The Greater Burlington area drew far more Democratic ballots than Republican in Tuesday’s primary election, and the opposite was true in the historically conservative-leaning Northeast Kingdom.
Vermont has an open primary, allowing any voter to choose whether to cast a ballot in the Republican, Democratic or Progressive primary. They can vote on only one party’s ballot.
In some municipalities, there were stark differences in party turnout. In Brattleboro, more than 2,700 voters cast Democratic ballots, and 485 people voted in the Republican primary. In Castleton, voters cast 619 Republican ballots, and 367 Democratic ones.
But the margins were far more balanced in many towns. In the center of the state — from Weathersfield west to Mount Holly and north to Leicester — about an equal number of residents chose Democratic and Republican ballots. Milton, in Chittenden County, had 1,305 people vote Democratic, and 1,286 Republican.
Statewide, about 59,000 Republican ballots were cast, and about 109,000 Democratic ballots. A total of 942 ballots were cast in the Progressive primary. Because Progressive ballots made up a small percentage of overall ballots cast, and did not comprise a majority in any town, VTDigger did not include them in this analysis.
The Democratic map
Lt. Gov. David Zuckerman secured his victory in the Democratic gubernatorial primary with healthy vote margins in towns across the state, including in population centers such as Burlington and Brattleboro.
Former education secretary Rebecca Holcombe, Zuckerman’s top opponent, performed well in the towns near her home in Norwich and along the Connecticut River. She also won a grouping of five towns in the state’s northwest corner, including St. Albans Town and Swanton.
Molly Gray carried the majority of towns in her victory in the Democratic primary for lieutenant governor. The exceptions were Chittenden County and a cluster in southern Vermont along the New Hampshire border.
But even in Chittenden County — considered a stronghold for her opponent Tim Ashe, who has represented the county for 14 years in the Senate — Gray ran neck and neck with the outgoing Senate leader.
Brenda Siegel won her hometown of Newfane, and three nearby towns in the southern part of the state.
The Republican map
In the Republican primary, Gov. Phil Scott, one of the most popular governors in the country, received more than 70% of the vote as he continues his bid for a third term.
Scott only lost seven towns on Aug. 11 — six in the southern part of the state, plus Lowell. Those seven towns went to John Klar, Scott’s top opponent in the contest.
Scott Milne, who won the GOP nomination for governor in 2014 and for U.S. Senate in 2016, has received his third shot in six years at a statewide general election race.
Facing off against political newcomer Meg Hansen in the primary, Milne performed well in central and northern Vermont. However, Hansen won more support among GOP voters in towns across the southern part of the state.
Hansen, who’s from Manchester, captured a solid block of towns along the New York and Massachusetts borders, but her support tapered off farther north along the I-91 corridor.
