St. Albans Town leads all municipalities in early voting
Hundreds of ballots undeliverable, NEK town clerks report
By Guy Page
Hundreds of general election ballots mailed to St. Johnsbury voters have been returned as undeliverable because of incorrect addresses, the Caledonian-Record reported October 19. Town Clerk Stacy Jewell said the post office initially returned about 100 ballots daily, with the number recently dropping to about 25. Lyndon Town Clerk Dawn Dwyer reported about 100 undeliverable ballots in her office, similar to the number returned in 2024.
Vermont mailed ballots to more than 450,000 registered voters statewide in late September under its universal vote-by-mail system, adopted during the COVID pandemic and later made permanent. Sean Sheehan, director of Elections and Campaign Finance for the Secretary of State’s Office, said postage costs total about $1.5 million this year. In 2024, about 4% of mailed ballots were returned as undeliverable.
State officials say universal ballot mailing has increased voter participation. Vermont’s two highest-turnout presidential elections were in 2020 and 2024, both exceeding 70%. The 2022 election also set a record for non-presidential turnout at 55.4%. However, local clerks question the expense. “I do believe more votes are cast, but I also see a tremendous amount of wasted money in printing costs and postage,” Dwyer said.
Both clerks urge voters who have not received their ballots to contact their town offices. Returned ballots may be available for pickup. Jewell said the previous absentee ballot system was less expensive, while Dwyer noted that mailing ballots only for general elections can confuse voters who expect them for every election. Under Vermont’s current system, voters may also cast ballots in person on Election Day, November 3.
Ballot return data as of 10/22, per the Vermont Secretary of State’s office:
Over 88,000 Vermont Voters have already returned their ballots ahead of the November 3rd General Election.
Of the state’s 30 largest cities and towns, the top 10 for early voting turnout so far are: Saint Albans Town (29% of active registered voters), Middlebury, Williston, Barre Town, Shelburne, South Burlington, Waterbury, Brattleboro, Morristown, and Essex Junction City.
Of first names shared by at least 100 registered Vermont voters, the top 10 for early voting turnout so far are: Arlene (42% of active, registered voters named Arlene have voted already), Louise, Herbert, Robert, Joann, Marilyn, Allan, Lorraine, Joan, and Jeanne. According to nameplay.org, Arlene is an uncommon name. Most Arlenes are babyboomers in their ’70’s.
The General Election will be held on Tuesday, November 3rd, 2026. The following offices are up for election: 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.
Voters can find their clerk’s hours, ballot drop box location, and a personalized voter guide that matches the content of their ballot, at https://sos.vermont.gov/elections/voters/polling-places.
Voters who prefer to cast their ballot on Election Day are encouraged to bring their mailed ballot with them to the polls. The Accessible Voting System (AVS), a tablet-based interface, is available at every polling place in Vermont, allowing voters with disabilities to vote privately and independently.
Voters who arrive to vote in-person without their mailed ballot, or who otherwise have lost or did not receive their mailed ballot, can sign an “Affidavit of No Ballot Cast” and receive a new ballot to vote.
It is not too late to register to vote. Vermonters who want to register can do so leading up to the election and on Election Day.
Secretary Copeland Hanzas also encouraged voters to visit the Vermont Voter Portal: https://vote.vermont.gov. This portal allows voters to track their ballot and confirm that their town or city clerk received it.