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Vermont Public’s senior political correspondent Bob Kinzel discusses the unique provisions of early voting for the November general election in Vermont. With one of the most expansive early voting and mail-in ballot laws in the country, ballots are sent to every registered voter 45 days before the election, allowing voters to cast their ballots by mailing them back, dropping them off at the clerk’s office, or in person on Election Day. The state adopted the 45-day early voting and mail-in ballot law to ensure overseas military voters had enough time to cast their ballots and in response to concerns about voting in person during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, a policy that has been well-received and remains in place. Secretary of State Sarah Copeland Hanzas has praised this policy for enhancing the democratic process in Vermont.
Town clerks are now busy managing the increased workload of processing mailed-in ballots, securely storing them for the next six weeks, and updating checklists. Safeguards are in place to prevent voter fraud, including reporting when ballots are sent out and returned, as well as a law for “ballot curing” to correct incomplete ballots. Despite the success of the current system, town clerk Hilary Francis recommends more consistency in election procedures across different elections. Voters are urged to ensure they are certain of their choices before submitting an early or mail-in ballot, as once it is done, it cannot be changed. For the 2024 election, Vermont Public is seeking input from voters to inform their coverage of candidate debates and voter guides.
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