2016 Vermont elections

2016 Vermont elections

←  2014 2018  →

A general election was held in the U.S. state of Vermont on November 8, 2016. All of Vermont's executive officers were up for election as well as Vermont's Class III Senate seat and at-large seat in the United States House of Representatives. Primary elections were held on August 9, 2016.

President of the United States

Main article: 2016 United States presidential election in Vermont

See also: 2016 Vermont Democratic primary

United States Senate

Main article: 2016 United States Senate election in Vermont

United States House of Representatives

Main article: 2016 United States House of Representatives election in Vermont

Governor

Main article: 2016 Vermont gubernatorial election

Lieutenant governor

Vermont lieutenant gubernatorial election, 2016

←  2014 November 8, 2016 2018  →

Nominee Dave Zuckerman Randy Brock Party Democratic Republican Alliance Progressive — Popular vote 159,738 139,344 Percentage 52.09% 45.44%

County results Municipality results Zuckerman:     40–50%     50–60%     60–70%     70–80% Brock:     40–50%     50–60%     60–70%     70–80% No Data/Vote:

Lieutenant Governor before election Phil Scott Republican Elected Lieutenant Governor Dave Zuckerman Democratic/Progressive

Incumbent Republican lieutenant governor Phil Scott, who was first elected in 2010, did not run for reelection, and instead ran successfully for governor. ^[1]

Republican primary

Randy Brock, former State Auditor (2005–2007) and State Senator (2009–2013), was unopposed in the Republican primary.

Results

Republican primary results ^[2]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Randy Brock	37,361	80.5
	Republican	Write-ins	1,394	3.0
Total votes			38,755	100%

Democratic primary

Candidates

Declared

• Kesha Ram, State Representative
• Shap Smith, Speaker of the Vermont House of Representatives
• Dave Zuckerman, state senator, farmer (also ran in Progressive primary)

Withdrawn

• Brandon Riker, businessman (endorsed Zuckerman) ^[3]

Results

Democratic primary results ^[2]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Dave Zuckerman	31,027	42.7
	Democratic	Shap Smith	26,569	36.6
	Democratic	Kesha Ram	12,133	16.7
	Democratic	Write-ins	323	0.46
Total votes			70,052	100%

Progressive primary

Candidates

• Boots Wardinski, farmer, activist
• Dave Zuckerman, state senator, farmer (write-in) (also ran in Democratic primary)

Results

Progressive primary results ^[2]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Progressive	Dave Zuckerman (write-in)	228	50.67
	Progressive	Boots Wardinski	150	33.33
	Progressive	Write-ins (other)	72	16.0
Total votes			450	100%

Liberty Union nomination

Boots Wardinski ran unopposed for the Liberty Union State Committee's nomination for lieutenant governor. He also unsuccessfully ran in the Progressive primary.

General election

Candidates

• Randy Brock (R)
• Boots Wardinski (LU)
• Dave Zuckerman (P/D)

Polling

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Sample size	Margin of error	Randy Brock (R)	David Zuckerman (P/D)	Boots Wardinksi (LU)	Other	Undecided
RRH Elections [4]	October 24–26, 2016	1,052	± 3.0%	39%	40%	1%	—	20%
Castleton Polling Institute [5]	?	579	± 3.9%	26%	43%	1%	8%	20%

Results

General election results ^[6]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Progressive/Democratic	Dave Zuckerman	159,738	52.09
	Republican	Randy Brock	139,344	45.44
	Liberty Union	Boots Wardinski	7,038	2.3
	Write-in	Write-ins	559	0.18
Total votes			306,679	100%

Secretary of State

Vermont secretary of state election, 2016

←  2014 November 8, 2016 2018  →

Nominee Jim Condos Mary Alice Herbert Party Democratic Liberty Union Popular vote 255,201 29,711 Percentage 89.38% 10.41%

County results Municipality results Condos:     70–80%     80–90%     90–100% No Data/Vote:

Secretary of State before election Jim Condos Democratic Elected Secretary of State Jim Condos Democratic

Incumbent Democratic Secretary of State Jim Condos (since 2011) ran again for a fourth term. This is to date the most recent election without H. Brooke Paige as the Republican nominee.

Democratic primary

Incumbent Jim Condos was unopposed in the Democratic primary.

Results

Democratic primary results ^[2]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Jim Condos	59,818	81.2
	Democratic	Write-ins	219	0.0
Total votes			60,037	100%

Liberty Union nomination

Mary Alice Herbert, candidate for secretary of state in 2012, ran unopposed for the Liberty Union State Committee's nomination for secretary of state.

General election

Candidates

• Jim Condos (D/R) ^[7]
• Mary Alice "Mal" Herbert (LU)

Results

General election results ^[6]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Jim Condos (incumbent)	255,201	89.38
	Liberty Union	Mary Alice Herbert	29,711	10.41
	Write-in	Write-ins	603	0.21
Total votes			285,515	100%

Treasurer

2016 Vermont treasurer election

←  2014 November 8, 2016 2018  →

Nominee Beth Pearce Don Schramm Party Democratic Progressive Alliance Republican Popular vote 234,566 37,301 Percentage 82.3% 13.1%

County results Municipality results Pearce:     50–60%     60–70%     70–80%     80–90%     90–100% No Data/Vote:

Treasurer before election Beth Pearce Democratic Elected Treasurer Beth Pearce Democratic

Incumbent Democratic Treasurer Beth Pearce (since 2011) ran again for a fourth term.

Democratic primary

Candidates

• Beth Pearce, incumbent (also ran in Republican primary)
• Richard Dunne, policy consultant

Results

Democratic primary results ^[2]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Beth Pearce	40,939	56.0
	Democratic	Richard Dunne	20,929	28.6
	Democratic	Write-ins	73	0.01
Total votes			61,941	100%

Republican primary

Candidates

• Beth Pearce, incumbent (write-in) (also ran in Democratic primary)
• Wendy Wilton, nominee for Treasurer in 2012 (write-in)

Results

Republican primary results ^[2]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Beth Pearce (write-in)	1,467	48.48
	Republican	Richard Dunne (write-in)	573	18.94
	Republican	Wendy Wilton (write-in)	180	5.95
	Republican	Write-ins (other)	806	26.64
Total votes			3,026	100%

Progressive primary

Candidates

• Don Schramm, nominee for Treasurer in 2014, 2012, 2010, and 2008 (write-in)

Results

Progressive primary results ^[2]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Progressive	Don Schramm (write-in)	112	38.89
	Progressive	Write-ins (other)	176	61.11
Total votes			288	100%

Liberty Union nomination

Murray Ngoima, nominee for Treasurer in 2014, 2010, and 2008, ran unopposed for the Liberty Union State Committee's nomination for Treasurer.

General election

Candidates

• Murray Ngoima (LU)
• Beth Pearce (D/R)
• Don Schramm (P)

Results

General election results ^[6]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Beth Pearce (incumbent)	234,566	82.3
	Progressive	Don Schramm	37,301	13.1
	Liberty Union	Murray Ngoima	12,453	4.4
	Write-in	Write-ins	667	0.07
Total votes			284,987	100%

Attorney general

Vermont attorney general election, 2016

←  2014 November 8, 2016 2018  →

Nominee T.J. Donovan Deborah Bucknam Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 200,020 88,431 Percentage 66.56% 29.43%

County results Municipality results Donovan:     40–50%     50–60%     60–70%     70–80%     80–90% Bucknam:     40–50%     50–60%     60–70% No Data/Vote:

Attorney General before election T.J. Donovan Democratic Elected Attorney General T.J. Donovan Democratic

Incumbent Democratic attorney general William Sorrell, the state's longest-serving attorney general (since 1997), did not run for reelection. ^[8]

Democratic primary

Candidates

• T.J. Donovan, Chittenden County state's attorney
• H. Brooke Paige, businessman, perennial candidate (also ran for governor)

Results

Democratic primary results ^[2]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	T.J. Donovan	49,017	67.0
	Democratic	H. Brooke Paige	11,917	16.3
	Democratic	Write-ins	214	0.0
Total votes			61,148	100%

Republican primary

Deborah Bucknam, a private practice attorney, was unopposed in the Republican primary.

Results

Republican primary results ^[2]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Deborah Bucknam	31,173	67.2
	Republican	Write-ins	1,477	3.0
Total votes			32,650	100%

Liberty Union nomination

Rosemarie Jackowski, journalist, teacher, activist, nominee for attorney general in 2014, and 2012, ran unopposed for the Liberty Union State Committee's nomination for attorney general.

General election

Candidates

• Deborah Bucknam (R)
• T.J. Donovan (D)
• Rosemarie Jackowski (LU)

Polling

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Sample size	Margin of error	T.J. Donovan (D)	Deborah Bucknam (R)	Rosemarie Jackowski (LU)	Other	Undecided
Castleton Polling Institute [5]	?	579	± 3.9%	54%	12%	3%	8%	21%

Results

General election results ^[6]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	T.J. Donovan	200,020	66.56
	Republican	Deborah Bucknam	88,431	29.43
	Liberty Union	Rosemarie Jackowski	11,844	4.0
	Write-in	Write-ins	203	0.07
Total votes			300,498	100%

Auditor of Accounts

Vermont auditor election, 2016

←  2014 November 8, 2016 2018  →

Nominee Doug Hoffer Dan Feliciano Marina Brown Party Democratic Republican Liberty Union Popular vote 159,695 113,231 15,099 Percentage 55.4% 39.28% 5.24%

County results Municipality results Hoffer:     40–50%     50–60%     60–70%     70–80% Feliciano:     40–50%     50–60%     60–70% No Data/Vote:

Auditor before election Doug Hoffer Democratic Elected Auditor Doug Hoffer Democratic

Incumbent Democratic/Progressive Auditor Doug Hoffer (since 2013) ran again for a third term.

Democratic primary

Incumbent Doug Hoffer was unopposed in the Democratic primary. (Also ran in Progressive primary)

Results

Democratic primary results ^[2]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Doug Hoffer	57,135	99.58
	Democratic	Write-ins	241	0.01
Total votes			57,376	100%

Republican primary

Dan Feliciano, strategic policy consultant, Libertarian nominee for governor in 2014 and 2010, was unopposed in the Republican primary.

Results

Republican primary results ^[2]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Dan Feliciano	29,753	98.29
	Republican	Write-ins	517	1.71
Total votes			30,270	100%

Progressive primary

Incumbent Doug Hoffer was unopposed in the Progressive primary. (Also ran in Democratic primary)

Results

Progressive primary results ^[2]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Progressive	Doug Hoffer (write-in)	220	80.88
	Progressive	Write-ins (other)	52	19.12
Total votes			272	100%

Liberty Union nomination

Marina Brown, nominee for lieutenant governor in 2014, ran unopposed for the Liberty Union State Committee's nomination for Auditor.

General election

Candidates

• Marina Brown (LU)
• Dan Feliciano (R)
• Doug Hoffer (D/P)

Results

General election results ^[6]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Doug Hoffer (incumbent)	159,695	55.4
	Republican	Dan Feliciano	113,231	39.28
	Liberty Union	Marina Brown	15,099	5.24
	Write-in	Write-ins	228	0.07
Total votes			288,253	100%

State legislature

All 30 seats in the Vermont Senate and all 150 seats of the Vermont House of Representatives were up for election. The balance of political power before the elections for each chamber was:

Senate Party # of seats Democratic 19 Republican 9 [9] Progressive 2 Total 30

House of Representatives Party # of seats Democratic 85 Republican 53 Progressive 6 Independent 6 Total 150

And the results of the elections for both chambers was:

Senate Party # of seats Democratic 21 Republican 7 Progressive 2 Total 30

House of Representatives Party # of seats Democratic 83 Republican 53 Progressive 7 Independent 7 Total 150

References

1. Hallenbeck, Terri (September 8, 2015). "Scott Pins Gubernatorial Campaign on 'Fiscal Responsibility'". Seven Days .
2. "Vermont Primary results" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on November 8, 2018. Retrieved October 20, 2016.
3. Heintz, Paul (March 23, 2016). "Brandon Riker Quits LG Race, Endorses David Zuckerman". Seven Days . Retrieved April 3, 2025.
4. RRH Elections
5. Castleton Polling Institute
6. Vermont General election canvass
7. Sec. Condos received enough write-in votes in the Republican primary to receive their nomination
8. Craven, Jasper (September 28, 2015). "AG BILL SORRELL WILL NOT SEEK RE-ELECTION". vtdigger.org.
9. One Republican Senator, Norman H. McAllister was suspended. Archived 2016-10-09 at the Wayback Machine