Vermont now mails over half a million absentee ballots to every person on the voter checklist (unless formally challenged) for general elections without request, creating a large pool of unclaimed, unwanted, and misdirected “live” absentee ballots that can be abused to impact the outcome of local elections.
Former Vermont Lt. Gov. Molly Gray will again run for the state’s second-highest office next year, according to reporting from Seven Days and the Journal-Opinion.
This is among several concerns in their new report titled the Vermont Voter Roll Integrity Analysis, prompting a response from the Secretary of State’s Office, sent to VDC by its chief of staff Bryan Mills on Friday, November 14.
Russ Ingalls criticizes Dame for calling his backers ‘cowards.’
You can mock the No Kings rallies, but the Left’s base is fired up to strike a blow against Trump. Vermont Republicans need an agenda that fires up their base every bit as much if not more if they want to hold their gains from 2024 and add to them in 2026.
An anonymous postcard critical of incumbent GOP chair Paul Dame’s fundraising record was mailed from Hartford, Connecticut this week and received by Republicans who will be voting in the Saturday, November 8 election.
Vermonters know the difference between free speech and legalized bribery. These reforms aren’t radical — they’re common sense. They represent the baseline of what a healthy democracy needs to survive.
A Vermont college grad is under the gun in Maine for an unfolding election-ballot scandal.
There is no statewide voter ID requirement at polls, and no-excuse absentee voting is available for all.
Trump’s proposed executive order has stirred a partisan storm. But step back from the slogans, and the evidence points to a simpler truth: voter ID laws may impose a minor hurdle for some, but they have not prevented record participation. Instead, they may serve a larger purpose—ensuring that every legitimate voter’s choice is protected, and that lawful ballots are not canceled out by unlawful or invalid ones.
We need to get back to a system where there are, in practice, multiple eyes on every step of the process from registering a voter to casting a ballot to counting the votes. But to achieve this we will need to pass new election laws that meet this standard. I hope our lawmakers will do this in 2026.
When Sen. Peter Welch (D-Vt.) defended voting access on social media, he leaned on a familiar line: “More Americans are struck by lightning every year than commit voter fraud.” It’s a catchy sound bite. It suggests fraud is so rare that worrying about it is like worrying about unicorns. But what happens if we pull the numbers apart and look not just at perpetrators, but at victims?
Even in cases involving repeat offenders, cash bail is often posted by non-profits, and the suspect walks free without losing their own cash, George said.
Copeland-Hanzas, who announced her bid for re-election on Monday, said “our office has no plans to share Vermont voter data with the federal government.”
Only California and Hawaii are worse.
There’s a bill in Congress to make voting harder for EVERYONE
One of the readers and commenters of this great news outlet asked how do we “get someone out of office?” There are many things a single individual can do. It all counts. Do not let the devil convince you that your vote or opinion doesn’t matter. Do not hide behind that weak rhetoric.
Most witnesses have supported the bill, but a few concerns have come up about free speech and news media’s liabilities.
Or will the policy expand to cover school board elections and more?
Vermont voters pay the price
Concerns have been raised that Democrats might be using the platform to circumvent campaign finance laws, incl. VT Dem candidates.
“I think it’s something that Vermont could consider,” Sen. Brian Collamore (R-Rutland) said. “Certainly other states are.”
While money helps – a lot – neither is it a sure thing. The second and third largest state senate fundraisers both lost their elections.
A PAC with missing money, unfiled reports, and unanswered questions
“I don’t think it’s a partisan issue,” Copeland Hanzas said. “It’s really just to make sure that elections are honest and accurate and fair.”
House Democrats poised to disenfranchise Bennington 1 voters?
The seven sponsors of S.23 include Republicans, Democrats, and Progressives, and four of the five members of Senate Gov Ops.
“I’ve been swinging a hammer for a lot of years,” laughed the lifelong farmer/contractor. “I think I can handle a gavel.”
Brock told VDC in the hallway that “amidst conversations with the Republican caucus we determined that it would not be the proper action at this time to oppose Senator Baruth but that could be readdressed in the future. Do you know what pro tempore means in Latin? President for the time being.”
Before the ballots were distributed, several lawmakers praised Krowinski’s even temperament.
I was in Kenya during their last national election, in 2022. And it was scary. We are walking down that same dark road.
Because John Rodgers unseated incumbent Lt. Gov. Dave Zuckerman with less than 50% of the popular vote, the VT Legislature will select who gets the job.
This year, Donald Trump picked up his highest percentage of Vermont votes yet. it was still less than a third of the total votes cast.
A third-party run by a socialist garnered 13,671 votes, perhaps enough to leave the final decision about the 204 lieutenant governor’s race to the Legislature.
Community News Service reporters were out and about across Vermont on Election Day to capture scenes from polling places.
Who replaced who in both House and Senate ….. so far.
Busa hopes the court rules that only the affected voters – somewhere between 40 and 75 – will be asked to cast ballots. But the Vermont Secretary of State wants the entire district to revote.
Vermont requires some ID to register to vote, but not to cast a ballot.
Vermont is one of four states allowing non-citizen voting in local elections.
Complete listing of elected members of Vermont House of Representatives.
Remarkably, two of the 59 Vermont Trump Towns are college towns.
Gov. Phil Scott re-elected. Kamala wins big in the Green Mountain State. Voters turned thumbs down on the Democrat supermajority in the Legislature.
Whatever the reasons for or impact of the Diamondstone turnout, Rodgers’ victory was spurred mostly by widespread taxpayer discontent and the opinion that Chittenden County Democrats have been ignoring the housing, transportation, and energy needs of rural Vermonters.
A powerful Senate chair got sent to the electoral Hurt Locker Tuesday by a veteran who was a bomb disposal tech in Afghanistan.
The political axiom that ‘you can’t beat an incumbent senator’ didn’t hold true.
Most of the new GOP House members won by a wide margin.
A complete list of all candidates on all Vemont ballots.
Suburban, affluent, deep-Blue Charlotte leads all cities and towns with a 58% return rate of mailed ballots.
“We’re on a busy corner, a lot of traffic goes by,” she explained, “and a number of signs have been stolen.”
By tomorrow night, we’ll know whether affordability was a compelling concern for a critical mass of Vermont voters.
Since 2016, the number of Vermont schools serving as polling places has decreased by more than half.
What’s at stake is the power to support Gov. Phil Scott’s vetoes and, maybe, change in the leadership of the Senate.
The towns with the highest reported voter turnout so far are Charlotte in Chittenden County, and Calais in Washington County, with 44%.
It’s not business as usual in the races for the 150 seats in the Vermont House of Representatives.
Former Gov. Jim Douglas mentioned that he was elected to the legislature at 21-years-old and there were three other legislators younger than him when he got there.
Despite her past embrace of policies progressive prosecutors have been known to advocate for, Harris has pegged herself as a tough on crime criminal prosecutor on the campaign trail.
VDC asked people who have worked with Laura Sibilia in the State House what they think of her decision to run for Speaker of the House.
VDC asked the Sec State office if there’s a particular, potential problem voters don’t know about that would warrant a sense of urgency.
“I’m just listening to this gentleman here belittling Republicans and all that,” he said. “We are voters, we are Americans, we are Americans first. We don’t look at things like you look at it. We care about America. I know when Donald Trump was in office, I was very better off than today.”
Middlebury had the highest proportion of returned ballots as of Oct. 10 at 20%, according to the data. South Hero and Guildhall followed with 19% and 18%.
“As Americans, it is our duty to protect our democracy and our constitutional republic by ensuring a peaceful and fair election and a peaceful transition of power regardless of who wins.”
Allowing time for postal delivery, Vermonters can expect their ballots to arrive via the United States Postal Service (USPS) by the first half of October.
Three different numbers are listed for November, 2022 Vermont voter turnout.
Veterans can help close the gap of poll worker shortages.
The Democrat supermajority in Montpelier is infatuated with the idea that climate change is caused entirely by human behavior—namely, by the discharge of greenhouse gases—and that if Vermont can reduce its greenhouse gas emissions, it can stop climate change and lead the rest of the nation in doing so as well
The vendor, WSD of Connecticut, offshored the work trying to meet a deadline for a New Hampshire voting system. Today, the Vermont Secretary of State’s Office confirmed that WSD is also Vermont’s vendor.
All eyes are on Arizona as it will be a crucial swing state in the presidential election between former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris.
Recommendations similar to French policy: mail-in ballots are banned, voters required to vote in person with a photo ID, and paper ballots must be hand-counted.
The published list shows August 13 primary winners and candidates added by primary write-in vote and subsequent party nominations.
“The report function did not operate correctly this morning, and our built-in checks caught the issue,” Copeland-Hanzas said.
“Let America Vote Act of 2024”: Noncitizen cannot vote in ANY taxpayer-funded elections in the US, held by or in any State, nor permitted locally.
This old dog finally figured out how to turn the campaign finance report doorknob.
Vermont in the past has seen outside private financial support for its public elections systems. It could happen again.
Modernized voting, or election tampering?
Two farmers, including (at least) one marijuana farmer, will face off for lieutenant governor in November.
Chittenden Dems give former TV news anchor poor ratings. In LG race, two farmers come out on top. See all the results from yesterday’s primary.
Tune in to the Vermont Daily Chronicle YouTube Channel and watch and/or listen live as we post the results, read your comments, and take calls from candidates and voters alike.
All states’ voter rolls, including Vermont’s, are growing faster than the actual population. In some, the rolls are now larger than the listed population.
Rodgers was known over the years to break with Democrat Party ranks on issues such as gun control and high spending. Some of Rodgers’ other experiences include running a construction business, a plowing business, property rentals, a hemp company, and a marijuana farm. He’s also a stonemason.
Every candidate running in a contested primary listed below.
Why I am supporting a former Democrat to lead Vermont.
“People who are able to work should be encouraged to earn a living and not just be given housing without working per ” Housing First” policy,” candidate Caulfield says.
“I am not a moderate. I am not going to settle for half measures and will not succumb to special interest groups and out of state pressure and money,” said Hanover.
Duval’s campaign draws inspiration from climate activist Greta Thunberg, reflecting a shared urgency and determination to address the climate crisis head-on.
The only incumbent was appointed and has never been elected. Another previously held the office until 2022.
Republican voters in the Addison-4 House district for Bristol, Lincoln, Monkton and Starksboro will have three candidates to choose from in the state Primary.
CISA and FBI jointly released “Just So You Know: DDoS Attacks Could Hinder Access to Election Information, Would Not Prevent Voting.”
The Secretary of State’s office has produced a series of videos aimed at helping Vermonters, including non-English speakers, understand, have faith in, and register to vote in Vermont elections.
At least two candidates failed to redact banking information from their tax returns – and the Secretary of State’s office didn’t catch the error until it was too late.
Be like Abby.
There are no contested primaries for the statewide offices of attorney general, treasurer, or auditor. Here’s some info about the contested primary candidates for governor and lieutenant governor.
When two woman from the small Lamoille County town of Waterville started waving Trump signs from the road sides and street corners, they were pleasantly shocked at the overwhelmingly positive response.
See the candidates for every August 13 primary election, contested and uncontested.
Harris has many disadvantages and questionable decisions to account for.
Republican Chairs must use this opportunity to mobilize all voters to see the necessity to shift the Senate with 11 or more Republican Senators.
The Secret Service did not attend a security briefing provided to local special weapons and tactics (SWAT) and sniper teams the morning of July 13, 2024.
The real scandal here is that the Democrats are choosing a nominee for president in a manner like the Soviets in their day chose a General Secretary.
The community forum featured four candidates – incumbents Tom Stevens (D) and Theresa Wood (D), and challengers John Griffin (R) and Elizabeth Brown (D).
As individuals we still possess the power to engage our political enemies with honor and integrity at a time when both of those appear to be passé.
Coester also strives to improve education with focus on civics, aims to secure borders, reduce taxes, and combat human trafficking.
