Alison H. Clarkson Last updated June 13, 2025 Early life and education Alison Hudnut Clarkson was born in Buffalo,New York ,on April 26,1955,to William Melbourne Elliott Clarkson,who later served as the Executive Deputy Commissioner of Commerce of the State of New York. She graduated from The Park School of Buffalo ,which she later served on its board of trustees,and from Harvard University ,attending Radcliffe College ,with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1977. Clarkson married Oliver Ramsdell Goodenough,with whom she had two children,on January 12,1985,and moved to Vermont in 1992. [ 1] [ 2] [ 3]
Clarkson was a theatrical producer and served on the board of directors for the New York Theatre Workshop and Vermont Arts Council board of trustees;the first production she managed was The Potsdam Quartet in 1982,and she produced A. R. Gurney 's The Middle Ages in 1983. [ 1] [ 4] [ 5] [ 6]
Career Vermont House of Representatives Jack Anderson ,an independent member of the Vermont House of Representatives ,retired during the 2004 election. [ 7] She won the Democratic nomination and defeated Republican nominee Preston J. Bristow Jr. in the general election. [ 8] [ 9] She won reelection in the 2006, [ 10] [ 11] 2010, [ 12] [ 13] 2012,and 2014 elections without opposition. [ 14] [ 15] [ 16] [ 17] She defeated Republican nominee Geoffrey Peterson,whose name had appeared on the ballot despite him dropping out and who announced in October that he was not in the race,in the 2008 election. [ 18] [ 19] [ 20]
During her tenure in the state house she served on the Judicial Retention committee. She served as the clerk of the Ways and Means committee,and vice-chair and chair of the Legislative Council. [ 21] [ 22]
Vermont Senate John F. Campbell ,the President pro tempore of the Vermont Senate ,retired during the 2016 election. Clarkson announced her campaign for a seat in the Vermont Senate on April 25,2016,at a rally attended by Rebecca White ,Gabrielle Lucke ,and Ernie Shand . She won the Democratic nomination alongside Alice Nitka and Richard McCormack despite Campbell having endorsed Conor Kennedy in the primary and she placed first out of seven candidates in the general election. [ 23] [ 24] [ 25] [ 26] She placed first out of all candidates in the 2018 and 2020 elections . [ 27] [ 28] [ 29] [ 30]
During her tenure in the state senate she served on the Judicial Rules,Joint Rules,and Rules committees. She served as the clerk of the Government Operations committee,and vice-chair of the Economic Development,Housing and General Affairs. [ 31] [ 32] The Democratic caucus voted unanimously in 2020,to have Clarkson succeed Becca Balint as the Majority Leader after Senator Brian Campion dropped out of contention. [ 33] [ 34]
Political positions In 2007,the state house voted 82 to 63,with Clarkson voting in favor,against legislation to allow doctors to perform assisted suicide on terminally ill patients. [ 35] The state house voted 95 to 52,with Clarkson in favor,in favor of legalizing same-sex marriage in 2009,and she later voted in favor of the successful overturning of Governor Jim Douglas ' veto of the legislation. [ 36] [ 37] The Vermont Conservation Voters gave her a lifetime score of 96%. [ 38] Clarkson and Senator McCormack sponsored legislation in 2017,which created a day in honor of abolitionist John Brown ,following the white supremacist Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville,Virginia . [ 39]
Electoral history Vermont Hose of Representatives Alison H. Clarkson electoral history - VT House
2004 Vermont House of Representatives Windsor 5th district election [ 8] [ 9] Primary election Party Candidate Votes % Democratic Alison H. Clarkson 280 99.64% Write-in 1 0.36% Total votes 281 100.00% General election Democratic Alison H. Clarkson 1,500 63.24% Republican Preston J. Bristow Jr. 871 36.72% Write-in 1 0.04% Total votes 2,372 100.00%
2006 Vermont House of Representatives Windsor 5th district election [ 10] [ 11] Primary election Party Candidate Votes % Democratic Alison H. Clarkson (incumbent) 491 99.80% Write-in 1 0.20% Total votes 492 100.00% General election Democratic Alison H. Clarkson (incumbent) 1,678 89.92% Write-in 188 10.08% Total votes 1,866 100.00%
2008 Vermont House of Representatives Windsor 5th district election [ 19] [ 20] Primary election Party Candidate Votes % Democratic Alison H. Clarkson (incumbent) 189 98.95% Write-in 2 1.05% Total votes 191 100.00% General election Democratic Alison H. Clarkson (incumbent) 1,899 80.95% Republican Geoffrey Peterson 431 18.37% Write-in 16 0.68% Total votes 2,346 100.00%
2010 Vermont House of Representatives Windsor 5th district election [ 12] [ 13] Primary election Party Candidate Votes % Democratic Alison H. Clarkson (incumbent) 682 99.27% Write-in 5 0.73% Total votes 687 100.00% Blank and spoiled 73 General election Democratic Alison H. Clarkson (incumbent) 1,575 97.46% Write-in 41 2.54% Total votes 1,616 100.00% Blank and spoiled 273
2012 Vermont House of Representatives Windsor 5th district election [ 14] [ 15] Primary election Party Candidate Votes % Democratic Alison H. Clarkson (incumbent) 305 100.00% Total votes 305 100.00% Blank and spoiled 42 General election Democratic Alison H. Clarkson (incumbent) 2,247 98.77% Write-in 28 1.23% Total votes 2,275 100.00% Blank and spoiled 342
2014 Vermont House of Representatives Windsor 5th district election [ 16] [ 17] Primary election Party Candidate Votes % Democratic Alison H. Clarkson (incumbent) 107 98.17% Write-in 2 1.83% Total votes 109 100.00% Blank and spoiled 15 General election Democratic Alison H. Clarkson (incumbent) 1,320 100.00% Total votes 1,320 100.00%
Vermont Senate Alison H. Clarkson electoral history - VT Senate
2016 Vermont Senate Windsor district election [ 25] [ 26] Primary election Party Candidate Votes % Democratic Richard McCormack (incumbent) 5,381 28.68% Democratic Alison H. Clarkson 5,145 27.43% Democratic Alice Nitka (incumbent) 4,448 23.71% Democratic Conor Kennedy 3,720 19.83% Write-in 65 0.35% Total votes 18,759 100.00% Blank and spoiled 7,731 General election Democratic Alison H. Clarkson 15,436 20.72% Democratic Alice Nitka (incumbent) 14,430 19.37% Progressive Richard McCormack (incumbent) Democratic Richard McCormack (incumbent) Total Richard McCormack (incumbent) 13,905 18.66% Republican Mark Donka 9,836 13.20% Republican Randy A. Gray 8,148 10.94% Republican Jack Williams 7,460 10.01% Independent Scott D. Woodward 5,198 6.98% Write-in 87 0.12% Total votes 74,500 100.00% Blank and spoiled 21,764
2018 Vermont Senate Windsor district election [ 27] [ 28] Primary election Party Candidate Votes % Democratic Alison H. Clarkson (incumbent) 4,699 33.72% Democratic Richard McCormack (incumbent) 4,621 33.16% Democratic Alice Nitka (incumbent) 4,511 32.37% Write-in 103 0.74% Total votes 13,934 100.00% Blank and spoiled 5,440 General election Democratic Alison H. Clarkson 15,091 23.03% Democratic Alice Nitka (incumbent) 14,276 21.78% Progressive Richard McCormack (incumbent) Democratic Richard McCormack (incumbent) Total Richard McCormack (incumbent) 13,591 20.74% Republican Randy A. Gray 7,183 10.96% Republican Wayne D. Townsend 6,882 10.50% Republican Jack Williams 6,389 9.75% Independent Mason Wade 2,055 3.14% Write-in 65 0.10% Total votes 65,532 100.00% Blank and spoiled 15,537
2020 Vermont Senate Windsor district election [ 29] [ 30] Primary election Party Candidate Votes % Democratic Alison H. Clarkson (incumbent) 8,164 33.69% Democratic Richard McCormack (incumbent) 8,030 33.13% Democratic Alice Nitka (incumbent) 7,883 32.53% Write-in 158 0.65% Total votes 24,235 100.00% Blank and spoiled 8,471 General election Democratic Alison H. Clarkson (incumbent) 19,084 23.33% Democratic Richard McCormack (incumbent) 17,477 21.36% Democratic Alice Nitka (incumbent) Republican Alice Nitka (incumbent) Total Alice Nitka (incumbent) 16,726 20.45% Republican Jack Williams 9,702 11.86% Republican Michael Jasinski Sr. 9,632 11.77% Independent Keith Stern 4,605 5.63% Independent Doug Wilberding 2,855 3.49% Independent Mason Wade 1,471 1.80% Write-in 251 0.31% Total votes 81,803 100.00% Blank and spoiled 28,285
2022 Vermont Senate Windsor district election [ 40] [ 41] Primary election Party Candidate Votes % Democratic Rebecca White 7,545 31.36% Democratic Alison H. Clarkson (incumbent) 7,528 31.29% Democratic Richard McCormack (incumbent) 6,701 27.85% Democratic Christopher Morrow 2,211 9.19% Write-in 74 0.31% Total votes 24,059 100.00% Blank and spoiled 7,480 General election Democratic Alison H. Clarkson (incumbent) 17,042 23.36% Democratic Rebecca White 16,740 22.95% Democratic Richard McCormack (incumbent) 16,539 22.67% Republican Alice Flanders 7,737 10.61% Republican Dana Colson, Jr. 7,586 10.40% Republican Bill T. Huff 7,174 9.83% Write-in 133 0.18% Total votes 72,951 100.00% Blank and spoiled 13,053
2024 Vermont Senate Windsor district election [ 42] [ 43] Primary election Party Candidate Votes % Democratic Rebecca White (incumbent) 4,226 31.58% Democratic Alison H. Clarkson (incumbent) 4,123 30.81% Democratic Joe Major 3,268 24.41% Democratic Justin Tuthill 877 6.55% Democratic Marc Nemeth 816 6.10% Write-in 74 0.55% Total votes 13,384 100.00% Blank and spoiled 2,579 General election Democratic Rebecca White (incumbent) 17,930 20.04% Democratic Alison H. Clarkson (incumbent) 17,864 19.96% Democratic Joe Major 16,792 18.76% Republican Andrea Murray 12,318 13.76% Republican Jack Williams 10,844 12.12% Republican Jonathan Gleason 10,720 11.98% Independent Marc Nemeth 2,903 0.32% Write-in 118 0.13% Total votes 89,489 100.00% Blank and spoiled 18,874
References 1 2 "Alison H. Clarkson" . Vermont Digger . Archived from the original on December 22, 2021. Retrieved December 23, 2021 . ↑ "Clarkson-Goodenough engagement" . The Post-Star . October 4, 1984. p. 6. Archived from the original on December 22, 2021. Retrieved December 23, 2021 – via Newspapers.com . ↑ "Clarkson-Goodenough Wedding" . The Post-Star . January 14, 1985. p. 7. Archived from the original on December 22, 2021 – via Newspapers.com . ↑ "Strings attached" . New York Daily News . February 5, 1982. p. 99. Archived from the original on December 22, 2021 – via Newspapers.com . ↑ "A. R. Gurney" . New York Daily News . February 16, 1983. p. 8. Archived from the original on December 22, 2021 – via Newspapers.com . ↑ "Arts Council honors Malcolm Wright, Louis Moyse" . Brattleboro Reformer . July 10, 2003. p. 23. Archived from the original on December 22, 2021. Retrieved December 23, 2021 – via Newspapers.com . ↑ "Windsor: Challengers file for races" . Rutland Herald . July 20, 2004. p. 9. Archived from the original on December 22, 2021. Retrieved December 23, 2021 – via Newspapers.com . 1 2 "2004 State Representative Democratic Primary" . Secretary of State of Vermont . Archived from the original on December 23, 2021. Retrieved December 23, 2021 . 1 2 "2004 State Representative General Election" . Secretary of State of Vermont . Archived from the original on December 23, 2021. Retrieved December 23, 2021 . 1 2 "2006 State Representative Democratic Primary" . Secretary of State of Vermont . Archived from the original on December 23, 2021. Retrieved December 23, 2021 . 1 2 "2006 State Representative General Election" . Secretary of State of Vermont . Archived from the original on December 23, 2021. Retrieved December 23, 2021 . 1 2 "2010 State Representative Democratic Primary" . Secretary of State of Vermont . Archived from the original on December 23, 2021. 1 2 "2010 State Representative General Election" . Secretary of State of Vermont . Archived from the original on December 23, 2021. Retrieved December 23, 2021 . 1 2 "2012 State Representative Democratic Primary" . Secretary of State of Vermont . Archived from the original on December 23, 2021. Retrieved December 23, 2021 . 1 2 "2012 State Representative General Election" . Secretary of State of Vermont . Archived from the original on December 23, 2021. 1 2 "2014 State Representative Democratic Primary" . Secretary of State of Vermont . Archived from the original on December 23, 2021. Retrieved December 23, 2021 . 1 2 "2014 State Representative General Election" . Secretary of State of Vermont . Archived from the original on December 23, 2021. ↑ "Candidacy 'a mix-up' says Woodstock man" . Rutland Herald . October 21, 2008. p. 9. Archived from the original on December 22, 2021. Retrieved December 23, 2021 – via Newspapers.com . 1 2 "2008 State Representative Democratic Primary" . Secretary of State of Vermont . Archived from the original on December 23, 2021. Retrieved December 23, 2021 . 1 2 "2008 State Representative General Election" . Secretary of State of Vermont . Archived from the original on December 23, 2021. Retrieved December 23, 2021 . ↑ "Representative Alison H. Clarkson 2009-2010 Session" . Vermont General Assembly . Archived from the original on December 22, 2021. Retrieved December 23, 2021 . ↑ "Representative Alison H. Clarkson 2011-2012 Session" . Vermont General Assembly . Archived from the original on December 22, 2021. ↑ "Primary" . The Burlington Free Press . August 11, 2016. p. A8. Archived from the original on December 22, 2021. Retrieved December 23, 2021 – via Newspapers.com . ↑ "Woodstock Rep. Seeks Vermont Senate Seat" . Valley News . April 26, 2016. Archived from the original on December 23, 2021. Retrieved January 21, 2019 . 1 2 "2016 State Senator Democratic Primary" . Secretary of State of Vermont . Archived from the original on December 21, 2021. Retrieved December 23, 2021 . 1 2 "2016 State Senator General Election" . Secretary of State of Vermont . Archived from the original on December 22, 2021. Retrieved December 23, 2021 . 1 2 "2018 State Senator Democratic Primary" . Secretary of State of Vermont . Archived from the original on December 23, 2021. 1 2 "2018 State Senator General Election" . Secretary of State of Vermont . Archived from the original on December 23, 2021. Retrieved December 23, 2021 . 1 2 "2020 State Senator Democratic Primary" . Secretary of State of Vermont . Archived from the original on December 23, 2021. Retrieved December 23, 2021 . 1 2 "2020 State Senator General Election" . Secretary of State of Vermont . Archived from the original on December 23, 2021. ↑ "Senator Alison Clarkson 2017-2018 Session" . Vermont General Assembly . Archived from the original on December 22, 2021. ↑ "Senator Alison Clarkson 2021 Special Session" . Vermont General Assembly . Archived from the original on December 22, 2021. Retrieved December 23, 2021 . ↑ "In Coming Session, Women Will Dominate Vermont Senate Leadership" . Seven Days . November 22, 2020. Archived from the original on December 23, 2021. Retrieved December 23, 2021 . ↑ "Senate Democrats nominate Balint as first woman and openly gay pro tem" . Vermont Digger . November 22, 2020. Archived from the original on December 23, 2021. Retrieved December 23, 2021 . ↑ "How they voted: House roll call" . The Burlington Free Press . March 22, 2007. p. 4. Archived from the original on December 22, 2021 – via Newspapers.com . ↑ "Same-sex marriage roll call" . The Burlington Free Press . April 3, 2009. p. 5. Archived from the original on December 22, 2021. Retrieved December 23, 2021 – via Newspapers.com . ↑ "House vote on veto override" . The Burlington Free Press . April 8, 2009. p. 5. Archived from the original on June 18, 2021. Retrieved December 23, 2021 – via Newspapers.com . ↑ "Alison Clarkson Legislative Scorecard" . Vermont Conservation Voters . Archived from the original on December 23, 2021. Retrieved December 23, 2021 . ↑ "Vermont to Honor Abolitionist Brown" . Valley News . October 18, 2017. Archived from the original on December 23, 2021. ↑ "2022 State Senator Democratic Primary - Windsor District" . Vermont Secretary of State . Retrieved April 11, 2025 . ↑ "2022 State Senator General Election - Windsor District" . Vermont Secretary of State . Retrieved April 11, 2025 . ↑ "Senate Totals - Democratic" . Vermont Secretary of State . Retrieved April 11, 2025 . ↑ "Senate Totals" . Vermont Secretary of State . Retrieved April 11, 2025 .
▌ Steven Heffernan (R, Addison)▌ Ruth Hardy (D, Addison)▌ Seth Bongartz (D, Bennington)▌ Robert Plunkett (D, Bennington)▌ Scott Beck (R, Caledonia)▌ Philip Baruth (D/P, Chit. Central)▌ Martine Gulick (D, Chit. Central)▌ Tanya Vyhovsky (P/D, Chit. Central)▌ Chris Mattos (R, Chit. North)▌ Thomas Chittenden (D, Chit. SE)▌ Ginny Lyons (D, Chit. SE)▌ Kesha Ram Hinsdale (D, Chit. SE)▌ Russ Ingalls (R, Essex)▌ Randy Brock (R, Franklin)▌ Robert Norris (R, Franklin)▌ Patrick Brennan (R, Grand Isle)▌ Richard Westman (R, Lamoille)▌ Larry Hart (R, Orange)▌ Samuel Douglass (R, Orleans)▌ Brian Collamore (R, Rutland)▌ Dave Weeks (R, Rutland)▌ Terry Williams (R, Rutland)▌ Ann Cummings (D, Wash. )▌ Andrew Perchlik (D/P, Wash. )▌ Anne Watson (D/P, Wash. )▌ Wendy Harrison (D, Windham)▌ Nader Hashim (D, Windham)▌ Alison Clarkson (D, Windsor)▌ Joe Major (D, Windsor)▌ Rebecca White (D, Windsor)
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