Vermont State Senate elections, 2020

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2020 Vermont
Senate Elections
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GeneralNovember 3, 2020
PrimaryAugust 11, 2020
Past Election Results
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Elections for the office of Vermont State Senate 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 30 Senate seats were up for election in 2020. Heading into the election, Democrats held 22 seats, Republicans held six seats, and the Vermont Progressive Party held two seats. Democrats lost one seat in the election, giving them a 21-7 majority with two progressive members.

The Vermont State Senate 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

See also: Changes to election dates, procedures, and administration in response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, 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

See also: Partisan composition of state senates and State government trifectas
Vermont State Senate
Party As of November 3, 2020 After November 4, 2020
     Democratic Party 22 21
     Republican Party 6 7
     Vermont Progressive Party 2 2
Total 30 30

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.

The candidate lists below are based on candidate filing lists provided by the Vermont Secretary of State. (I) denotes an incumbent.[1]

General election

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Primary election




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Incumbents who were not re-elected
See also: Annual State Legislative Competitiveness Report: Vol. 10, 2020

Incumbents defeated in the general election

One incumbent lost in the Nov. 3 general election. That incumbent was:

Name Party Office
John Rodgers Grey.png Nonpartisan Essex-Orleans District

Incumbents defeated in primary elections

No incumbents lost in the Aug. 8 primaries.

Retiring incumbents

There were three open seats where the incumbent legislator did not file for re-election in 2020.[2] Those incumbents were:

Name Party Office
Debbie Ingram Electiondot.png Democratic Senate Chittenden District
Timothy Ashe Electiondot.png Democratic Senate Chittenden District
James McNeil Ends.png Republican Senate Rutland District


The table below shows the number of open seats in each election held between 2010 and 2020.

Open Seats in Vermont State Senate elections: 2010 - 2020
Year Total seats Open seats Seats with incumbents running for re-election
2020 30 3 (10%) 27 (90%)
2018 30 4 (13%) 26 (87%)
2016 30 3 (10%) 27 (90%)
2014 30 3 (10%) 27 (90%)
2012 30 6 (20%) 24 (80%)
2010 30 5 (17%) 25 (83%)

Process to become a candidate

See also: Ballot access requirements for political candidates in Vermont

DocumentIcon.jpg 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.[3][4]

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.[5][6]

Petition signature requirements are detailed in the table below.[7]

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.[8]

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.[5][8]

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.[9]

Petition signature requirements are detailed in the table below.[10]

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.[11]

2020 ballot access requirements

The table below details filing requirements for Vermont State Senate candidates in the 2020 election cycle.

Filing requirements for state legislative candidates, 2020
Chamber name Party Signatures required Filing fee Filing deadline Source
Vermont State Senate Qualified party N/A (signature requirements suspended in response to the coronavirus outbreak) N/A 5/28/2020 Source
Vermont State Senate Unaffiliated N/A (signature requirements suspended in response to the coronavirus outbreak) N/A 8/6/2020 Source

Qualifications

See also: State legislature candidate requirements by state

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."[12]

Salaries and per diem

See also: Comparison of state legislative salaries
State legislative salaries, 2024[13]
SalaryPer diem
$843.32/week during sessionNo per diem paid during session. Members can receive $168.66/day in per diem outside of session.

When sworn in

See also: When state legislators assume office after a general election

Vermont legislators assume office the first Wednesday after the first Monday in January after the election.[14]

Open seats

The table below shows the number of open seats in each election held between 2010 and 2020.

Open Seats in Vermont State Senate elections: 2010 - 2020
Year Total seats Open seats Seats with incumbents running for re-election
2020 30 3 (10%) 27 (90%)
2018 30 4 (13%) 26 (87%)
2016 30 3 (10%) 27 (90%)
2014 30 3 (10%) 27 (90%)
2012 30 6 (20%) 24 (80%)
2010 30 5 (17%) 25 (83%)

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 Green check mark transparent.pngHillary 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.[15][16]

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.[17]

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.[18][19]

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. "[18]

Automatic registration

Vermont automatically registers eligible individuals to vote through the Department of Motor Vehicles.[19]

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.[18]

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.[18]

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.[20]

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.[21] As of January 2025, six states — Alabama, Arizona, Georgia, Kansas, Louisiana, and New Hampshire — had passed laws requiring verification of citizenship at the time of voter registration. However, only two of those states' laws were in effect, in Arizona and New Hampshire. In three states — California, Maryland, and Vermont — at least one local jurisdiction allowed noncitizens to vote in some local elections as of November 2024. 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.[22]

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.

As of February 2024, 47 states and the District of Columbia permitted 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

  1. ↑ Vermont Secretary of State, "General Election Candidates," accessed June 1, 2020
  2. ↑ 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.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Vermont Elections Division, "Information for Candidates, Primary Election," accessed November 1, 2013
  4. ↑ Vermont Election Law, "Title 17-49-2361," accessed March 27, 2014
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Vermont Election Law, "Title 17-49-2356," accessed March 27, 2014
  6. ↑ Vermont Election Law, "Title 17-49-2353," accessed March 27, 2014
  7. ↑ Vermont Election Law, "Title 17-49-2355," accessed March 27, 2014
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 Vermont Elections Division, "For Minor Party Candidates," accessed November 1, 2013
  9. ↑ Vermont Elections Division, "Independent Candidates," accessed November 1, 2013
  10. ↑ Vermont Election Law, "Title 17-49-2402," accessed March 28, 2014
  11. ↑ Vermont Election Law, "Title 17-49-2362," accessed March 28, 2014
  12. ↑ usconstitution.net, "Vermont Constitution," accessed December 18, 2013(Referenced Section 15)
  13. ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "2024 Legislator Compensation," August 21, 2024
  14. ↑ Vermont Constitution, "Chapter II, Section 46," accessed February 4, 2021
  15. ↑ NCSL,"State Primary Election Types," accessed October 4, 2024
  16. ↑ Vermont Secretary of State,"Party Organization," accessed October 4, 2024
  17. ↑ Vermont State Legislature, “17 V.S.A. § 2561,” accessed April 20, 2023
  18. ↑ 18.0 18.1 18.2 18.3 Vermont Secretary of State, "Voter Registration," accessed April 20, 2023
  19. ↑ 19.0 19.1 Vermont Secretary of State, "Frequently Asked Questions," accessed April 20, 2023
  20. ↑ City of Burlington, Vermont, "City of Burlington All Legal Resident Voter Registration Form," accessed November 14, 2024
  21. ↑ 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."
  22. ↑ Vermont Secretary of State, "Election Day FAQs," accessed April 20, 2023


Current members of the Vermont State Senate
Leadership
Majority Leader:Kesha Ram Hinsdale
Senators
Addison District
Bennington District
Caledonia District
Chittenden Central District
Chittenden North District
Chittenden Southeast District
Essex District
Franklin District
Grand Isle District
Lamoille District
Orange District
Orleans District
Rutland District
Washington District
Windham District
Windsor District
Joe Major (D)
Democratic Party (16)
Republican Party (13)
Vermont Progressive Party (1)


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