All five of Vermont’s statewide office holders were re-elected on Tuesday. It was a good night for Democrats, but Republicans kept the state’s top office.
While unofficial results from Vermont’s general election show that the governor’s office will remain Republican, so too the remaining four top statewide offices will remain with Democrats or Progressive-Democrats.
Vermont Democratic Party Chair Terje Anderson noted the re-election of Democratic Congressman Peter Welch and Independent Senator Bernie Sanders early in the evening. His comments became a underlying theme as statewide winners thanked supporters. “We know that Vermont is part of a movement from coast-to-coast tonight to stand up to the evil agenda coming out of Washington D.C. right now.”
Vermont Secretary of State Jim Condos faced two challengers and won his fifth term with 64 percent of the vote. “This election was about one thing and it’s a four-letter word: vote. It’s great to see that the turnout here in Vermont has been so strong. When this country was first founded in the 1700’s only white male landowners were allowed to vote. Since that time we’ve had 10 to 12 changes to our Constitution, 10 to 12 changes to our statutes, all in the interest of increasing and access to the vote. Then in 2010 the Tea Party hit and actually started to decimate our voter registration laws around the country. Our democracy has been and is under attack but not here in Vermont.”
Condos said his office and the legislature have worked to make the state one of the most accessible voting areas in the country. “We have 17-year-olds who can vote in primaries if they turn 18 by the general election. We have same-day voter registration. We have automatic voter registration. We have on-line voter registration. And we have 45 days of no-excuse early voting. Very often I have said that the true voter fraud that occurs in this country is the denying of any eligible American the right to cast a ballot. It’s important that we remember that this is our country, our state and it’s our democracy. Your vote is your voice.”
T.J. Donovan was easily re-elected to a second term as Attorney General with 67 percent of the vote against two challengers. “We’re going to stand up and protect everybody, whether it’s the civil rights or whether it’s women’s fundamental rights or whether it’s our environment. And know this: no matter what happens in Washington D.C. we believe in justice in this state. We believe in dignity. We believe in respect. And we believe in the human rights of all people regardless of the hateful rhetoric that comes from our nation’s capital. Let’s continue to lead this nation in decency and respect for all people.”
In other statewide races incumbent Progressive/Democrat Lieutenant Governor David Zuckerman won re-election against Republican challenger Don Turner. Democrat Beth Pearce was reelected state treasurer and Democrat/Progressive Doug Hoffer state auditor.
The Vermont legislature remained under Democratic control.
