Retirements, Senate runs leave many seats with all-new candidates

By Guy Page

As a service to voters, VDC offers below in a single sheet: 

• the list of all incumbents in the Vermont House of Representatives
• Whether or not the incumbents are seeking re-election
• And the list of all candidates running in all House districts

Also, by clicking on this link, readers can find the information presented below and contact information (email, phone, mailing address) for all candidates. 

VDC counted 34 incumbents of the 150-member House not seeking re-election. Several (including Pat Brennan of Colchester, Caleb Elder of Starksboro, Katherine Sims of Craftsbury, Scott Beck of St. Johnsbury, Seth Bongartz of Manchester, and Chris Mattos of Milton) are trying to ‘move up’ to the Senate. 

The rest are generally ‘retirees’, representatives motivated by age, health, changing life circumstances, discontent with their House experience, or simply a desire to move on. 

Whatever the reason, the vacancies have created many contested races in a year in which many Vermonters are unhappy with recent legislation about carbon reduction and Act 250, and school funding.