Vermont voters elected all 30 state senators from 16 districts, with each district electing between one and three senators. Districts that elect more than one senator use plurality block voting; in districts that elect two senators, each voter can select up to two candidates on their ballot, and in districts that elect three senators, voters can select up to three candidates. Under Vermont's electoral fusion system, candidates can receive the nomination of more than one party, with all their nominations being listed on the ballot.
Prior to the election, the Democrat–Progressive coalition held a 23-seat supermajority in the senate. In order to gain control of the chamber, Republicans either needed to flip nine seats in the senate, or flip eight seats and the office of lieutenant governor, which presides over the senate and acts as the tiebreaking vote. However, they only needed to flip four seats to end their opponents' supermajority. Ultimately, Republicans, aided by popular GOP governor Phil Scott campaigning for downballot Republican candidates harder than he had in previous years, flipped six seats in the state senate, thus successfully breaking the Democrats' supermajority.[2]
Elder largely avoided criticizing the two incumbents directly, instead saying he decided to run for Senate due to his conflicts with House leadership; Elder alleged that they "made it clear the doors were shut for me to participate." The race was competitive, with all three candidates reporting roughly equal fundraising.[7]
The incumbents are Democrats Brian Campion and Dick Sears, who won with only write-in opposition in 2022. Sears filed to run for re-election, while Campion announced he would retire.[12] However, Sears died in June 2024, shortly after the filing deadline.[13]
Despite his death, Sears remained on the ballot in the August Democratic primary; if he won, a convention of delegates from towns in the district would have met to choose a replacement nominee.[17] Several write-in candidates entered the race.[14] One candidate, Manchester selectman Jonathan West, urged Democrats in the district to vote for Sears, hoping to clinch the nomination at a convention.[17]
The incumbents are Democrats Philip Baruth and Martine Gulick and Progressive Tanya Vyhovsky, who won with 31.5%, 29.0%, and 25.7% of the vote in 2022, respectively (86.2% combined), against an independent candidate. All three incumbents are running for re-election.
Ledbetter outlined few policy differences between himself and the district's three incumbents, instead campaigning on his experience as a journalist. However, VTDigger described Ledbetter as a more centrist alternative to the incumbents, and he criticized Vyhovsky for voting against a bill to increase penalties for retail theft. The three incumbents ran together as a slate. Vyhovsky and Gulick criticized Ledbetter for accepting large contributions from Republicans, landlords, and business interests, and for promising to compromise with Republican governor Phil Scott, which Gulick argued could "mean that you have to make compromises on your values."[29]
Ledbetter had significant name recognition and outraised all three incumbents by a wide margin, creating a competitive race. VTDigger wrote that Gulick was "generally considered the most vulnerable of the three incumbents," owing to her narrow victory in the 2022 Democratic primary for this district.[29]
The incumbent was Democrat Richard Mazza, who won with 73.0% of the vote in 2022. Mazza resigned on April 8, 2024, due to health issues; he later died on May 28.[32] Governor Phil Scott appointed Democrat Andy Julow, a nonprofit executive and former chair of the Champlain Valley School District Board, to Mazza's vacant seat.[33]
The incumbents are Republicans Brian Collamore, Terry Williams, and Dave Weeks, who won with 21.0%, 17.3%, and 16.3% of the vote in 2022, respectively (54.6% combined).
The incumbents are Democrats Ann Cummings, Anne Watson, and Andrew Perchlik, who won with 26.2%, 22.9%, and 21.1% of the vote in 2022, respectively (70.2% combined).
Rob Roper received enough write-in votes to win the Republican nomination, but dropped out of the race after the primary. Republican Party officials in Washington County were then able to choose a replacement nominee.[43]
The incumbents are Democrats Alison Clarkson, Rebecca White, and Richard McCormack, who won with 23.4%, 22.9%, and 22.7% of the vote in 2022, respectively (69.0% combined). McCormack is not running for re-election.[46]
^In the 2022 election, 22 of the elected senators were primarily Democrats. However, 3 of the elected senators were primarily affiliated with a different party but were also nominated by the Democratic Party and listed "Democratic" on the ballot as a secondary nomination.
^In the 2022 election, 7 of the elected senators were primarily Republicans. However, 1 of the elected senators was primarily affiliated with a different party but was also nominated by the Republican Party and listed "Republican" on the ballot as a secondary nomination.
^In the 2022 election, 1 of the elected senators was primarily a Progressive. However, 4 of the elected senators were primarily affiliated with a different party but were also nominated by the Progressive Party and listed "Progressive" on the ballot as a secondary nomination. Additionally, the elected senator that is primarily a Progressive was listed "Democratic" on the ballot as a secondary nomination.
^Mearhoff, Sarah (May 31, 2024). "Vermont House members hope to clinch Senate seats in open races". VTDigger. Retrieved June 14, 2024. This year, Bennington, Caledonia, Orleans, and Windsor Counties will all see open Senate races as a result of the departures of Sen. Brian Campion, D-Bennington; Sen. Jane Kitchel, D-Caledonia; Sen. Bobby Starr, D-Orleans; and Sen. Dick McCormack, D-Windsor.
^Weinstein, Ethan (May 24, 2024). "Former Democratic lawmaker John Rodgers to run for lieutenant governor as a Republican". VTDigger. Retrieved May 25, 2024. Asked why he chose to run for lieutenant governor...rather than seek the Senate seat opened up by the retirement of Sen. Bobby Starr, D-Orleans, Rodgers said he could be an 'advocate and a voice' for Vermonters who feel they've been 'left out' of the political process
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