Vermont State Senate Orleans District candidate surveys, 2022

Elections in Vermont, 2022

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This article shows responses from candidates in the 2022 election for Vermont State Senate Orleans District who completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey.

• Click here to see candidates and election results.
• Click here to see Candidate Connection survey responses.

Candidates and election results

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

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 9,096
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey responses

Ballotpedia asks all federal, state, and local candidates to complete a survey and share what motivates them on political and personal levels. The section below shows responses from candidates in this race who completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

Survey responses from candidates in this race

Click on a candidate's name to visit their Ballotpedia page.

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.

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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?

Samuel Douglass (R)

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?

Samuel Douglass (R)

Law enforcement, natural resources, and taxation.

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

Samuel Douglass (R)

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?

Samuel Douglass (R)

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?

Samuel Douglass (R)

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?

Samuel Douglass (R)

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?

Samuel Douglass (R)

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.

See also

More about these elections:

• Vermont State Senate elections, 2022

Select a district below to read responses from candidates in those races: