Vermonters have an opportunity to help choose the nation’s presidential candidates at the statewide primary election. Here’s what you need to know.
When is Vermont’s presidential primary?
Vermont’s primary is Tuesday, March 5, 2024 — the same day as Town Meeting Day.
The primary has a hand in determining which candidate will win the Democratic or Republican nomination for the presidential election in November.
Do I need to be registered with a political party to vote in the primary?
No. Vermont doesn’t have party registration, and we have open primaries — meaning any voter can choose to vote the ballot of either party.
In the presidential primary, the poll worker will write down whether you choose the Republican or Democratic ballot, and that choice will become public record.
We want to hear from you! Vermont Public will cover the 2024 election by taking our cues from you
How do I vote in Vermont’s presidential primary?
If you want to receive a presidential primary ballot in the mail, you must request it. Submit that request to your town clerk, or use the Secretary of State’s website to request a ballot with an online or snail-mail application.
You must return your ballot by the time the town clerk’s office closes on the day before the election, or to the polling place by 7 p.m. on election day.
To vote in person, show up at your polling place on March 5. Polls open at various times in the morning, and they all close at 7 p.m.
If you’re not already registered to vote, you can register online or with your town clerk. You can also register to vote at the polling place on election day.
Where do I vote?
Find a statewide list of polling places here. Some communities may also have a ballot drop-box option.
Who’s on the ballot in Vermont?
Republican ballot:
Ryan L. Binkley
Chris Christie
Ron DeSantis
Nikki Haley
Vivek Ramaswamy
Donald J. Trump
Democratic ballot:
Joseph R. Biden Jr
Mark Stewart Greenstein
Jason Michael Palmer
Dean Phillips
Cenk Uygur
Marianne Williamson
How do these votes affect each party’s nomination process?
Vermont will send 17 delegates to the Republican National Convention in July, and they will be allocated proportionally according to candidates’ vote totals in Vermont. If a candidate who won votes in Vermont has dropped out of the race, delegates will be released to support another candidate.
Vermont will send 24 delegates to the Democratic National Convention in August, 16 of whom will be allocated proportionally to Vermont’s primary election results. Vermont’s other eight are unpledged superdelegates (elected officials and party leaders).
With challenges in other states, is Donald Trump on Vermont’s Republican primary ballot?
The Vermont Secretary of State's Office, which administers Vermont's elections, puts candidates on the ballot if they have submitted the required number of signatures, a consent form, and a filing fee by the deadline.
Secretary of State Sarah Copeland Hanzas said in December that she has "no role in making a legal determination about Donald Trump’s eligibility to appear on the primary ballot or to hold the office of President." She says that it's up to the courts to make any further decisions about a candidate's qualifications.
There is a pathway instate law to challenge candidates' placement on the ballot in court -- but no Vermonters have filed a challenge to Trump, the Secretary of State's Office said in February.
The U.S. Supreme Court is currently considering a case from Colorado regarding Donald Trump's qualifications to appear on the ballot. A decision in the Colorado case could have implications for Vermont and other states, and election officials here are tracking the case closely.
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