesha Ram Hinsdale (D)

Essex District

Russ Ingalls (R)

Franklin District

Randy Brock (R)

Robert Norris (R)

Grand Isle District

Patrick Brennan (R)

Lamoille District

Richard Westman (R)

Orange District

Vacant

Orleans District

Samuel Douglass (R)

Rutland District

Brian Collamore (R)

David Weeks (R)

Terry Williams (R)

Washington District

Ann Cummings (D)

Andrew Perchlik (D)

Anne Watson (D)

Windham District

Wendy Harrison (D)

Nader Hashim (D)

Windsor District

Alison Clarkson (D)

Joe Major (D)

Rebecca White (D)

Democratic Party (16)

Republican Party (12)

Vermont Progressive Party (1)

Vacancies (1)