Vermont 2010 Election Results

Vermont held its general election on November 2, 2010, deciding 179 legislative seats across 121 districts and 6 statewide offices led by the governorship. No chamber changed party control.

Highlights

• Democrats took back the governorship after Republican Gov. Jim Douglas chose not to seek re-election, pairing it with the legislative majorities they already held for full control of state government.
• Senate President Pro Tem Peter Shumlin (D) beat Lt. Gov. Brian E. Dubie (R) by about 4,300 votes, under two points, in a race an October poll had shown as a statistical tie. Because no candidate won a majority, the choice fell to the Legislature, which elected Shumlin 145 to 28 on January 6, 2011. The Legislature also picked the lieutenant governor: state Sen. Phil Scott (R) beat Steve Howard (D) by about 7 points but fell short of a majority, and lawmakers elected Scott 150 to 22.
• Jim Condos (D) won the open secretary of state's office over Jason Gibbs (R) by about 9 points, and Auditor Thomas M. Salmon (R), who had left the Democratic Party in 2009, held off Doug Hoffer (D) by about 7. Attorney General Bill Sorrell (D) and Treasurer Jeb Spaulding (D) won re-election easily.
• Republicans gained a Senate seat on net, moving the chamber from 23-7 to 22-8:
  • Richard Westman (R) won the open Lamoille seat by about 130 votes over Dave Yacovone (D).
  • In two-seat Caledonia, Joe Benning (R) edged out Sen. Matthew Choate (D) for the second seat by about 140 votes.
  • Democrats took one back in three-seat Washington, where Anthony Pollina (D) won the seat Scott gave up to run for lieutenant governor.
• The House barely moved, from 100-48-2 to 99-48-3, as the parties traded a handful of seats. One race was decided by a single vote: Sarah E. Buxton (D) unseated Rep. David Ainsworth (R) in Windsor-Orange-1, and a recount and an attorney general's review of Ainsworth's challenge left the result unchanged.
• Voters approved Proposal 5 by about 62 points, amending the constitution to let 17-year-olds vote in primaries if they turn 18 by the general election.

Legislature

• House (150 seats): 95 D, 48 R, 7 other or vacant before the election, 95 D, 48 R, 7 other or vacant after; control stayed with Democrats.
• Senate (30 seats): 22 D, 7 R, 1 other or vacant before the election, 22 D, 8 R after; control stayed with Democrats.

Statewide races

Legislative races

Ballot measures