[V]TDigger has created a complete guide to the 2016 general election.
The guide includes all statewide candidates and a comprehensive list of candidates for the Vermont House and the Vermont Senate.
You’ll find all of VTDigger’s profiles of major candidates and stories about their campaigns, debates and press releases.
We wrote in-depth biographical sketches of candidates in the following races: U.S. Senate (Republican Scott Milne v. Democratic incumbent Patrick Leahy), governor of Vermont (Democrat Sue Minter v. Republican Phil Scott), lieutenant governor (Republican Randy Brock v. Progressive David Zuckerman) and Vermont Attorney General (Democrat TJ Donovan v. Deb Bucknam).
The candidate pages for Minter and Scott feature a comparison chart on 10 major issues ranging from gun control to Vermont Health Connect and the state budget.
You’ll also find photos and bios of the candidates, video ads, debate video, party affiliations and links to news stories, commentaries, campaign websites and social media.
All House candidates and Senate candidates are included in the guide.
VTDigger asked each candidate to cite three reasons for running for the House or the Senate. In most cases, candidates responded to our survey.
Here are a few facts about the Legislature and this year’s crop of candidates.
There are 150 seats in the Vermont House of Representatives. This year, 246 people are running for House seats (57 percent are Democrats, 35 percent Republicans, 4 percent Progressive and 4 percent independents). Of that total number, 127 are incumbents.
Thirty-four percent of the candidates for the House are female; 66 percent are male.
There are 30 seats in the Vermont Senate and 55 candidates are making a bid for those seats. Forty-nine percent of the candidates are Democrats, 35 percent are Republicans, 6 percent are Progressives and 6 percent are independents.
Thirty-one percent of the candidates for Senate seats are female; 69 percent are male.
This election season there are 44 uncontested races in the House and one in the Senate.
Early voting is in full swing. The last day to request an absentee ballot from your town or city clerk is Nov. 7.
The polls are open on Nov. 8 until 7 p.m. Please check with your local polling place for start times.
For more information about the general election, please go to the Vermont Secretary of State’s website.
