by VDC staff
Ballots for the November 3 election will be arriving via U.S. Mail by the first half of October, Vermont Secretary of State Sarah Copeland Hanzas said in a press statement this week.
The Trump administration and a couple dozen states (including Vermont) are tussling in court over the March, 2026 executive order seeking to restrict mail-in voting, requiring states to submit ballot envelope designs for USPS approval and upload voter details into a government portal before ballots can be mailed. A federal judge blocked the order last week, calling it “practically impossible” for states to comply and likely unconstitutional. That ruling has been appealed.
Meanwhile, Copeland-Hanzas reminded voters this week of their options for casting their ballot in the upcoming General Election and emphasized the importance of having a voting plan.
In 2021, the Vermont legislature passed Act 60, which requires the Secretary of State’s office to mail General Election ballots to all active registered voters automatically. 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.
“There has been a lot of activity at the federal level that frankly seems intended to sow confusion and doubt into our election process at the last minute,” said Secretary Copeland Hanzas. “But let me be clear: states run elections. From the statewide to the municipal level, Vermont is standing strong, and we’re ready to administer a free, fair, secure, and accessible General Election via Universal Vote-by-Mail.”
There are four main ways to cast your ballot in the November General Election.
- Follow the included instructions to mail your ballot back to your clerk’s office.
- Bring your ballot to your clerk’s office in-person during their regular business hours.
- Drop your ballot into an official ballot drop box any time before Election Day.
- If you want to vote in person on November 3rd, please bring your ballot with you to your polling place. Voters who arrive to vote in-person without their mailed ballot will need to sign an affidavit of “No Ballot Cast” before receiving a new ballot to vote then and there.
The Secretary also encouraged voters to visit the online Vermont Voter Portal: vote.vermont.gov. Voters can log in with their voter registration information to see when their ballot has been mailed. Ballots will be mailed at the end of September. Voters can track their ballot’s progress and, after they return it, confirm their town or city clerk received it. Starting in early October, voters will be able to access the Online Vermont Voter Guide, which features candidate statements and election information. Additionally, in October, a printed copy of the Voter Guide will be mailed to every active registered voting household.
Vermont’s USPS mail delivery has become intermittent in many towns, due to employee shortages. However, the Secretary of State’s Office told VDC last month that USPS will prioritize delivery of ballots. Nevertheless, Secretary Copeland Hanzas said voters who choose to mail their ballot back to do so promptly.
“I recommend mailing your ballot back as soon as possible or taking advantage of the convenient option of dropping it in your town’s official ballot drop box, which you can do any time up to Election Day,” said Secretary Copeland Hanzas. “And if you prefer to vote in-person on November 3rd, please ‘Bring Your Own Ballot’ to avoid any delays at the polls.”
If a voter registers to vote after September 1, their town or city clerk will mail a ballot to them. Secretary Copeland Hanzas advised voters to reach out to their clerk if they do not receive their ballot in the mail by mid-October.
Voters can find their local clerk here: https://sos.vermont.gov/
Voters can find polling and drop box locations here: https://sos.vermont.gov/
They can also find this information (and more) in their Vermont Voter Portal: https://vote.vermont.gov
The following offices are up for election November 3: U.S. Representative to Congress, Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Treasurer, Secretary of State, Auditor of Accounts, Attorney General, all 30 State Senate seats, all 150 State Representative seats, Probate Judge, Assistant Judges, State’s Attorney, Sheriff, High Bailiff, and Justices of the Peace. Two constitutional amendments are also on this year’s General Election ballot.