Welcome to the Monday, September 26, Brew.
By: Samuel Wonacott
Here’s what’s in store for you as you start your day:
- The answer to your questions about the general election
- Five party committees report largest spending numbers of 2022 election cycle in August
- Vermonters to vote on first ballot measures since 2010
The answer to your general election questions
Election Day is only 43 days away! Many readers will have questions about what to expect in elections at all levels of government, from casting ballots to certifying final results. Ballotpedia’s 2022 Election Help Desk is here to help.
The Help Desk contains articles answering frequently asked questions about elections and election administration. Topics include:
General election information: Election rules and processes vary widely from state to state, and sometimes among localities within states. We’ve got information on how elections are run, how voting works, and more. Examples of frequently asked questions include:
Important dates and deadlines: We’ve collected information on the deadlines every voter needs to know, including:
- Early voting dates
- Absentee/mail-in ballot request deadlines
- Absentee/mail-in ballot return deadlines
Absentee-mail-in voting: Can’t make it to the polls on Election Day? Every state has a process for voters to cast their ballots early or absentee. We have the information you need to do both:
- Do absentee/mail-in ballots take longer to count than in-person ballots?
- What happens if someone votes by mail and then tries to vote in person?
Reporting and certifying election results: A lot of work goes on after all the ballots are cast and before a winner is officially declared. We’ve got information that will help you understand what happens when the polls close, including:
Disputing election results: Not every election goes to plan, leading to disputes, challenges, recounts, and even legal action. We have information that can help you understand what it all means:
- Can candidates win an election if they have already conceded?
- Who can call a redo election?
- Who can file election-related lawsuits?
We will add articles to the Help Desk as the election cycle progresses. If you have a question you’d like to see answered, contact our team.
Check out the Help Desk at the link below!
Five party committees report largest spending numbers of 2022 election cycle in August
Here’s the latest on Republican and Democratic Party committee fundraising. These committees exist to help party candidates run their campaigns.
The Republican National Committee, Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, National Republican Senatorial Committee, Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, and National Republican Congressional Committee all reported their highest disbursement numbers of the cycle in August.
Six party committees have raised a combined $1.4 billion so far in the 2022 election cycle. According to the August FEC reports, the committees raised $84 million in August.
Combined, the Republican National Committee, National Republican Senatorial Committee, and National Republican Congressional Committee have raised 1.9% more than the Democratic National Committee, Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, and Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee ($711.1 million to $697.7 million). The Republican committees’ fundraising advantage is up from 1.1% last month.
Let’s break the numbers down by type of committee.
Senatorial campaign committees
In August, the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) raised $12.6 million and spent $20.9 million. The National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) raised $12.6 million and spent $19.8 million.
So far this cycle, the NRSC has outraised the DCCC, $194.1 million to $184.8 million.
At this point in the 2020 election cycle, the NRSC had raised$167.7 million to the DSCC’s $165.2 million.
Congressional campaign committees
The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) raised $15.5 million and spent $23.6 million in August. The National Republican Congressional Committee (NRSC) raised $15.6 million and spent $12.5 million. So far this cycle, the DCCC has raised $268.4 million to the NRCC’s $240.5 million.
At this point in the 2020 cycle, the DCCC had raised $248.8 million and the NRCC had raised $191.0 million.
National committees
In August, the Republican National Committee (RNC) raised $17.2 million and spent $26.6 million, while the Democratic National Committee (DNC) raised $10.9 million and spent $14.5 million. So far in the 2022 election cycle, the RNC has raised $276.4 million to the DNC’s $244.4 million.
At this time in the 2020 election cycle, the RNC had raised $532.7 million to the DNC’s $281.0 million.
You can read more about Republican and Democratic committee fundraising at the link below.
Vermonters to vote on first ballot measures since 2010
Today is the 20th day of our 50 States in 50 Days series, and we’re featuring Vermont, the Green Mountain State.
Week One: Pennsylvania, Indiana, South Dakota, Nebraska, North DakotaWeek Two: California, Georgia, Texas, MontanaWeek Three: North Carolina, Virginia, New Mexico, Illinois, IdahoWeek Four: Kentucky, Michigan, Arkansas, Minnesota, West Virginia
On the ballot in Vermont
One of Vermont’s U.S. Senate seats and its at-large congressional district are up for election this year. Both races are open, as the current incumbents did not seek re-election.
Vermont is also holding elections for the offices of governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general, secretary of state, treasurer, and auditor.
All 30 seats across Vermont’s 13 state Senate districts as well as all 150 state House seats are up for election. Fifty-seven state legislative races are open.
Redistricting highlights
Vermont as a whole continues to make up a single congressional district following the 2020 census.
State legislative elections will take place under new district lines following the census. Our side-by-side map comparison tool allows you to immediately see what redistricting looks like in your state. To use our tool to view Vermont’s state legislative maps in effect before and after the 2020 redistricting cycle, visit our Vermont redistricting page.
Partisan balance
- Vermont has one Democratic Senator (Patrick Leahy, who isn’t seeking re-election), one independent Senator (Bernie Sanders, whose seat isn’t up for election), and one Democratic U.S. Representative (Peter Welch, who isn’t seeking re-election).
- The Vermont Senate has 21 Democrats, seven Republicans, and two members of the Vermont Progressive Party. The state House has 93 Democrats, 46 Republicans, five Vermont Progressives, and five independents.
- The state does not have a trifecta, or single-party control of the legislature and governorship, as Democrats have majorities in both legislative chambers and the governor is a Republican. The state’s Democratic trifecta ended in 2017 when incumbent Gov. Phil Scott (R) took office.
- Democrats hold the offices of attorney general and secretary of state, meaning the state does not have a triplex, or single-party control of the top three state executive offices, since the governor is a Republican.
- Vermont’s lieutenant governor, Molly Gray, is a Democrat. Of the 17 states that elect governors and lieutenant governors separately, Vermont is one of three (alongside Louisiana and North Carolina) whose governor and lieutenant governor have different party affiliations.
Seats contested by only one major party
In 2022, 111 state legislative seats in Vermont, or 62% of all seats up for election, do not have major party competition.
Democrats are running in 83% of all state legislative races. Thirty state legislative seats (17% of all state legislative seats) do not feature a Democratic candidate.
Republicans are running in 54% of all state legislative races. Eighty-three seats (46% of all state legislative seats) do not feature a Republican candidate.
Key races
Two state House districts had races with margins of victory of less than 0.5 percentage points in 2020 and have contested elections this year.
- Vermont House of Representatives Orange-1 District: A two-member district before redistricting, Orange-1 is now a single-member district. Incumbent Samantha Lefebvre (R) faces Carl Demrow (D) in November. In 2020, Rodney Graham (R) and Lefebvre were elected with 26.0% and 21.3%. Kate MacLean (D) placed third with 20.8%. MacLean received 40 fewer votes than Lefebvre. Graham is running in Vermont’s Orange-3 District this year.
- Vermont House of Representatives Rutland-2 District: Incumbents Tom Burditt (R) and Arthur Peterson (R) are running for re-election in this two-member district. Ken Fredette (D) and Dave Potter (D) are running in the election. Burditt and Peterson won with 28.1% and 25.4% in 2020. Then-incumbent Dave Potter (D) had received 24.9%. Potter had 42 fewer votes than Peterson.
Ballot measures
Vermont voters will decide two statewide measures on Nov. 8. The 2022 amendments are the first in 12 years on Vermont ballots.
- The Vermont Right to Personal Reproductive Autonomy Amendment would add language to the Vermont Constitution stating that “an individual’s right to personal reproductive autonomy is central to the liberty and dignity to determine one’s own life course.” The ballot measure would prohibit the constitutional right from being denied or infringed unless there is a compelling state interest, which would need to be achieved using the least restrictive means.
- The Vermont Prohibit Slavery and Indentured Servitude Amendment would add language to the Vermont Constitution that says, “slavery and indentured servitude in any form are prohibited.” The ballot measure would repeal language stating that persons could be held as servants, slaves, or apprentices with the person’s consent or “for the payments of debts, damages, fines, costs, or the like.”
Six ballot measures appeared on statewide ballots between 1985 and 2018. Five ballot measures were approved, and 1 ballot measure was defeated.
Voting
- Polls open between 5 a.m. and 10 a.m. and close at 7 p.m.
- Vermont does not require voters to present identification while voting, in most cases. First-time voters who registered by mail are required to present identification at the polls.
- Early voting is open from Sept. 24 to Nov. 7.
- Vermonters can register to vote online, by mail, or in person. The deadline is Election Day, Nov. 8. Mailed registrations must be received by Nov. 8. For more information about voter ID requirements in Vermont, click here.
- All Vermonters may vote absentee/by mail. Ballots for the general election will be automatically mailed to active registered voters by Oct. 1. The request deadline is Nov. 7.
- The Secretary of State office says that “ballots must be returned to the town clerk’s office before the close of the office on the day before the election, or to the polling place before 7 p.m. on the day of the election, in order to be counted.” Mailed ballots must be received by Nov. 8. Voters must sign a certificate on an envelope included with their absentee/mail ballot in order for their ballot to be valid. To check the status of your ballot, click here.
Want to learn more about the elections you’ll be voting in this year? Click here to use our Sample Ballot Lookup tool!
Learn more about Vermont’s elections at the link below.
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