Via Community News Service, a University of Vermont journalism internship
Community News Service reporters were out and about across Vermont on Election Day to capture scenes from polling places. Many were paired up with partner news outlets and putting together stories for them, and another cohort was headed out to places in Chittenden County to provide live updates from the polls during the day. Here you can find those dispatches.
University of Vermont Medical Center registered nurse Robert Griffin didn’t get to vote in 2020, so he was excited to this election.
“I actually went out four years ago; there was sort of a registration mishap,” he said.
He wasn’t fully convinced of his own reasoning for why he decided to vote in person.
“Honestly, I’m just lazy, but now that I think about it, it’s probably lazier to mail it in,” he said. “So, I’m just a procrastinator.”
His priorities: “inflation and the economy,” he said.
“Right now, especially living in Vermont, it’s hard to get by,” he said. “A lot of high taxes here — I got two small kids — so that’s kind of where my mind is at.”
“Chittenden County is pretty left, pretty liberal, and I consider myself more right, so I really wanted to get my voice heard,” he said.
Royce Pollard is a truck driver who’s been living in Winooski for roughly a year. He said his main motivation for voting was the presidential election.
“I had to make sure that Donald Trump doesn’t take office,” he said.
He showed up to the Winooski Senior Center, as opposed to mailing in his ballot, because he ran out of time.
“I was too late,” he said. “I already had it filled out, so I came in to drop it off.”
Last-minute decision to vote – 9:50 a.m. – Julia Gallagher
A 44-year-old Winooski resident, who declined to give her name, said she had no interest in the election.
“Honestly, I did not want to participate or vote … not at all,” she said firmly.
But her 16-year-old daughter, who is currently enrolled in a high school civics class, ultimately changed her mind.
She said it was her daughter’s “innocence, optimism and belief that things can be corrected” that inspired her to vote.
“I don’t have that anymore,” she said.
At her daughter’s insistence, she showed up to the polls to cast her ballot, but not without wearing an “I’m wasted” sticker, in place of the classic “I voted,” as a small act of protest.
The impact of polarization – 9:40 a.m. – Julia Gallagher
Colleen Noni, a Winooski native, doesn’t consider herself a politically active person. But the divisive rhetoric between parties drew her to the polls.
She said the bashing across the aisle makes her feel like politicians aren’t willing to work together.
“That, to me, is scary,” she said.
Noni is a 44-year-old widow and a stay-at-home mom of two. She’s worried about the world her kids would grow up in. She expressed concern over the kind of example the president sets.
“I don’t think Trump is making people feel respected,” she said. “Leaders and words have power.”
Winooski librarian hopeful for change in statewide ed policy – 3:50 p.m. – Ekaterina Raikhovski
As the librarian for the school district in Winooski, Matt Gile considers education policy central.
He criticized Gov. Phil Scott for his rhetoric about educators.
“I’ve been frustrated with our governor’s education policy and how he talks about educators. So, I was excited to vote against him,” he said.
Gile was also enthusiastic to vote for Progressive and Democratic candidate Chloe Tomlinson for the Vermont House.
“I helped out with Chloe Tomlinson’s campaign, so I was excited to vote for her actually,” Gile said.
Gile expressed less optimism for the national election due to the electoral system.
“You know, it’s hard, it just doesn’t really matter in Vermont who you’re voting for for president, although I did vote for Harris,” he said.
“It’s the Electoral College, such a silly thing.”
Correction (11/6/24): This voter’s last name is Gile.
Enshrining rights nationwide – 3:30 p.m. – Ekaterina Raikhovski
More than anything else, Kaya Hudak voted today to protect reproductive rights.
“My reproductive rights are really important to me, and I would like to see someone who respects the rule of law in our office,” she said.
Hudak is a 21-year-old art student at the University of Vermont.
Reproductive rights have been a central issue to her for a long time. When she was 12, she protested at the Women’s March on Washington after former President Donald Trump was elected.
She said she wanted the entire country to have the same safe feeling she has in Vermont.
“I feel really protected in Vermont, but it’s important to me that people in other states are protected as well, and they have their rights spoken for,” she said.
Valuing the right to vote – 10:30 a.m. – Quinn Hogan
Rebecca Christie and Elliot Sion of Winooski were excited to cast their ballots at the Winooski Senior Center early on Election Day.
“There’s a lot of countries that don’t have the right to vote,” said Christie.
Sion voted for Vice President Kamala Harris for president. “I just don’t like Trump,” he said. Sion, however, considers himself a split-ticket voter and said he voted for Phil Scott for governor to prevent a single party from gaining too much power.
Christie said she didn’t cast a vote for president. She didn’t like either candidate. She also voted Scott for governor. “I think he’s had the most logical responses to the issues facing Vermont,” she said.
Co-presidents? – 11 a.m. – Quinn Hogan
Barbara Watson, who has lived in Winooski for more than 15 years, said she voted because “change is good.”
“I’d like to see the whole system revamped,” she said. Watson thinks that politics have become too polarized.
“There’s too much bickering,” she added.
Watson’s solution? “I think we should have co-presidents,” she said. “One from each party. So they’d have to listen to each other.”
Watson said she was most excited to vote for Gerald Malloy for U.S. Senate. “He makes a statement, he stands by it, but he doesn’t push it,” she said. “No one likes to be hit over the head over and over with something.”
First-time voters in Winooski – 10 a.m. – Quinn Hogan
Josh Hunt and Sophia Tyler, both 21, showed up to the Winooski Senior Center to vote in their first presidential election.
Hunt and Tyler are both University of Vermont students who live in Winooski. Hunt said he was encouraged to vote by his mother.
“She asked me, ‘If you don’t vote in this election, what are you going to tell your kids?’” Hunt said. “So, shout out to her for that one.”
Hunt and Tyler both voted for Vice President Kamala Harris. Hunt thinks that Harris will protect his civil rights and the rights of the women in his life.
“The issues that are most important to me are the ones that I’m aligned with Kamala on,” Tyler said.
Wanting the beaches to still exist – 5:05 p.m. – Cameron Leveille
Peter Patella went to vote this evening at the Edmund Middle School with nature protection in mind.
“I want the beaches to stay and be a thing, and I want my children to see all the beautiful views that we have now,” Patella said, adding later, “Climate change is horrifying.”
First-time voter exercises her right – 5:05 p.m. – Molly Brenner
Faith Cawley, who recently turned 18, cast her vote for the first time.
“I always went with my mom to vote when I was younger, and she made sure I understood that voting is something that matters, especially as a woman in this day in age,” she said.
Cawley said climate protection is something she cares deeply about.
“I grew up being surrounded by nature, and many of my favorite hobbies and activities involve being in nature,” she said. “I want someone in office who shares the same level of devotion and care for the planet as I do, and whose main priority is what matters in the long term, our planet being one.”
Young woman says she’s standing up for her rights – 4:40 p.m. – Molly Brenner
The first thing Emma Balon mentioned with a high degree of confidence when she walked out of her Burlington polling place was that “bodily autonomy for anyone with a uterus” was her top priority this presidential election.
“Anyone who is able to have children should be able to decide what their future will look like,” she said outside the Edmunds Middle School in Burlington.
Balon said she needs to educate herself more on climate change but believes it needs urgent attention and that former President Donald Trump will do nothing but exacerbate the problem.
A chance for a united nation – 5 p.m. – Molly Brenner
Anne Hogan is very emotional about the election and hopes the outcome will be the country’s chance to stand up for all human beings, no matter their background.
Hogan said climate change was a factor in her vote.
“In college, I was an environmental studies major, so I am constantly thinking about how climate change is affecting us all over the world and how we are going to support this planet going forward,” she said.
Hogan said the presidential candidates weren’t as transparent about their climate agendas as they could have been.
“I don’t feel like either candidate really focused on climate issues in their campaigns, which is a little disheartening to me,” she said.
College student brings friends to cast their ballot – 2 p.m. – Maggie Scanlon
Dylan Kirsch came to the polls at the Edmunds school with three of his friends, all from the University of Vermont.
“I voted based on character,” he said. “I believe that there is a severe lack of character with politicians these days.”
He said the environment was a concern for him this election and that people must pay attention to warning signs around the world.
William “Billy” Spencer came to the school that afternoon to cast his vote for the Democratic Party. He was concerned with the ballot item related to police oversight and most interested in local elections, rather than national. “Our day-to-day lives are far more effected by that,” he said.
He emphasized the importance of voting in states that are expected to be locked into an outcome nationally because there are other issues that need attention.
Environmental issues bring young people to vote – 3:25 p.m. – Ryan Parks
A lot of young voters who were gathered at Burlington’s Edmunds Middle School to vote on Tuesday cited environmental concerns as a reason they came out. That included Cole Schafer, who joined his friend in the middle school gymnasium to wait to cast his vote, as well as John Sherwood and Josh Bozek.
Bozek arrived excited to vote for the first time. He said the environment was important to him, and he would vote for “whatever would most benefit the environment in the future.” He said he supports whoever could best “help the country in any way.”
Some weren’t as drawn by climate-related messages.
Christian McGrath enjoyed the selection of snacks offered at the polls to those who voted. Asked about the key factor in figuring out who to vote for, he replied “whoever I believe will help the country the most.”
He expressed a general disinterest in how the environment would sway his vote, saying, “On a scale from one to 10, probably a three.”
Kevin Abatto joined two of his friends to collect their first “I Voted” stickers. He said foreign policy is a large factor for him in selecting a candidate and said he cared “not at all” for environmental policies.
When asked about what his largest concern would be in selecting a candidate to vote for, he stated, foreign policy is a large factor for him. However, when asked about how the candidates would impact the environment, he stated that he cared “not at all” for environmental policies.
Environmental student emphasizes need for clarity on environmental propositions – 2 p.m. – Carly Potter
Cecilia Blexrud accompanied a roommate to the Edmunds Middle School polling location after having submitted an absentee ballot for her home state. As an environmental science student at the University of Vermont, Blexrud expressed concerns about the convoluted verbiage of environmental propositions on the ballot.
“The language about the environmental laws was really confusing to understand and felt a little counterintuitive. I can only imagine how difficult that would be for someone that doesn’t have an environmental science education,” Blexrud said.
Aspiring teacher votes for job protection – 1:44 p.m. – Carly Potter
David Osborne and a group of friends filed out of the Edmunds Middle School polling location after casting their ballots. A first-time eligible voter and aspiring educator, Osborne said he voted in order to protect his future career and students.
“There’s a lot of stigmas and talk about the defunding of education and teachers in the U.S and, you know, just thinking about my job in the future and job security, I really don’t want that to happen. It’s best for the kids that I teach and myself as well,” Osborne said.
Flooding in Burlington is only ‘a sign of what’s to come’ – 2 p.m. – Nico Sachs
Amy Prenowitz makes a point to vote in person every Election Day, but this year, she felt it was “more important than usual to come out.” Issues like reproductive rights, climate change, education, the cost of higher education, housing and tax inequity all made voting especially significant to her, she said.
Regarding climate change, Prenowitz has witnessed the impacts of global warming firsthand. She sees the current situation as “only a sign of what’s to come.” While she hasn’t personally experienced flooding in Burlington, she said her friend has been affected; their garden was completely flooded last summer and then flooded again this year.
Collecting signatures for ‘Apartheid Free City’ campaign – 2 p.m. – Nico Sachs
Peter Lackowski cast his vote this morning in Burlington’s Ward 1 but later joined a gathering outside the ONE Community Center to collect signatures for an “Apartheid-Free City” campaign petition. The petition aims to prompt city councilors to put an item on the March annual meeting ballot to, among other things, pledge the city to working to end “support to Israel’s apartheid regime, settler colonialism and military occupation.”
He said the response had been “pretty overwhelmingly positive.” The petition was denied a ballot spot last year.
A political activist since the Vietnam War era, Lackowski has “always been doing something” to promote positive change around elections.
He expressed a mix of hope and skepticism about climate change. “It would be really nice if this planet continues to support life, even human life would be fine, though I’m becoming a bit dubious,” he said.
He hopes for meaningful environmental action but feels disillusioned about the country’s ability to respond effectively.
“The way things are set up here, I don’t have much hope for real change,” he said. “This empire has been exploiting the planet for the wrong reasons since its founding.”
Climate change demands urgency, says voter – 1:30 p.m. – Nico Sachs
Although Sarah Sciortino had already cast her vote earlier, she stood outside the ONE Community Center to guide voters and advocate for Vermont House candidate Missa Aloisi and Rep. Kate Logan, P/D-Burlington, who is running for reelection.
“My main concerns are the affordability and housing crisis, climate change and Palestinian rights,” she said.
On climate, Sciortino expressed frustration with the “piecemeal” approach that many elected leaders have taken, which she finds inadequate.
“I grew up in a coastal town in New York, and both there and here in Vermont, I’ve witnessed the impacts of climate change,” she said.
Sciortino believes people should elect candidates who will tackle climate change with the “urgency that it demands.”
Burlington first-time voter casts ballot with mother for Harris, driven by women’s rights and environment – 12:45 p.m. – Sophie VanOrden
Lindsay LaCasse and her mother Jennifer LaCasse went to the Fletcher Free Library today in Burlington to toss their vote for Vice President Kamala Harris.
As a first-time voter, Lindsay approached the polls with enthusiasm, saying a big driving force pushing her to vote is protecting women’s rights.
Jennifer raised her daughter to be environmentally conscious, participating in Vermont’s Green Up Day, and emphasized the importance of actions when it comes to the environmental crisis.
Civic duty and minority rights concerns – 11:45 a.m. – Sophie VanOrden
Colin Hudson, a student in Vermont but who resides in Maryland, said that while both states are very blue and leading Harris, it is his civic duty to vote and a privilege to be able to.
Concerning the candidates, Colin said Harris and Walz seem like “normal people” who are “trying to connect with young voters” while Trump and Vance seem “business first, not people first.”
Colin also expresses concerns for minority rights such as queer issues, which would go unserved under a Republican candidate.
Every individual vote matters, says one voter in Burlington – 12 p.m. – Sophie VanOrden
Paul Jones made the trip to Edmunds Middle School in Burlington to cast his vote.
One thing weighing on his mind is former President Donald Trump’s claims of voter fraud during the 2020 election. Though an individual vote is small, especially in a state like Vermont, he wants his vote to count toward making it as obvious as it can be who got the votes.
Young activist backs Stone, urges youth turnout for change – 12:30 p.m. – Sophie VanOrden
Astrid Fester, member of Students Demand Action, held a sign supporting incumbent Rep. Mary-Katherine Stone, D/P-Burlington, for reelection outside the Fletcher Free Library. She said the driving factors influencing her vote this year included safer gun laws and reproductive rights.
But above all, she emphasizes voting being the most important thing one can do. Especially young voters who need to show up and participate to see the change they want to see. Representatives will focus their campaigns on older generations knowing they can get their attention, neglecting a young voter’s perspective.
Outside the Edmunds Middle School polling place, Stone was campaigning and said she was supporting Harris. “We have a woman at the top of the ticket — a woman of color,” she said.
Sanders casts his vote in Burlington – 2 p.m. – Jackie Spinnell
U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders has participated in many elections, but he said this year’s is the most pivotal of his lifetime.
“It’s the most consequential election in the modern history of this country, and the choices are very clear,” he told reporters after he voted this morning in Burlington.
Sanders arrived around 10:30 a.m. at his Ward 7 polling place, the Robert Miller Community and Recreation Center.
Dressed in a navy blue blazer and auburn loafers, he walked inside with his wife Jane and greeted all the poll workers before casting his ballot. He thanked everyone working there and headed outside, the press in tow.
Sanders once again endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris for president and highlighted the importance of maintaining American democracy.
He talked about the Jan. 6, 2021, storming of the Capitol by supporters of former President Donald Trump and the possibility of a contested election this year. He said it was a terrifying incident, and he can only hope it does not happen again.
Sander, an independent, is up for re-election and favored to win over Republican candidate Gerald Malloy.
Will it be the last time he is on the ballot? reporters asked the senator.
Sanders said he didn’t want to get ahead of himself and that he’s focused on the next six years.
Why did Winooskians come out to vote? – 11 a.m. – Harrison Gaylord
Mitchell Keen, 35, said it’s because “it is the patriotic thing to do,” something mentioned by several voters this morning who talked about exercising their rights. For Jeff Baron, 53, the goal was “to stop Donald Trump. I always vote regardless. It is also obnoxious of the state to fly F-35s while we are voting. Is our vote really heard?”
Shaun Gilpin, 37, said he comes out for every election and that this time is especially key. “These are my people, and it is important to rely on our community members. It is important to see who is in our
community getting involved.”
Ron Sheen, a 70-year-old Republican, said: “As far as the current presidency goes, I am unhappy with just about everything at a federal level. Vermont is getting too expensive, and a lot of that is the fault of the White House. I may move out of Vermont soon because of how expensive it has become for a retiree.”
One 75-year-old named Tammy, who didn’t give her last name, said she wished Vermont didn’t use Dominion brand voting machines and that she hoped there’d be no miscount.
