2020 Vermont elections

A general election was held in the U.S. state of Vermont on November 3, 2020. All of Vermont's executive officers will be up for election as well as Vermont's at-large seat in the United States House of Representatives. Primary elections were held on August 11, 2020.

2020 Vermont elections

United States House of Representatives

The incumbent representative is Democrat Peter Welch.

Governor

The incumbent governor is Republican Phil Scott. He beat Lieutenant Governor David Zuckerman in the general election.[1]

Lieutenant Governor

2020 Vermont lieutenant gubernatorial election

November 3, 2020

Nominee Molly Gray Scott Milne Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 162,589 135,476 Percentage 52% 43%

Lieutenant Governor before election Dave Zuckerman Progressive/Democratic Elected Lieutenant Governor Molly Gray Democratic

Incumbent Progressive/Democratic Lieutenant Governor Dave Zuckerman (since 2017) declined to run for a third term, and instead ran for governor.

Nominee

• Molly Gray, Vermont Assistant Attorney General[2][3]

Eliminated in primary

• Tim Ashe, President pro tempore of the Vermont Senate (also ran in Progressive primary)[2][4][5]
• Brenda Siegel, candidate for governor in 2018, opioid epidemic and Brattleboro hurricane relief activist, southern Vermont nonprofit founder and executive director (also ran in Progressive primary)[2][6]
• Debbie Ingram, Chittenden County State Senator[2][7][8]

Declined

• Shap Smith, former Speaker of the Vermont House of Representatives, candidate for lieutenant governor in 2016, attorney
• David Zuckerman, incumbent lieutenant governor (ran for Governor)

Results

Democratic primary results

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Molly Gray	47,636	46.0%
	Democratic	Tim Ashe	35,954	34.7%
	Democratic	Brenda Siegel	9,945	9.6%
	Democratic	Debbie Ingram	9,466	9.1%
	Democratic	Write-ins	571	0.6%
Total votes			103,572	100.0%
	N/A	Blank votes	5,717
	N/A	Over votes	76

Nominee

• Scott Milne, Republican nominee for Governor in 2014, Republican nominee for US Senate in 2016, businessman[2][9]

Eliminated in primary

• Dana Colson Jr.[2][10][11]
• Meg Hansen, former executive director of Vermonters for Healthcare Freedom[2][12]
• Jim Hogue, Vermont secession activist[2][13]

Declined

• Don H. Turner Jr., nominee for lieutenant governor in 2018, former minority leader of the Vermont House of Representatives

Results

Republican primary results

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Scott Milne	26,817	51.45%
	Republican	Meg Hansen	16,875	32.38%
	Republican	Dwayne Tucker	3,066	5.88%
	Republican	Dana Colson Jr.	2,736	5.25%
	Republican	Jim Hogue	1,914	3.73%
	Republican	Write-ins	681	1.30%
Total votes			52,120	100.0%
	N/A	Blank votes	6,461
	N/A	Over votes	46

Progressive primary

Incumbent Progressive lieutenant governor David Zuckerman is not running for a third term.

Declared

• Tim Ashe, President pro tempore of the Vermont Senate[14]
• Brenda Siegel, candidate for governor in 2018, opioid epidemic and Brattleboro hurricane relief activist, southern Vermont nonprofit founder and executive director[15]
• Cris Ericson, perennial candidate

Declined

• David Zuckerman, incumbent lieutenant governor (running for governor)

Results

Progressive primary results

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Progressive	Cris Ericson	438	57.33
	Progressive	Tim Ashe (write-in)	68	8.90
	Progressive	Brenda Siegel (write-in)	44	5.76
	Progressive	Write-ins (other)	214	28.01
Total votes			764	100.0%
	N/A	Blank votes	177

Polling

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Sample size[lower-alpha 1]	Margin of error	Molly Gray (D)	Scott Milne (R)	Other	Undecided
co/efficient/Scott Milne for Lt. Governor[upper-alpha 1]	October 19–29, 2020	584 (LV)	± 4.05%	43%	37%	7%	13%
Braun Research/VPR	September 3–15, 2020	582 (LV)	± 4%	35%	31%	34%[lower-alpha 2]	–

Results

2020 Vermont Lieutenant Gubernatorial election

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Molly Gray	182,820	49.28%
	Republican	Scott Milne	157,065	42.34%
	Progressive	Cris Ericson	7,862	2.12%
	Independent	Wayne Billado III	5,101	1.38%
	Independent	Ralph Corbo	2,289	0.62%
Total votes			370,968	100%

Secretary of State

2020 Vermont secretary of state election

November 3, 2020

Nominee Jim Condos H. Brooke Paige Pamala Smith Party Democratic Republican Independent Popular vote 214,666 99,564 21,210 Percentage 57.87 26.84 5.72

Secretary of State before election Jim Condos Democratic Elected Secretary of State Jim Condos Democratic

The incumbent secretary of state is Democrat Jim Condos.

Declared

• Jim Condos, incumbent secretary of state

Results

Democratic primary results

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Jim Condos (incumbent)	96,328	99.6%
	Democratic	Write-ins	435	0.4%
Total votes				100.0%

Declared

• H. Brooke Paige, perennial candidate.

Results

Republican primary results

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	H. Brooke Paige	40,489	96.8%
	Republican	Write-ins	1,356	3.2%
Total votes				100.0%

General election

2020 Vermont Secretary of State election

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Jim Condos (incumbent)	214,666	57.87
	Republican	H. Brooke Paige	99,564	26.84
	Independent	Pamala Smith	21,210	5.72
	Progressive	Cris Ericson	11,171	3.01
Total votes			370,968	100.0%

Treasurer

2020 Vermont treasurer election

November 3, 2020

Nominee Beth Pearce Carolyn Whitney Branagan Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 197,255 114,177 Percentage 53.17 30.78

Treasurer before election Beth Pearce Democratic Elected Treasurer Beth Pearce Democratic

The incumbent treasurer is Democrat Beth Pearce.

Declared

• Beth Pearce, incumbent treasurer

Results

Democratic primary results

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Beth Pearce (incumbent)	95,432	99.5%
	Democratic	Write-ins	448	0.5%
Total votes				100.0%

Declared

• Carolyn Whitney Branagan, former state representative to Franklin-1 (2003-2017) and former state senator to Franklin (2017-2019)

Results

Republican primary results

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Carolyn Whitney Branagan	40,753	97.0%
	Republican	Write-ins	1,256	3.0%
Total votes				100.0%

General election

2020 Vermont Treasurer election

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Beth Pearce (incumbent)	197,255	53.17
	Republican	Carolyn Whitney Branagan	114,177	30.78
	Independent	Alex Wright	17,939	4.84
	Progressive	Cris Ericson	14,142	3.81
Total votes			370,968	100.0%

Attorney General

2020 Vermont Attorney General election

November 3, 2020

Nominee T. J. Donovan H. Brooke Paige Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 234,081 94,892 Percentage 63.10 25.58

Attorney General before election T. J. Donovan Democratic Elected Attorney General T. J. Donovan Democratic

The incumbent attorney general is Democrat T. J. Donovan.

Declared

• T.J. Donovan, incumbent attorney general

Results

Democratic primary results

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	T. J. Donovan (incumbent)	94,198	99.1%
	Democratic	Write-ins	885	0.9%
Total votes				100.0%

Republican primary

The Republican nominee is H. Brooke Paige.

Declared

• H. Brooke Paige, perennial candidate
• Emily Peyton, candidate for governor in 2018

Results

Republican primary results

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	H. Brooke Paige	21,574	36.80%
	Republican	Emily Peyton	20,376	34.76%
	Republican	Write-ins	1,705	2.91%
Total votes			43,655	100.0%

Declared

• Cris Ericson, perennial candidate, running for other statewide offices as well

Results

Progressive primary results

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Progressive	Cris Ericson	414	44.00%
	Progressive	Write-ins	299	31.77%
Total votes			713	100.0%

General election

2020 Vermont Attorney General election

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	TJ Donovan (incumbent)	234,081	63.10
	Republican	H. Brooke Paige	94,892	25.58
	Progressive	Cris Ericson	15,846	4.27
Total votes			370,968	100.0%

Auditor

2020 Vermont Auditor election

November 3, 2020

Nominee Doug Hoffer Cris Ericson Party Democratic Progressive Alliance Progressive, Republican Marijuana Popular vote 266,445 48,731 Percentage 71.82 13.14

Auditor before election Doug Hoffer Democratic Elected Auditor Doug Hoffer Democratic

The incumbent auditor is Democrat/Progressive Doug Hoffer.

Declared

• Doug Hoffer, incumbent auditor (also ran in Progressive primary)
• Linda Joy Sullivan, state representative

Results

Democratic primary results

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Doug Hoffer (incumbent)	55,486	59.25%
	Democratic	Linda Joy Sullivan	38,018	40.59%
	Democratic	Write-ins	139	0.15%
Total votes			93,643	100.0%
	N/A	Over votes	372
	N/A	Blank votes	15,350

Republican primary

No candidates filed for the Republican primary. Doug Hoffer won the nomination via write-in.

Republican primary results

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Doug Hoffer (incumbent) (write-in)	1,090	28.44%
	Republican	Linda Joy Sullivan (write-in)	961	25.07%
	Republican	Write-ins (other)	1,781	46.48%
Total votes			3,832	100.0%
	N/A	Over votes	316
	N/A	Blank votes	54,478

Progressive primary

Incumbent Democratic/Progressive Auditor Doug Hoffer also ran in the Progressive primary. Perennial candidate Cris Ericson ran for the Progressive nomination for auditor, as well as several other statewide offices.

Declared

• Doug Hoffer, incumbent auditor (also ran in Democratic primary)
• Cris Ericson, perennial candidate

Results

Progressive primary results

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Progressive	Cris Ericson	410	56.55%
	Progressive	Doug Hoffer (incumbent) (write-in)	234	32.28%
	Progressive	Write-ins (other)	81	11.17%
Total votes			725	100.0%
	N/A	Blank votes	216

Candidates

• Doug Hoffer (D/P*/R), incumbent auditor
• Cris Ericson (P*), perennial candidate

(*Hoffer won the Democratic and Republican nominations. Ericson, who is not a member of the Progressive Party, won the primary election, however the Progressive state committee endorsed Hoffer for reelection. Hoffer had previously been nominated by both the Democratic and Progressive Parties in elections from 2010 to 2018.)

2020 Vermont auditor of accounts election

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Doug Hoffer (incumbent)	266,445	71.82
	Progressive	Cris Ericson	48,731	13.14
Total votes			370,968	100.0%

State Legislature

All 30 seats in the Vermont Senate and all 150 seats of the Vermont House of Representatives will be up for election. The balance of political power remained the same in each chamber with Democrats having large majorities in both, however Republicans made very small gains in both chambers. While those gains were small, they allowed Republicans to break the Democrat/Progressive supermajority in the state house. This could potentially lead to any veto from Governor Phil Scott being upheld under these new circumstances.

State Senate Party # of seats before election # of seats after election Net change Democratic 22 21 1 Republican 6 7 1 Progressive 2 2 Independent 0 0

House of Representatives Party # of seats before election # of seats after election Net change Democratic 95 92 3 Republican 43 46 3 Progressive 7 7 Independent 5 5

County offices

Some county level offices will be up for election. The balance of political power before and after the elections for each office was:[16]

Addison County Office Name Party States Attorney Dennis Wygmans Democratic Assistant Judge Patricia Ross Democratic Jacqueline Mclean Democratic Probate Judge Eleanor Smith Democratic Sheriff Peter Dorey Newton Democratic High Bailiff Charles S. Clark Jr. Rep/Dem Bennington County Office Name Party States Attorney Erica Albin Marthage Democratic Assistant Judge James H. Colvin Democratic Wesley L. Mook Democratic Probate Judge D. Justine Scanlon Democratic Sheriff Chad D. Schmidt Dem/Rep High Bailiff Frederick C. Gilbar Democratic Caledonia County Office Name Party States Attorney Lisa A. Warren Dem/Rep Assistant Judge John S. Hall Rep/Dem Roy C. Vance Dem/Rep Probate Judge William W. Cobb Democratic Sheriff Dean Shatney Dem/Rep High Bailiff Stephen Bunnell Rep/Dem Chittenden County Office Name Party States Attorney Sarah F. George Democratic Assistant Judge Suzanne Brown Dem/Rep Connie Cain Ramsey Democratic Probate Judge Gregory J. Glennon Democratic Sheriff Kevin M. McLaughlin Dem/Rep High Bailiff Daniel L. Gamelin Dem/Prog/Rep Essex County Office Name Party States Attorney Vincent Illuzzi Prog/Rep/Dem/Lib Assistant Judge Calivn Colby Republican Allen D. Hodgdon Republican Probate Judge Republican Sheriff Trevor Colby Rep/Prog High Bailiff Vacant N/A Franklin County Office Name Party States Attorney James A. Hughes Democratic Assistant Judge Kelly Gosselin Democratic Robert Johnson Dem/Rep Probate Judge Vaughn Comeau Republican Sheriff Roger Langevin Democratic High Bailiff Roberta Allard Democratic Grand Isle County Office Name Party States Attorney Douglas Disabito Democratic Assistant Judge Sherri Potvin Democratic Joanne R. Batchelder Rep/Dem Probate Judge George Ned Spear Democratic Sheriff Ray C. Allen Dem/Prog/Rep High Bailiff Kevin G. Winch Independent Lamoille County Office Name Party States Attorney Todd A. Shove Democratic Assistant Judge Joel W. Page Democratic Madeline M. Motta Democratic Probate Judge James Dean R. Mahoney Independent Sheriff Roger M. Marcoux Jr. Dem/Rep High Bailiff Claude D. Ammons Jr. Democratic Orange County Office Name Party States Attorney William J. Porter Democratic Assistant Judge Joyce McKeeman Democratic Victoria Weiss Democratic Probate Judge Kathryn C. A. Kennedy Democratic Sheriff Bill Bohnyak Democratic High Bailiff George Contois Democratic Orleans County Office Name Party States Attorney Jennifer Barrett Dem/Rep Assistant Judge Benjamin Batchelder Dem/Rep Curtis A. Hardy Democratic Probate Judge Robert B. Chimileski Independent Sheriff Kirk J. Martin Republican High Bailiff Philip Brooks Republican Rutland County Office Name Party States Attorney Rose Kennedy Democratic Assistant Judge Jean H. Coloutti Dem/Rep David W. Lewis Dem/Rep Probate Judge Karl C. Anderson Republican Sheriff Stephen P. Benard Sr. Dem/Rep High Bailiff David Fox Democratic Washington County Office Name Party States Attorney Rory T. Thibault Democratic Assistant Judge Miriam Conlon Democratic Otto Kinzel Trautz Dem/Rep Probate Judge Jeffrey P. Kilgore Democratic Sheriff W. Samuel Hill Dem/Rep High Bailiff Marc Poulin Democratic Windham County Office Name Party States Attorney Tracy Kelly Shriver Democratic Assistant Judge Patricia W. Duff Democratic Lamont Barnett Democratic Probate Judge Jodi P. French Democratic Sheriff Keith D. Clark Democratic High Bailiff Mark Anderson Democratic Windsor County Office Name Party States Attorney David Cahill Democratic Assistant Judge Jack W. Anderson Democratic Eleen Terie Democratic Probate Judge Frederick M. Glover Democratic Sheriff Michael Chamberlain Democratic High Bailiff Michael E. Manley Democratic

Notes

1. Key:
   A – all adults
   RV – registered voters
   LV – likely voters
   V – unclear
2. "Other/not sure/no opinion" with 24%; Ericson (Progressive) and "No one/not voting on this item" with 4%; Billado (I) with 2%; Cordo (Banish the F35s) with 0%

Partisan clients

1. Poll sponsored by Milne's campaign in the 2020 Vermont lieutenant gubernatorial election

References

1. Heintz, Paul. "Scott's Victory Lap: Gov Wins Third Term, Gray Elected LG, Speaker Johnson Falls Short". Seven Days. Seven Days.
2. "General Election Candidates". sos.vermont.gov. Retrieved June 21, 2020.
3. Flanders, Colin. "Molly Gray Announces Bid to Become Lieutenant Governor of Vermont". Seven Days. Retrieved June 21, 2020.
4. X; L, er; en; Jan 8 2020January 13, Kit Norton; Footnotes, 2020 | 15 Reader (January 8, 2020). "Senate leader Tim Ashe to run for open lieutenant governor post". VTDigger. Retrieved June 21, 2020.
5. "Tim Ashe officially announces run for lieutenant governor seat". WPTZ. January 14, 2020. Retrieved June 21, 2020.
6. WCAX. "Brenda Siegel officially running for Vermont lieutenant governor". www.wcax.com. Retrieved June 21, 2020.
7. Jan 15 2020January 15, Kit Norton; Footnotes, 2020 | 3 Reader (January 15, 2020). "Sen. Debbie Ingram enters race for lieutenant governor". VTDigger. Retrieved June 21, 2020.
8. Bradley, Pat. "Two-Term Vermont State Senator Discusses Her Campaign For Lieutenant Governor". www.wamc.org. Retrieved June 21, 2020.
9. May 28 2020May 29, Elizabeth Hewitt; Footnotes, 2020 | 10 Reader (May 28, 2020). "Milne joins race for lieutenant governor". VTDigger. Retrieved June 9, 2020.
10. Jan 6 2020January 7, Grace Elletson; Footnotes, 2020 | 12 Reader (January 6, 2020). "'Agri-publican' candidates look to broaden appeal of Republican ticket". VTDigger. Retrieved June 21, 2020.
11. Cutler, Calvin. "'Agripublicans' announce candidacies for Vermont offices". www.wcax.com. Retrieved June 21, 2020.
12. Dec 17 2019December 18, Ellie French; Footnotes, 2019 | 29 Reader (December 17, 2019). "Republican Meg Hansen enters race for lieutenant governor". VTDigger. Retrieved June 21, 2020.
13. 2ndvtrepublic (May 13, 2017). "Secede – From What? US of Empire and Plan 'V" for a 2VR (INDY RADIO)". Vermont Independent. Retrieved June 21, 2020.
14. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5J552kDuerw
15. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5J552kDuerw
16. http://vtelectionarchive.sec.state.vt.us/

External links

• Candidates at Vote Smart
• Candidates at Ballotpedia
• Government Documents Round Table of the American Library Association, "Vermont", Voting & Elections Toolkits
• "Vermont: Election Tools, Deadlines, Dates, Rules, and Links", Vote.org, Oakland, CA
• "League of Women Voters of Vermont". (State affiliate of the U.S. League of Women Voters)
• "State Elections Legislation Database", Ncsl.org, Washington, D.C.: National Conference of State Legislatures, State legislation related to the administration of elections introduced in 2011 through this year, 2020

Official Lieutenant Governor campaign websites

Official Attorney General campaign websites

Official Auditor of Accounts campaign websites