Via Community News Service, a University of Vermont journalism internship, on assignment for the Hardwick Gazette.
As her office began the process of mailing general election ballots to all active registered voters in the state, Vermont Secretary of State Sarah Copeland Hanzas reminded voters this week of their options for casting their ballot and emphasized the importance of having a voting plan.
Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 5. Early voting has already started.
Offices to be voted on in November include the federal House and Senate seats, Vermont statewide seats and local House and Senate positions.
To be eligible to vote in Vermont, a voter must be at least 18 years old on Election Day, a U.S. citizen, a resident of the town and have taken the voter’s oath.
That unique voter’s oath originated with the adoption of the state’s 1777 Constitution. A prospective voter must take the oath the first time they register to vote in Vermont. It can be administered by a town clerk, justice of the peace, notary public, commissioned military officer or any other person over the age of 18.
In taking the oath, the voter affirms they will vote based on their own proclivities and not let anyone else unduly influence a decision.
Vermont does not issue physical voter registration cards. To find out if an individual is registered to vote, visit mvp.vermont.gov and follow the instructions to verify voter information. Currently registered voters should be able to sign in with their information. If not, a voter can register there. Or voters can check with the town clerk where they think they should be registered.
There are three options when registering to vote. A voter may register online or can print out the paperwork and either mail, email or drop it off at the local town clerk’s office. Another option is to go to the town clerk.
To find a town clerk and polling locations visit the secretary of state’s website and search “Vermont polling location information” in the search bar.
A prospective voter needs to have a photo ID and proof of address to register to vote. Proof of address can be a bill, a bank statement or an official document with both the name and local address. Those who don’t have a driver’s license can use the last four digits of their Social Security number as ID.
Illustration by Kate Lewton, Kendall Turney, Myla Van Lynde
Voters in Vermont don’t register with a specific party. It is only in a primary election that voters select a party ballot anonymously.
Regulations on moving from out of state allow someone to register to vote as soon as they have a Vermont address, as long as they are not planning to vote elsewhere. This goes for college students coming from out of state as well. If a voter considers Vermont their primary state of residence, they may vote in Vermont.
Those who prefer to vote from home or will be away on Election Day will need an absentee ballot. All registered Vermont voters were mailed one in late September. For questions, or if a ballot is not received, a voter should contact their local town clerk.
A voter an request an absentee ballot by completing the application online, filling out the paperwork and mailing it in, or by going to the town clerk’s office and applying in person.
Military and overseas voters may request an absentee ballot by telephone, fax, email or mail. Once filled out, ballots must be returned to the town clerk in the absentee certificate envelope. Ballots may not be returned by fax or email.
A voter may make a request for an absentee ballot up until the close of business the day before the election, Monday, Nov. 4, this year.
Once an absentee ballot is filled out, follow the instructions for sealing it in the envelope. The ballot must then be delivered to the town clerk’s office before the date of the election or delivered in person to the local polling location before 7 p.m. on Election Day.
Copeland Hanzas encourages voters to visit My Voter Page to see if their ballot has been mailed. They can also track the ballot’s progress and, after it is mailed back, confirm it was received by their town or city clerk.
Voters can use their My Voter Page to access an online voter guide that the secretary of state’s office has prepared for the first time for 2024. There is detailed information about each office and for each candidate who submitted information.
The online tool Ballotpedia can be used to find a sample ballot and other information for the local voting area.