By Joe Gervais 

Just over a year and a half ago, I wrote about the grassroots organization of the Vermont Republican Party (Is Vermont Ready for a Presidential Caucus?). By State Statute, every odd-numbered year the major parties reorganize. We are now entering that cycle, with Town Chairs noticing caucuses for September. 

Why is the Caucus Critical? 

The caucus is the on-ramp for participating in the Vermont Republican Party. An organized town has delegates to the county committee, and the county committee has delegates to the state committee. 

Through this structure, Republicans at the town level help recruit candidates and nominate citizens to hold elected office. This begins with local Justices of the Peace, extends to State Representatives and Senators, and continues all the way to county officers like Sheriff and statewide offices such as Governor, Lt. Governor, and Treasurer. 

Without a town committee, Republicans in that town lose their voice. They have no delegates, no representation in county or state decisions, and may even lack Republican Justices of the Peace to serve on the town’s Board of Civil Authority. 

The Process 

The State Chair has officially warned the town caucuses for September 16th. Town Chairs of organized towns should provide at least five days’ notice. Full details are posted on the VTGOP website: https://vtgop.org/reorg/. 

If a town is not organized, or if a Town Chair fails to call a caucus by September 16th, any three registered Republicans from that town may call the caucus themselves, using the same notice requirements. County chairs and state leaders are available to assist with questions, and training sessions for organizers will be offered on August 26th and September 3rd. 

The caucus itself is simple: 

1. Republicans in attendance elect the town committee members. 
2. The caucus adjourns. 
3. The new town committee immediately convenes its first meeting to elect officers and county delegates. 

When run efficiently, both meetings together take less than 30 minutes. 

Why Strong Town Committees Matter 

Town committees exist to get Republicans elected to public office—whether that’s local school boards and select boards, or state and county offices. 

Strong committees make all the difference in a campaign. They help candidates with fundraising, voter outreach, door knocking, distributing palm cards, hosting events, and getting out the vote. Without a town committee, all of this falls solely on the candidate and their campaign team. With one, Republicans multiply their efforts, grow our presence, and build lasting strength for future elections. 

Now is the time to organize. Every Republican in Vermont should know: your town caucus is where your voice begins.