Vermonters are going to the polls to choose their statewide elected officials. As WAMC’s North Country Bureau Chief Pat Bradley reports, time is running short before polls close in Vermont.
Voters are making their choice for the top offices in Vermont. There are seven people running for governor, including incumbent Democrat Peter Shumlin.
Incumbent Lieutenant Governor Phil Scott, a Republican, faces Progressive Dean Corren in a race where Corren accepted $200,000 in public financing while Scott refused such funding. In Vermont, all members of the state legislature are up for election every two years.
Vermont Municipal Clerks’ and Treasurers’ Association President Tammy Legacy had not heard from other clerks across the state as to how many people were are showing up at polls. Legacy, the Roxbury Town Clerk, said it had been busier than she expected in her town. “I prepared for a lot but I expected a little. I’m being proven wrong. We’ve had lines. Roxbury’s a very tiny town and we’ve had lines.”
Middlebury College Professor Emeritus of Political Science Eric Davis says most experts expect low turnout across the state. “There is no presidential election this year and turnout always drops off from a presidential to an off year. Second there is no U.S. Senate election in Vermont this year. And third the candidates for governor have not generated a great deal of personal enthusiasm. So you put all those things together and a turn out estimate somewhere in the high 40 percent range would be reasonable.”
Vermont Republicans have focused their efforts on regaining seats in the state House and Senate. Chair David Sunderland says the party has put forth a greater effort than ever before to identify and encourage voters. “We lost seats in the House for the past 14 years. So staying even or gaining a seat is certainly a move in the right direction. I think we’re going to do better than that. I think Vermonters are ready for a more balanced and reasoned debate in Montpelier.”
Seven Days Political Columnist Paul Heintz notes that while the state’s two most prominent politicians are not on the ballot this year, they have a lot at stake. “Senator Patrick Leahy and Bernie Sanders both chair committees. So if the Republicans take the majority in the Senate they’ll lose those committee assignments. I think such an outcome would be worse for Leahy who is also the President Pro Tem of the Senate. If the Republicans gain the majority then Leahy will lose his pro tem position as well as his chairmanship of the judiciary committee.”
Vermont Secretary of State Jim Condos says reports indicate turnout has been average for a midterm election, although there are pockets where there are bond or town issues with stronger turnout. Polls close at 7 p.m. and Condos expects the bulk of results to be reported within a couple hours. “This year a new mandate was placed on the town clerks that they have to supply the Secretary of State’s office with their information unofficially, and I stress that it is unofficial. We have a web portal for them that’s available to the public. They can watch the votes as they come in. Most of the clerks will input through that system. It’s vtelectionresults.com.”
Town clerks will locally certify the elections tomorrow and the state level canvass committee will certify the results next week.
