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Vermont House of Representatives elections, 2020
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| 2020 Vermont House Elections | |
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| General | November 3, 2020 |
| Primary | August 11, 2020 |
| Past Election Results |
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| 2020 Elections | |
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Elections for the office of Vermont House of Representatives took place in 2020. The general election was held on November 3, 2020. A primary was scheduled for August 11, 2020. The filing deadline was May 28, 2020.
All 150 House seats were up for election in 2020. Heading into the election, Democrats held 95 seats, Republicans held 43 seats, Progressives held 7 seats, and independents held 5 seats. Democrats lost three seats in the election, giving them a 92-46 majority with seven Progressive members and five independent members.
The Vermont House of Representatives was one of 86 state legislative chambers with elections in 2020. There are 99 chambers throughout the country. In 2018, 87 out of 99 legislative chambers held elections.
Vermont's 2020 state legislative elections affected partisan control of redistricting following the 2020 census. In Vermont, the state legislature is responsible for redistricting. An advisory redistricting commission is also involved in the process.
Election procedure changes in 2020
Ballotpedia provided comprehensive coverage of how election dates and procedures changed in 2020. While the majority of changes occurred as a result of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, some changes occurred for other reasons.
Vermont modified its absentee/mail-in voting procedures for the November 3, 2020, general election as follows:
- Absentee/mail-in voting: Mail-in ballots were sent to all registered voters in the general election.
For a full timeline about election modifications made in response to the COVID-19 outbreak, click here.
Party control
| Vermont House of Representatives | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Party | As of November 3, 2020 | After November 4, 2020 | |
| Democratic Party | 95 | 92 | |
| Republican Party | 43 | 46 | |
| Vermont Progressive Party | 7 | 7 | |
| Independent | 5 | 5 | |
| Total | 150 | 150 | |
Candidates
Note: Due to fusion voting, Vermont candidates may appear on the ballot with multiple party affiliations. In those cases, the first party listed on the official ballot is the person's foremost political party. Please note that our ordering of political parties may not match the official list's order. For those candidates, please consult the official candidate list to see the correct party order.
General election
Primary election
Vermont House of Representatives primary election |
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| Office |  Democratic |
 Republican |
Other |
| Addison-1 District (2 seats) |
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| Addison-2 District |
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No candidates filed for the Republican primary |
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| Addison-3 District (2 seats) |
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| Addison-4 District (2 seats) |
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| Addison-5 District |
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| Addison-Rutland District |
No candidates filed for the Republican primary |
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| Bennington-1 District |
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No candidates filed for the Republican primary |
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| Bennington-2-1 District (2 seats) |
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| Bennington-2-2 District (2 seats) |
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| Bennington-3 District |
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| Bennington-4 District (2 seats) |
No candidates filed for the Republican primary |
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| Bennington-Rutland District |
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No candidates filed for the Republican primary |
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| Caledonia-Washington District |
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| Caledonia-1 District |
No candidates filed for the Democratic primary |
Vermont Progressive Party  Dylan Stetson |
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| Caledonia-2 District |
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No candidates filed for the Republican primary |
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| Caledonia-3 District (2 seats) |
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| Caledonia-4 District (2 seats) |
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Vermont Progressive Party Christian Hubbs |
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| Chittenden-1 District |
No candidates filed for the Republican primary |
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| Chittenden-2 District (2 seats) |
No candidates filed for the Republican primary |
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| Chittenden 3 District (2 seats) |
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| Chittenden-4-1 District |
No candidates filed for the Republican primary |
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| Chittenden-4-2 District |
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| Chittenden-5-1 District |
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No candidates filed for the Republican primary |
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| Chittenden-5-2 District |
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No candidates filed for the Republican primary |
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| Chittenden-6-1 District (2 seats) |
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No candidates filed for the Republican primary |
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| Chittenden-6-2 District |
No candidates filed for the Republican primary |
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| Chittenden-6-3 District (2 seats) |
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No candidates filed for the Republican primary |
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| Chittenden-6-4 District (2 seats) |
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No candidates filed for the Republican primary |
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| Chittenden-6-5 District (2 seats) |
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No candidates filed for the Republican primary |
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| Chittenden-6-6 District |
No candidates filed for the Republican primary |
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| Chittenden-6-7 District (2 seats) |
No candidates filed for the Republican primary |
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| Chittenden-7-1 District |
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No candidates filed for the Republican primary |
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| Chittenden-7-2 District |
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No candidates filed for the Republican primary |
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| Chittenden-7-3 District |
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No candidates filed for the Republican primary |
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| Chittenden-7-4 District |
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No candidates filed for the Republican primary |
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| Chittenden-8-1 District (2 seats) |
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| Chittenden-8-2 District (2 seats) |
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| Chittenden-8-3 District |
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| Chittenden-9-1 District (2 seats) |
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| Chittenden-9-2 District (2 seats) |
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| Chittenden-10 District (2 seats) |
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| Essex-Caledonia-Orleans District |
No candidates filed for the Republican primary |
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| Essex-Caledonia District |
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| Franklin-1 District |
No candidates filed for the Democratic primary |
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| Franklin-2 District |
No candidates filed for the Democratic primary |
No candidates filed for the Republican primary |
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| Franklin-3-1 District (2 seats) |
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| Franklin-3-2 District |
No candidates filed for the Democratic primary |
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| Franklin-4 District (2 seats) |
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| Franklin-5 District (2 seats) |
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| Franklin-6 District |
No candidates filed for the Democratic primary |
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| Franklin-7 District |
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| Grand Isle-Chittenden District (2 seats) |
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| Lamoille-Washington District (2 seats) |
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| Lamoille-1 District |
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| Lamoille-2 District (2 seats) |
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| Lamoille-3 District |
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| Orange-Caledonia District |
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| Orange-Washington-Addison District (2 seats) |
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| Orange-1 District (2 seats) |
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| Orange-2 District |
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| Orleans-Caledonia District (2 seats) |
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| Orleans-Lamoille District |
No candidates filed for the Democratic primary |
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| Orleans-1 District (2 seats) |
No candidates filed for the Democratic primary |
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| Orleans-2 District (2 seats) |
No candidates filed for the Democratic primary |
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| Rutland-Bennington District |
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| Rutland-Windsor-1 District |
No candidates filed for the Democratic primary |
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| Rutland-Windsor-2 District |
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No candidates filed for the Republican primary |
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| Rutland-1 District |
No candidates filed for the Democratic primary |
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| Rutland-2 District (2 seats) |
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| Rutland-3 District (2 seats) |
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| Rutland-4 District |
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| Rutland-5-1 District |
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| Rutland-5-2 District |
No candidates filed for the Democratic primary |
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| Rutland-5-3 District |
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No candidates filed for the Republican primary |
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| Rutland-5-4 District |
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| Rutland-6 District (2 seats) |
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| Washington-1 District (2 seats) |
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| Washington-2 District (2 seats) |
No candidates filed for the Democratic primary |
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| Washington-3 District (2 seats) |
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| Washington-4 District (2 seats) |
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No candidates filed for the Republican primary |
Vermont Progressive Party Glennie Sewell |
| Washington-5 District |
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No candidates filed for the Republican primary |
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| Washington-6 District |
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No candidates filed for the Republican primary |
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| Washington-7 District (2 seats) |
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No candidates filed for the Republican primary |
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| Washington-Chittenden District (2 seats) |
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| Windham-Bennington-Windsor District |
No candidates filed for the Democratic primary |
No candidates filed for the Republican primary |
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| Windham-Bennington District |
No candidates filed for the Democratic primary |
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| Windham-1 District |
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No candidates filed for the Republican primary |
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| Windham-2-1 District |
No candidates filed for the Republican primary |
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| Windham-2-2 District |
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No candidates filed for the Republican primary |
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| Windham-2-3 District |
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No candidates filed for the Republican primary |
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| Windham-3 District (2 seats) |
No candidates filed for the Republican primary |
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| Windham-4 District (2 seats) |
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No candidates filed for the Republican primary |
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| Windham-5 District |
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No candidates filed for the Republican primary |
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| Windham-6 District |
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| Windsor-Orange-1 District |
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No candidates filed for the Republican primary |
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| Windsor-Orange-2 District (2 seats) |
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No candidates filed for the Republican primary |
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| Windsor-Rutland District |
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| Windsor-1 District (2 seats) |
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| Windsor-2 District |
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| Windsor-3-1 District |
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| Windsor-3-2 District (2 seats) |
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| Windsor-4-1 District |
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| Windsor-4-2 District (2 seats) |
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Vermont Progressive Party Nicholas Bramlage  |
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| Windsor-5 District |
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No candidates filed for the Republican primary |
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Incumbents who were not re-elected
Incumbents defeated in the general election
Nine incumbents lost in the Nov. 3 general election. Those incumbents were:
Incumbents defeated in primary elections
Two incumbents lost in the Aug. 11 primaries. Those incumbents were:
| Name | Party | Current Office |
|---|---|---|
| Jean O'Sullivan |  Democratic |
Chittenden-6-2 District |
| Kelley Tully | Democratic |
Windham-3 District |
Retiring incumbents
There were 19 open seats where the incumbent legislator did not file for re-election in 2020.[1] Those incumbents were:
| Name | Party | Current Office |
|---|---|---|
| Chris Bates | Democratic |
Bennington 2-1 District |
| Kitty Toll | Democratic |
Caledonia-Washington District |
| Connie Quimby |  Republican |
Essex-Caledonia District |
| Marcia Gardner | Democratic |
Chittenden 1 District |
| Terence Macaig | Democratic |
Chittenden 2 District |
| Johannah Donovan | Democratic |
Chittenden 6-5 District |
| Mary Sullivan | Democratic |
Chittenden 6-5 District |
| Diana Gonzalez |  Vermont Progressive Party |
Chittenden 6-7 District |
| Linda Myers | Republican |
Chittenden 8-1 District |
| Dylan Giambatista | Democratic |
Chittenden 8-2 District |
| Marianna Gamache | Republican |
Franklin 4 District |
| Matthew Hill | Democratic |
Lamoille 2 District |
| Chip Conquest | Democratic |
Orange-Caledonia District |
| Sam Young | Democratic |
Orleans-Caledonia District |
| Nader Hashim | Democratic |
Windham 4 District |
| Zachariah Ralph | Vermont Progressive Party |
Windsor 1 District |
| Annmarie Christensen | Democratic |
Windsor 2 District |
| Randall Szott | Democratic |
Windsor 4-1 District |
| Sandy Haas | Vermont Progressive Party |
Windsor-Rutland District |
The 19 seats left open in 2020 represented a decrease from the 27 open in 2018. The table below shows the number of open seats in each election held between 2010 and 2020.
| Open Seats in Vermont House of Representatives elections: 2010 - 2020 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Total seats | Open seats | Seats with incumbents running for re-election |
| 2020 | 150 | 19 (13 percent) | 131 (87 percent) |
| 2018 | 150 | 27 (18 percent) | 123 (82 percent) |
| 2016 | 150 | 23 (15 percent) | 127 (85 percent) |
| 2014 | 150 | 23 (15 percent) | 127 (85 percent) |
| 2012 | 150 | 17 (11 percent) | 133 (89 percent) |
| 2010 | 150 | 17 (11 percent) | 133 (89 percent) |
Process to become a candidate
See statutes: Title 17-49 of the Vermont Election Law
Major party candidates
A candidate seeking the nomination of a major political party in the primary must file a nominating petition and consent form with the appropriate filing officer in order to authorize the printing of his or her name on the primary ballot.[2][3]
- For candidates seeking statewide or federal office, paperwork must be filed with the Vermont Secretary of State.
- For candidates running for office in the Vermont House of Representatives, paperwork must be filed with the Representative District Clerk.
- For candidates running for office in the Vermont State Senate, paperwork must be filed with the Senatorial District Clerk.[2]
A candidate must file the petition and consent form with the appropriate filing authority no later than 5:00 p.m. on the fourth Thursday after the first Monday in May preceding the primary election. A candidate may only run for one party in the primary election, and only major party candidates may run in a primary.[4][5]
Petition signature requirements are detailed in the table below.[6]
| Statutory signature requirements for major party candidates | |
|---|---|
| Office | Required signatures |
| Statewide and federal office | 500 |
| State senator | 100 |
| State representative | 50 |
Minor party candidates
A candidate seeking the nomination of a minor political party in the general election is nominated by party committee. The candidate must file a candidate consent form and party committee nomination form with the Vermont Secretary of State. The party committee must also complete the party committee nomination form.[7]
Both the candidate consent form and the party committee nomination form must be filed no later than 5:00 p.m. on the fourth Thursday after the first Monday in May preceding the primary election.[4][7]
- For candidates seeking statewide or federal office, paperwork must be filed with the Vermont Secretary of State.
- For candidates running for office in the Vermont House of Representatives, paperwork must be filed with the Representative District Clerk.
- For candidates running for office in the Vermont State Senate, paperwork must be filed with the Senatorial District Clerk.[2]
Independent candidates
An independent candidates in the general election must file a statement of nomination form and candidate consent form with the Vermont Secretary of State in order to authorize the printing of his or her name on the general election ballot.[8]
Petition signature requirements are detailed in the table below.[9]
| Statutory signature requirements for independent candidates | |
|---|---|
| Office | Required signatures |
| Statewide and federal office | 500 |
| State senator | 100 |
| State representative | 50 |
Write-in candidates
A write-in candidate is not required to submit any forms with any filing authority. The ballot will allow as many blank lines for write-in candidates as there are persons to be elected.[10]
2020 ballot access requirements
The table below details filing requirements for Vermont House of Representatives candidates in the 2020 election cycle.
| Filing requirements for state legislative candidates, 2020 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chamber name | Party | Signatures required | Filing fee | Filing deadline | Source |
| Vermont House of Representatives | Qualified party | N/A (signature requirements suspended in response to the coronavirus outbreak) | N/A | 5/28/2020 | Source |
| Vermont House of Representatives | Unaffiliated | N/A (signature requirements suspended in response to the coronavirus outbreak) | N/A | 8/6/2020 | Source |
Qualifications
The Vermont Constitution states, "No person shall be elected a Representative or a Senator until the person has resided in this State two years, the last year of which shall be in the legislative district for which the person is elected."[11]
Salaries and per diem
- See also: Comparison of state legislative salaries
| State legislative salaries, 2024[12] | |
|---|---|
| Salary | Per diem |
| $843.32/week during session | No per diem paid during session. Members can receive $168.66/day in per diem outside of session. |
When sworn in
Vermont legislators assume office the first Wednesday after the first Monday in January after the election.[13]
Vermont political history
Trifectas
A state government trifecta is a term that describes single-party government, when one political party holds the governor's office and has majorities in both chambers of the legislature in a state government.
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 |
Presidential politics in Vermont
2016 Presidential election results
| U.S. presidential election, Vermont, 2016 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | Electoral votes | |
| Democratic | Hillary Clinton/Tim Kaine |
56.7% | 178,573 | 3 | |
| Republican | Donald Trump/Mike Pence | 30.3% | 95,369 | 0 | |
| Libertarian | Gary Johnson/Bill Weld | 3.2% | 10,078 | 0 | |
| Green | Jill Stein/Ajamu Baraka | 2.1% | 6,758 | 0 | |
| Independent | Roque De La Fuente/Michael Steinberg | 0.3% | 1,063 | 0 | |
| Liberty Union | Gloria Estela La Riva/Eugene Puryear | 0.1% | 327 | 0 | |
| - | Write-in votes | 7.3% | 22,899 | 0 | |
| Total Votes | 315,067 | 3 | |||
| Election results via: Vermont Secretary of State | |||||
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
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Ballotpedia defines an incumbent as retiring if the incumbent did not file for office or filed for office but withdrew, was disqualified, or otherwise left a race in a manner other than losing the primary, primary runoff, or convention. If an incumbent runs as a write-in candidate, Ballotpedia does not consider them to be retiring. If an incumbent runs in the same chamber for a different seat, Ballotpedia does not consider them to be retiring.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Vermont Secretary of State, "Frequently Asked Questions," accessed March 28, 2025
- ↑ Vermont Election Law, "Title 17-49-2361," accessed March 28, 2025
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Vermont Election Law, "Title 17-49-2356," accessed April 3, 2025
- ↑ Vermont Election Law, "Title 17-49-2353," accessed April 3, 2025
- ↑ Vermont Election Law, "Title 17-49-2355," accessed April 3, 2025
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Vermont Elections Division, "For Minor Party Candidates," accessed April 3, 2025
- ↑ Vermont Elections Division, "Independent Candidates," accessed April 3, 2025
- ↑ Vermont Election Law, "Title 17-49-2402," accessed April 3, 2025
- ↑ Vermont Election Law, "Title 17-49-2362," accessed April 3, 2025
- ↑ usconstitution.net, "Vermont Constitution," accessed December 18, 2013(Referenced Section 15)
- ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "2024 Legislator Compensation," August 21, 2024
- ↑ Vermont Constitution, "Chapter II, Section 46," accessed February 4, 2021
- ↑ 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
