By Sam Douglass

The 2026 Primary Election is just around the corner. On August 11, Vermonters will go to the voting booth to decide which candidates will run for their party in the November election. For statewide offices and state senate seats, the majority of primary races are being fought within the Vermont Democratic Party. 

In the Democratic race for Governor, Amanda Janoo of Burlington and Aly Richards of Montpelier are facing off to challenge incumbent Republican Governor Phil Scott. Janoo is the current frontrunner of the race with 52% undecided, according to recent polling. Richards’ campaign has drawn scrutiny over her campaign finance with strong ties to nonprofit organizations and receiving Super PAC funding.

Three Democrats are vying for the Democratic nomination for Lt. Governor to face incumbent Republican Lt. Governor John Rodgers. Molly Gray of Burlington, Ryan McLaren of Essex Junction, and Esther Charlestin of South Burlington. Gray served as lieutenant governor from 2021 to 2023, which was her first foray into Vermont politics. She served one term and then ran for Congress in 2022, losing out on her bid to current U.S. Rep. Becca Balint. Read our coverage on Esther Charlestin.

Two Democrats are competing for state auditor. Former Vermont Senate President Tim Ashe of Burlington and Nicholas Graeter of Williston. Incumbent Democrat Doug Hoffer declined to seek reelection. Ashe served in the Vermont Senate from 2009 to 2021, where he served on the Appropriations Committee, chaired the Finance Committee for four years, and finished his legislative career as Senate president. Dan Towle of Huntington will appear on the ballot, but has dropped out of the race.

In the Bennington County Senate District, incumbent Sen. Seth Bongartz of Manchester and incumbent Sen. Robert Plunkett of Bennington face Amy Moore of Pownal. Bongartz chairs the Senate Education Committee and also serves on Senate Natural Resources. He has been cited as instrumental in Vermont’s 2025-2026 education funding reform legislation. Plunkett, a first-term senator, serves as vice chair of Senate IT & Institutions and sits on Senate Agriculture. Read our coverage on Amy Moore.

The Chittenden Central Senate District features Burlington’s Nikil Goyal, incumbent Martine Larocque Gulick, Elaine Haney of Essex Junction, and incumbent Tanya Vyhovsky of Essex Town. The seat is open after incumbent Sen. Phillip Baruth decided not to seek reelection. Gulick serves as vice chair of Senate Health and Welfare and sits on Senate Finance, while Vyhovsky serves on Senate Judiciary and Senate Government Operations.

The Chittenden Southeast Senate District includes Joanna Grossman of Burlington, Dr. Elizabeth Hunt of Charlotte, incumbent Sen. Thomas Chittenden of South Burlington, incumbent Sen. Kesha Ram Hinsdale of Shelburne, and incumbent Sen. Virginia Lyons of Williston. Chittenden serves on Senate Finance and Senate Economic Development. Ram Hinsdale is the Senate Democratic majority leader and serves on Senate Economic Development and Education. Lyons is the longtime chair of Senate Health and Welfare and also serves on Senate Appropriations and was elected in 2025 to serve on the Senate Committee on Committees.

In Orange County, Rep. Monique Priestley of Bradford and Rose Lucenti of Randolph are competing for the Democratic Senate nomination. The winner will face Republican Sen. John Benson in the general election.

The Washington County Democratic Senate primary includes incumbent Sen. Ann Cummings of Montpelier, incumbent Sen. Andrew Perchlik of Marshfield, Gabriel Lajeunesse of Montpelier, and incumbent Sen. Anne Watson of Barre City. Cummings is the longtime chair of Senate Finance and serves on Senate Health and Welfare. Perchlik became chair of Senate Appropriations following the retirement of Sen. Jane Kitchel and previously chaired Senate Transportation.

The Windsor County Democratic Senate primary includes Benjamin Brickner of Pomfret, House member Elizabeth Burrows of West Windsor, former House member Heather Chase of Chester, Christopher Dube of Hartford, incumbent Sen. Joe Major of Hartford, and incumbent Sen. Rebecca White of Hartford.

The race follows Sen. Alison Clarkson’s decision not to seek reelection. Dube is a lobbyist for the Professional Firefighters of Vermont. Major, a freshman senator, serves as vice chair of Senate Agriculture and sits on Senate IT & Institutions. White serves as Senate assistant majority leader, caucus whip, vice chair of Senate Transportation, and a member of Senate Government Operations.

Republicans also have contested primaries. In the Republican race for U.S. House, Westminster’s Mark Coester faces Gerald Malloy of Weathersfield. Malloy moved to Vermont in 2020 and previously ran unsuccessfully twice for the U.S. Senate; this is his first campaign for the House. Coester is a former GOP House nominee.

In the Republican Addison County Senate primary, incumbent Sen. Steven Heffernan of Bristol faces Andrew Klein of New Haven and Andrea Treadway of Orwell. Heffernan is a first-term senator who serves on Senate Agriculture and Senate Education. Read our coverage on Sen. Heffernan and Andrea Treadway.