Election administration in Vermont

Election Information
Voter registration
Early voting
Absentee/mail-in voting
All-mail voting
Voter ID laws
State poll opening and closing times
Ballotpedia's Election Administration Legislation Tracker
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Election administration encompasses a state's voting policies and methods of enforcing them. These include voter identification requirements, early and absentee voting provisions, voter list maintenance methods, and more. Each state's voting policies dictate who can vote and under what conditions.

THE BASICS

Vermont permits online voter registration.

Vermont permits early voting and no-excuse absentee voting.

In Vermont, polls are open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Vermont does not require identification to vote.

Vermont holds open primary elections.

Vermont has tools for verifying voter registration and checking the status of absentee and provisional ballots.

Below, you will find details on the following election administration topics in Vermont:

• Poll times
• Voter registration
• Early and absentee/mail-in voting policy
• Voter identification requirements
• Provisional ballot rules
• Primary election type
• Time off work for voting
• Voting rules for people convicted of a felony

• Voter list maintenance
• Post-election auditing
• Election policy ballot measures
• Election policy legislation
• Ballot access
• Redistricting
• Election administration agencies

Poll times

See also: State poll opening and closing times

In Vermont, all polls must open by 10 a.m. All polls close at 7 p.m. An individual who is in line at the time polls close must be allowed to vote.

Voter registration

Check your voter registration status here.

A United States citizen and state resident who is at least 18 years of age may register to vote in Vermont. The registrant must take the "Voter's Oath," which is included on the voter registration form.

According to the secretary of state's website, "Beginning January 1, 2017, eligible persons may register to vote on any day up to and including the day of the election. Registration is available during all normal business hours of your town or city clerk's office on days preceding the election and during polling hours on Election Day. "

Automatic registration

Vermont automatically registers eligible individuals to vote through the Department of Motor Vehicles.

Online registration

See also: Online voter registration

Vermont has implemented an online voter registration system. Residents can register to vote by visiting this website.

Same-day registration

Vermont allows same-day voter registration.

Residency requirements

To register to vote in Vermont, you must be a resident of the state. State law does not specify a length of time for which you must have been a resident to be eligible.

Verification of citizenship

See also: Laws permitting noncitizens to vote in the United States

Vermont does not require proof of citizenship for voter registration.

Verifying your registration

The My Voter Page, run by the Vermont Secretary of State office, allows residents to check their voter registration status online.

Early and absentee voting policy

Early voting

See also: Early voting

Vermont permits early voting. Learn more by visiting this website.

Absentee voting

See also: Absentee voting

Vermont is an all-mail voting state. All voters are eligible to vote absentee/by mail in Vermont. There are no special eligibility requirements for voting absentee/by mail.

In general elections, the office of the secretary of state delivers mail-in ballots automatically to all active voters. To vote absentee/by mail, an application must be received by the town clerk by 5 p.m. on the day before the election. A completed absentee ballot must be returned to the town clerk before the close of business on the day before the election or to the polling place before 7 p.m. on Election Day.

Returning absentee ballots

See also: Mail ballot collection and return laws by state

A completed absentee ballot must be returned to the town clerk before the close of business on the day before the election or to the polling place before 7 p.m. on Election Day. The ballot must be sealed inside the provided return envelope. Voters can authorize anyone to return their ballot for them.

Signature requirements and cure provisions

Absentee ballots in Vermont include a return envelope with a certificate on the outside that must be signed by the voter. If the certificate is not signed or is found to be insufficient, the ballot will not be counted. Vermont does not have a cure provision, or a law providing for a process to remedy certain issues regarding missing or mismatched signatures on absentee/mail-in ballots. Once an absentee/mail-in ballot has been received by a town clerk, it cannot be returned to the voter for any reason.

Was your absentee ballot counted?

Voters can use the online My Voter Page tool provided by the Vermont Secretary of State to check the status of their absentee ballot or application.

Voter identification requirements

See also: Voter ID in Vermont

See also: Voter identification laws by state

Vermont does not require voters to present identification while voting in most cases. However, first-time voters who registered by mail are required to present identification at the polls.

The following list of accepted ID was current as of April 2023. Click here for the Vermont Secretary of State's page on accepted ID to ensure you have the most current information.

• Valid photo ID (driver’s license or passport)
• Current utility bill
• Current bank statement
• Another government document containing your residential address

Background

As of August 2023, 34 states required voters to present identification in order to vote at the polls on Election Day. Of these states, 23 required voters to present identification containing a photograph, and 11 accepted other forms of identification. The remaining 16 states did not require voters to present identification in order to vote at the polls on Election Day. Valid forms of identification differ by state. Commonly accepted forms include driver's licenses, state-issued identification cards, and military identification cards.

Provisional ballot rules

According to the secretary of state's website, "Use of provisional ballots in Vermont is very rare. ... It is only used if a person demanding to vote at the polling place is not on the checklist and the voter cannot affirm they registered to vote by the deadline."

Was your provisional ballot counted?

A provisional ballot is counted if the clerk determines that the voter is a United States citizen, resident of Vermont, has taken the voter's oath, and is at least 18 years old.

Local election officials

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Do you need information about elections in your area? Are you looking for your local election official? Click here to visit the U.S. Vote Foundation and use their election official lookup tool.

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Primary election type

See also: Primary elections in Vermont

A primary election is an election in which registered voters select a candidate that they believe should be a political party's candidate for elected office to run in the general election. They are also used to choose convention delegates and party leaders. Primaries are state-level and local-level elections that take place prior to a general election. Vermont utilizes an open primary system, in which registered voters do not have to be members of a party to vote in that party's primary.

For information about which offices are nominated via primary election, see this article.

Time off work for voting

Ballotpedia did not find a law specifying whether voters must be given time off from work to vote in this state. Nolo.com notes that states without such state laws may have administrative regulations or local ordinances pertaining to time off for voting and suggests calling your local board of elections or state labor department for more information.

If you know of a relevant policy in this state, please email us. As of 2020, 28 states had laws requiring employers to provide time off for voting under certain conditions.

Voting rules for people convicted of a felony

See also: Voting rights for convicted felons

In Vermont, people convicted of a felony do not lose their franchise and may register to vote in the town or city in which they lived before their incarceration if incarceration is a part of their sentence.

Voting rights for people convicted of a felony vary from state to state. In the majority of states, people convicted of a felony cannot vote while they are incarcerated but may regain the right to vote upon release from prison or at some point thereafter.

Voter list maintenance

All states have rules under which they maintain voter rolls—or, check and remove certain names from their lists of registered voters. Most states are subject to the parameters set by The National Voter Registration Act (NVRA). The NVRA requires states to make efforts to remove deceased individuals and individuals who have become ineligible due to a change of address. It prohibits removing registrants from voter lists within 90 days of a federal election due to change of address unless a registrant has requested to be removed, or from removing people from voter lists solely because they have not voted. The NVRA says that states may remove names from their registration lists under certain other circumstances and that their methods for removing names must be uniform and nondiscriminatory.

When names can be removed from the voter list

Vermont law authorizes election officials to remove the names of voters from the registered voting list if an individual:

• confirms in writing that they moved outside of their voting jurisdiction
• is determined to have moved outside of their voting jurisdiction
• requests in writing to be removed
• dies
• does not respond to a confirmation notice, vote, or update their registration status through two consecutive general elections.

Inactive voter list rules

Vermont law requires election officials to review and update voter registration lists in odd-numbered years. If election officials determine that a voter may no longer be eligible to vote in their jurisdiction, they are to send the voter a notice and a request to update their status. If the voter fails to respond to the notice, they are to be listed as inactive. If the voter remains in inactive status through the next two general elections, their registration is to be canceled.

The Electronic Registration Information Center (ERIC)

See also: Electronic Registration Information Center (ERIC)

According to its website, ERIC is a nonprofit corporation that is governed by a board of member-states. These member states submit voter registration and motor vehicle registration information to ERIC. ERIC uses this information, as well as Social Security death records, to provide member states with detailed reports showing voters who have moved within their state, moved out of their state, died, have duplicate registrations in their state, or are potentially eligible to vote but are not yet registered. ERIC's website describes its funding as follows: "Each state pays annual dues, which are determined by a formula approved by the ERIC membership. The formula includes a state's citizen voting age population as a factor."

By 2022, 33 states and the District of Columbia had joined ERIC. As of August 2023, 26 states and the District of Columbia were members in the ERIC program.

As of August 2023, Vermont was participating in the ERIC program.

Post-election auditing

Vermont state law requires post-election audits. The secretary of state determines the exact procedures for conducting the audit. Both electronic and hand count auditing is part of the process. The audit must be completed within 30 days of the election.

Post-election audits check that election results tallied by a state's voting system match results from paper records, such as paper ballots filled out by voters or the paper records produced by electronic voting machines. Post-election audits are classified into two categories: audits of election results—which include traditional post-election audits as well as risk-limiting audits—and procedural audits.

Typically, traditional post-election audits are done by recounting a portion of ballots, either electronically or by hand, and comparing the results to those produced by the state's voting system. In contrast, risk-limiting audits use statistical methods to compare a random sample of votes cast to election results instead of reviewing every ballot. The scope of procedural audits varies by state, but they typically include a systematic review of voting equipment, performance of the voting system, vote totals, duties of election officials and workers, ballot chain of custody, and more.

As of December 2023, 41 states and the District of Columbia required some form of post-election audit. Of these, 36 states and the District of Columbia required traditional post-election audits, three states required risk-limiting post-election audits, and two states required procedural post-election audits.

Noteworthy events

Law required state to mail ballots to all active voters (2021)

On June 7, 2021, Governor Phil Scott (R) signed SB15 into law, enacting a series of changes to the state's election administration laws, including (but not limited to) the following:

• Requiring the secretary of state to deliver mail-in ballots to all active voters in every general election.
• Authorizing the use of secure ballot drop boxes for the return of voted mail-in ballots.
• Authorizing the use of outdoor polling places.
• Authorizing the use of drive-up/drive-through voting (defined as procedures that "enable voters to complete the voting process without leaving their vehicle").

Upon signing the bill into law, Scott said, "I’m signing this bill because I believe making sure voting is easy and accessible, and increasing voter participation, is important. Having said that, we should not limit this expansion of access to general elections alone, which already have the highest voter turnout. For greater consistency and to expand access further, I am asking the General Assembly to extend the provisions of this bill to primary elections, local elections and school budget votes when they return to session in January."

Enactment of SB15 made Vermont the sixth state to establish a program whereby election authorities sent mail-in ballots automatically to all active voters in select elections.

Election policy ballot measures

See also: Elections and campaigns on the ballot and List of Vermont ballot measures

Ballotpedia has tracked the following ballot measures relating to election and campaign policy in Vermont.

1. Vermont End the Residency Requirement to Vote Amendment (1974)
2. Vermont Manner of Electing the Vermont Secretary of State (1883)
3. Vermont Direct Primary Act (1916)
4. Vermont Primary Elections Act (1914)
5. Vermont Voting Age Amendment, Proposal 5 (2010)
6. Vermont Statewide Referendum: Primary Elections Question 1 (1914)
7. Vermont Statewide Referendum: Primary Elections Question 2 (1914)
8. Vermont Statewide Referendum: The Direct Primary (1916)

Recent legislation related to election administration in Vermont

The table below lists bills related to election administration that have been introduced during (or carried over to) the current legislative session in Vermont. The following information is included for each bill:

• State
• Bill number
• Official name or caption
• Most recent action date
• Legislative status
• Topics dealt with by the bill

Bills are organized alphabetically, first by state and then by bill number. The table displays up to 100 results by default. To view additional results, use the arrows in the upper-right corner of the table. For more information about a particular bill, click the bill number. This will open a separate page with additional information.

Ballotpedia's Election Administration Legislation Tracker

State election laws are changing. Keeping track of the latest developments in all 50 states can seem like an impossible job.

Here's the solution: Ballotpedia's Election Administration Legislation Tracker.

Ballotpedia's Election Administration Tracker sets the industry standard for ease of use, flexibility, and raw power. But that's just the beginning of what it can do:

• Ballotpedia's election experts provide daily updates on bills and other relevant political developments
• We translate complex bill text into easy-to-understand summaries written in everyday language
• And because it's from Ballotpedia, our Tracker is guaranteed to be neutral, unbiased, and nonpartisan

The Ballot Bulletin

The Ballot Bulletin is a weekly email that delivers the latest updates on election policy. The Ballot Bulletin tracks developments in election policy around the country, including legislative activity, big-picture trends, and recent news. Each email contains in-depth data from our Election Administration Legislation Tracker. You'll also be able to track relevant legislation, with links to and summaries of the bills themselves.

Click here to view recent issues and subscribe.

Ballot access

See also: Ballot access requirements for political candidates in Vermont

A cardboard ballot box at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History

In order to get on the ballot in Vermont, a candidate for state or federal office must meet a variety of state-specific filing requirements and deadlines. These regulations, known as ballot access laws, determine whether a candidate or party will appear on an election ballot. These laws are set at the state level. A candidate must prepare to meet ballot access requirements well in advance of primaries, caucuses, and the general election.

There are three basic methods by which an individual may become a candidate for office in a state.

1. An individual can seek the nomination of a state-recognized political party.
2. An individual can run as an independent. Independent candidates often must petition in order to have their names printed on the general election ballot.
3. An individual can run as a write-in candidate.

This article outlines the steps that prospective candidates for state-level and congressional office must take in order to run for office in Vermont. For information about filing requirements for presidential candidates, see "Ballot access requirements for presidential candidates in Vermont." Information about filing requirements for local-level offices is not available in this article (contact state election agencies for information about local candidate filing processes).

Redistricting

See also: Redistricting in Vermont

"Gerrymandering"

Redistricting is the process by which new congressional and state legislative district boundaries are drawn. Vermont's one United States Representative and 180 state legislators are elected from political divisions called districts. United States Senators are not elected by districts, but by the states at large. District lines are redrawn every 10 years following completion of the United States census. The federal government stipulates that districts must have nearly equal populations and must not discriminate on the basis of race or ethnicity.

Vermont was apportioned one seat in the U.S. House of Representatives after the 2020 census, the same number it received after the 2010 census. Click here for more information about redistricting in Vermont after the 2020 census.

HIGHLIGHTS

Following the 2020 United States Census, Vermont was apportioned one congressional seat, which was unchanged from the number it had after the 2010 census.

The Vermont State Senate comprises three single-member districts, six-two member districts, three three-member districts and one six-member district for a grand total of 13 districts. The Vermont House of Representatives comprises 58 single-member districts and 46 two-member districts for a grand total of 104 districts.

Because Vermont is home to only one U.S. House district, congressional redistricting is not necessary. The state legislature is primarily responsible for drawing state legislative district lines; an advisory commission is also involved in the process.

State process

See also: State-by-state redistricting procedures

Because Vermont has only one congressional district, congressional redistricting is not necessary. The state legislature draws state legislative district lines with the assistance of an advisory commission. This advisory commission consists of the following members:

1. The governor appoints one member each from the state's political parties. To qualify for consideration in this context, a political party must have had "at least three state legislators for six of the previous 10 years."
2. The chairs of the aforementioned political parties each appoint an additional member.
3. The chief justice of the Vermont Supreme Court appoints the commission's chair.

Commissioners cannot be legislators, nor can they be employed by the legislature. The commission may make recommendations to the legislature, but these recommendations are non-binding.

State law requires that state legislative districts be contiguous and compact and that they "adhere to county and other political subdivision boundaries, except where necessary to comply with other legal requirements." In addition, state statutes specify that districts should account for "patterns of geography, social interaction, trade, political ties, and common interests."

Election administration agencies

Election agencies

Seal of the U.S. Election Assistance Commission

See also: State election agencies

Individuals seeking additional information about voting provisions in Vermont can contact the following local, state, and federal agencies.

Vermont Town Clerks

Click here for a list

Vermont Secretary of State, Elections Division

128 State Street

Montpelier, Vermont 05633-1101

Telephone: 802-828-2464

Email: sos.elections@sec.state.vt.us

U.S. Election Assistance Commission

1335 East West Highway, Suite 4300

Silver Spring, Maryland 20910

Telephone: 866-747-1471

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Recall

Democratic primaries 2024

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See also

• 2024 election dates and deadlines
• Voting in Vermont
• Ballot access requirements for political candidates in Vermont
• Redistricting in Vermont

Elections in Vermont

• Vermont elections, 2023
• Vermont elections, 2022
• Vermont elections, 2021
• Vermont elections, 2020
• Vermont elections, 2019
• Vermont elections, 2018
• Vermont elections, 2017
• Vermont elections, 2016
• Vermont elections, 2015
• Vermont elections, 2014

External links

• Vermont Secretary of State - Elections