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View ProfilesPublished February 21, 2024 at 10:00 a.m.
Even if you're not plugged into politics, you're probably aware that 2024 is a big election year. In Vermont, the action starts on the first Tuesday of March.
If you've never voted here, or never voted at all, here are a few things you need to know.
What gets decided in the March election?
Local issues, mostly. March 5 is Town Meeting Day. Residents of many rural Vermont towns gather in person on this state holiday to debate and ratify town and school budgets and other issues. This is also when municipalities elect mayors, city councilors, or members of the selectboard, school board and other regional boards. Residents of larger cities such as Burlington, South Burlington and Winooski don't meet en masse but simply go to the polls.
Also: Vermont is one of 15 states holding presidential primaries on March 5, aka Super Tuesday.
Do you have to be a member of the Democratic or Republican party to vote in the presidential primary?
No. Vermont has what's called an "open" primary. When you vote, you can choose either a Democratic or Republican ballot, regardless of your political affiliation (or lack thereof).
Six Republicans and six Democrats met the criteria for appearing on the Vermont ballot; the deadline to file was in December 2023. Even though Vivek Ramaswamy, Ron DeSantis and Chris Christie have since dropped out of the presidential race, they're still listed on the Republican slate, along with Ryan Binkley and the top two candidates still in the race as of press time: Nikki Haley and former president Donald Trump.
The 2024 Dems include President Joe Biden and five challengers: Mark Stewart Greenstein, Jason Michael Palmer, Dean Phillips, Cenk Uygur and Marianne Williamson. Williamson, too, has ended her candidacy.
If you want to vote for a major-party presidential candidate younger than 75, this might be your last chance this year!
Fun fact: If you're a 17-year-old who will turn 18 by the general election on November 5, you're allowed to vote in Vermont's presidential primary.
How do I register to vote?
Any U.S. citizen age 18 or older who resides in Vermont is eligible to vote — yes, even convicted felons or people in prison. In Burlington, Montpelier and Winooski, legal permanent residents who are not citizens can vote in local elections — but not presidential primaries. Out-of-state college students who consider Vermont their primary residence can vote here, too.
You can register online at olvr.vermont.gov; by calling 1-800-439-VOTE; by visiting your city or town clerk's office; by filling out a voter registration form before Town Meeting Day; or at the polls if you're a procrastinator.
Check to see if you're already on the state's voter checklist by entering your name and birth date at olvr.vermont.gov.
Will I get my ballot in the mail?
It depends on where you live. The City of Burlington, for example, is sending all Queen City voters a local ballot but not presidential primary ballots. Burlington residents who want to vote in the primary have to request a ballot from the city clerk or show up in person to vote, either at the polls on March 5 or beforehand at city hall. You can vote in person at your town clerk's office during business hours between now and the last business day before the election; early voting is allowed in Vermont for any reason. To find out how your community handles March ballots, check with your municipal clerk.
Why does my Burlington ballot have grids on it with multiple options?
Because Burlington voters asked for them: In 2021, Queen City voters approved using ranked-choice voting for city council elections, and in 2023 they green-lit an expansion to other races, as well. In 2024, Vermont's largest city will elect the mayor, city council, school board, ward clerks and inspectors of election using ranked-choice voting.
This method allows voters to express more than one preference on their ballot. Instead of simply choosing one candidate, they can rank candidates second, third, fourth, etc.
Once the polls close, the first-place votes are tallied. If a single candidate gets more than half of the first-place votes, that person wins the election. If no one gets 50 percent plus one, the lowest-scoring candidate is dropped from the race and their voters' second choices are tallied in a process known as an "instant runoff." The process repeats until there are two candidates left; whoever has the most votes, wins.
The City of Burlington experimented with this method, also called instant-runoff voting, in the 2006 and 2009 mayoral elections before ending the practice. Lately it's been gaining in popularity around the country. According to advocacy group FairVote, ranked-choice voting is now in use in 50 American jurisdictions, including in 45 cities, three counties and two states: Alaska and Maine.
Proponents say ranked-choice voting reduces negative campaigning because there's an advantage to being someone's No. 2 choice.
Opponents of ranked-choice voting say the process is complicated and confusing and can therefore disenfranchise voters.
If you're voting in Burlington, the most important thing to remember is that you can't vote for one candidate more than once. If you do that, your first vote will count, but your second- and third-place votes won't, because they're duplicates.
For a more detailed description of how ranked-choice voting works, see the City of Burlington's website: burlingtonvt.gov/ct/elections/rankedchoice.
I don't live in Burlington. Where can I find more information about what's on my ballot?
Your city or town clerk can tell you. Often this information is posted on the municipal website.
Where can I find out more about the candidates and the issues at stake?
Seven Days reports on some races, especially those in Burlington, where the newspaper is based. This week's cover story is about the city's hotly contested mayor's race. You can find all of our election-related coverage at sevendaysvt.com/news.
Your community newspaper will likely have candidate interviews and articles about local issues and races — for example, the Other Paper in South Burlington, the Stowe Reporter and the Addison County Independent.
You'll also find nonpartisan coverage on your public access cable channel or its website. In most of Chittenden County, that's Town Meeting TV, available on Channel 17 and at cctv.org. It airs footage of municipal meetings and candidate forums. The station partnered with Seven Days on the Mayoral Matchup on February 7 at Burlington City Hall; the debate featured all four candidates vying to be Burlington's next mayor.
Where do I vote?
Check your city clerk's website. Your polling place may have changed since the last election.
When's the next time I can vote in a statewide election?
Tuesday, August 13. That's primary day for all Vermont legislators and statewide officers, such as governor, lieutenant governor, auditor, secretary of state and treasurer. Voters will also decide which major-party candidates will compete in the November 5 election for the two congressional seats whose terms expire this year — the ones currently occupied by Rep. Becca Balint (D-Vt.) and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.).
Early voting begins at the end of June.
Tags: Politics, Town Meeting Day, Elections, 2024 Election, Video
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