AP Decision Notes: What to expect in Vermont on Election Day

WASHINGTON (AP) — Vermont voters will cast ballots for a full slate of federal and state offices in the Nov. 5 general election, including the president, a U.S. senator, the governor and seats in the state Legislature.

Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris and Republican former President Donald Trump will be on the ballot, along with seven third-party candidates. Among them is Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who suspended his campaign and endorsed Trump.

Trump lost Vermont’s Republican presidential primary in March to former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley. It was one of just two primaries he lost this year. The other was in the District of Columbia.

In the U.S. Senate race, Bernie Sanders, an independent who caucuses with the Democrats, is running for a fourth term. He won more than 67% of the vote in 2018 and is heavily favored in this year’s race against five opponents, including Republican Gerald Malloy.

Vermont elects its governor every two years. Incumbent Phil Scott, a Republican who first won the office in 2016, faces Democrat Esther Charlestin and three others in his fight for reelection. Scott was first elected in 2016. If no gubernatorial candidate gets more than 50% of the vote, the race goes to the state Legislature to decide.

The state has voted for the Democratic presidential candidate since 1992. Joe Biden and Hillary Clinton each won the state — and its three electoral votes — by more than 60%.

As of October, there were more than 505,000 registered voters in Vermont. The state does not register residents by party.

All registered voters in Vermont are sent an absentee ballot. In the 2020 presidential race, 280,455 absentee ballots were cast, representing 76% of the vote. The absentee total dropped to 67% in the 2022 midterm elections.

There are more than 200 towns and cities in the state. Like most of New England, Vermont releases its election votes at this level, which could slow down counting.

The AP does not make projections and will declare a winner only when it has determined there is no scenario that would allow the trailing candidates to close the gap. If a race has not been called, the AP will continue to cover any newsworthy developments, such as candidate concessions or declarations of victory. In doing so, the AP will make clear that it has not yet declared a winner and explain why.

Here’s a look at what to expect in the 2024 election in Vermont:

Election Day

Nov. 5.

Poll closing time

7 p.m. ET.

Presidential electoral votes

3 awarded to statewide winner.

Key races and candidates

President: Harris (D) vs. Trump (R) vs. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (We the People) vs. Chase Oliver (Libertarian) vs. Cornel West (People’s Justice) and two others.

U.S. Senate: Sanders (I) vs. Malloy (R) and four others.

Governor: Scott (R) vs. Charlestin (D) and three others.

Other races of interest

U.S. House, state Senate, state House, attorney general, auditor, lieutenant governor, secretary of state and treasurer.

Past presidential results

2020: Biden (D) 66%, Trump (R) 31%, AP race call: Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2020, 7 p.m. ET.

Voter registration and turnout

Registered voters: 505,549 (as of Oct. 1, 2024).

Voter turnout in 2020 presidential election: 73% of registered voters.

Pre-Election Day voting

Votes cast before Election Day 2020: about 76% of the total vote.

Votes cast before Election Day 2022: about 67% of the total vote.

Votes cast before Election Day 2024: See AP Advance Vote tracker.

How long does vote-counting take?

First votes reported, Nov. 3, 2020: 7:24 p.m. ET.

By midnight ET: about 94% of total votes cast were reported.

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Associated Press writer Maya Sweedler contributed to this report.

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Read more about how U.S. elections work at Explaining Election 2024, a series from The Associated Press aimed at helping make sense of the American democracy. The AP receives support from several private foundations to enhance its explanatory coverage of elections and democracy. See more about AP’s democracy initiative here. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

By CAROLE FELDMAN
Associated Press