MONTPELIER-In advance of the statewide primary election Tuesday, Aug. 11, Vermont Secretary of State Sarah Copeland Hanzas is reminding voters about their voting options and resources available from her office.
The primary election determines which major party candidates will be on the ballot for the November general election. “Every election is a valuable opportunity to make your voice heard,” she said in a news release. “Yet, we tend to see lower turnout in primary elections. It’s crucial that Vermonters know how important their vote is, and how many options they have for casting their ballot.”
Unlike the general election in November, ballots for the statewide primary election are not mailed automatically. To receive a mailed ballot, voters need to request one from their clerk’s office or in the online Vermont Voter Portal.
Voters also need to choose which major party primary—Republican, Democratic, or Progressive—they wish to vote in. Absentee ballots are available now. Voters can mail their absentee ballot back to their town clerk; the Secretary of State’s office recommends doing so by July 28 to ensure the ballot returns to the clerk by Election Day.
Voters can also hand-deliver their ballot to their town clerk during open hours or put it in an official ballot drop box. Another option is to go to the clerk’s office during open hours and vote early in person.
Copeland Hanzas emphasized the usefulness of her office’s online Vermont Voter Portal, vote.vermont.gov. Every registered voter has an existing account and can “log in” to view information about their clerk’s office and polling place, request an absentee ballot, and view their Voter Guide. The Voter Guide also has information about the elected positions and statements from the candidates on their ballot.
“Vermont works to remove barriers between eligible voters and their right to vote, and I wanted to make information about who is on your ballot just as accessible,” said Copeland Hanzas. “Sometimes I hear that folks don’t participate in our elections because they don’t feel informed enough about the choices. I hope that this standard, nonpartisan guide gives Vermonters a convenient opportunity to get the information they need to cast their vote.”
This Town and Village item was submitted to The Commons.