17 V.S.A. § 2602b — VT Code / Title 17 / Chapter 51 / Section 2602b
§ 2602b. Assignment of duties; recount materials
Status: in_force

(a)(1) The county clerk, with the support of the Secretary of State, shall supervise the recount and shall recruit town clerks or their designees to serve as impartial assistants to the county clerk for operating the vote tabulators and shall consult with the Secretary of State to identify any vote tabulators to be used.

(2) The county clerk may appoint a sufficient number of additional impartial assistants to perform tasks that have not been assigned to recount committee members.

(3) On each day of the recount, the town clerk of any town subject to the recount shall be available to the county clerk in person or by telephone to answer any questions the county clerk may have regarding that town's election.

(b)(1) The county clerk shall assign committee members to the following teams:

(A) counting teams comprising at least four persons each, consisting of an equal number of persons representing each candidate, to the extent possible;

(B) one vote tabulator team, comprising two persons, each of whom represents a different candidate; and

(C) one clerk observer team, comprising two persons, one of whom is from the list of the petitioning candidate and one of whom, if possible, is from the list of the winning candidate who received the lowest number of votes.

(2) Any additional team members shall remain unassigned and shall be used as necessary on the day of the recount.

(c) The Secretary of State shall provide to the recount committee:

(1) fresh seals, manila tags, tally sheets, summary sheets for each town, and other material deemed appropriate by the Secretary of State; and

(2) the official return of votes for each town subject to the recount.
17 V.S.A. § 2472 — VT Code / Title 17 / Chapter 51 / Section 2472
§ 2472. Contents
Status: repealed

(a) The ballot shall be titled “OFFICIAL VERMONT GENERAL ELECTION BALLOT,” followed by the date of the election. Immediately below, the following instructions shall be printed: “Instruction to Voters: To vote for a candidate whose name is printed on the ballot, fill in the oval at the right of that person's name and party designation. To vote for a candidate whose name is not printed on the ballot, write the person's name on the blank line in the appropriate block and fill in the oval to the right of that blank line. When there are two or more candidates to be elected to one office, you may vote for any number of candidates up to and including the maximum number.” The name of the town or towns and legislative district in which the ballot is to be used shall be listed in the upper left hand corner.

(b)(1) Each office to be voted upon shall be separately indicated and preceded by the word “For,” as: “For United States Senator.” Beneath the office to be voted upon shall appear the instructions: “Vote for not more than (the number of candidates to be elected).”

(2) The names of the candidates for each office shall be listed in alphabetical order by surname, followed by the candidate's town of residence, and the party or parties by which the candidate has been nominated, or in the case of independent candidates who have not chosen some other name or identification, by the word “Independent.” The word “party” shall not be printed on the ballot following a candidate's party name.

(3) To the right of the party designation shall be an oval in which the voter may indicate his or her choice by filling in the oval.

(4) A candidate's name shall not appear on the ballot more than once for any one office.

(5)(A) In order to have votes listed for a write-in candidate under section 2587 of this title, not later than 5:00 p.m. on the Thursday preceding the election, a write-in candidate for the General Assembly, any State office, or any federal office shall complete a form of the Secretary of State's design affirming that the candidate wants to have received votes listed under subdivision 2587(e)(3) of this title. The candidate shall file the form with either all town clerks within the candidate's applicable district or the Secretary of State's office in an electronic manner approved by the Secretary. The Secretary of State shall notify the appropriate town clerks of any filings made in accordance with this subsection (b) as soon as practicable.

(B) Notwithstanding subdivision (A) of this subdivision (b)(5), a write-in candidate is not required to file if:

(i) the candidate has already filed a consent to the printing of the candidate's name on the ballot for a major political party, as provided in section 2361, 2385, or 2402 of this title; or

(ii) no candidate is printed on the ballot, or if a candidate whose name is printed on the ballot dies or is otherwise disqualified prior to 7:00 p.m. on the election day.

(c) Following the names of candidates for each office, there shall be as many blank write-in lines as there are persons to be elected to that office. To the right of each such line shall be the words “Write-In” and an oval identical to the ovals that follow the candidates' names. Lines provided for writing in names for President and Vice President shall be separately designated by the words “President” and “Vice President.”

(d) [Repealed.]

(e) When an article is to be voted on and the legislative body determines that the article is too long or unwieldy to show in full on the ballot, it shall be sufficient for the ballot to show the article by the number and title for that article as they were listed in the warning for the election. However, the complete article shall be posted in a conspicuous place within each voting booth.
17 V.S.A. § 2369 — VT Code / Title 17 / Chapter 49 / Section 2369
§ 2369. Determining winner; tie votes
Status: in_force

(a) A person who receives a plurality of all the votes cast by a party in a primary shall be a candidate of that party for the office designated on the ballot.

(b)(1) If, after the period for requesting a recount under section 2602 of this title has expired, no candidate has requested a recount and two or more candidates of the same party are tied for the same office, or if the results of any recount result in a tie, the choice among those tied shall be determined upon five days' notice and not later than 10 days following the primary election by the committee of that party, which shall meet to nominate a candidate from among the tied candidates. The committee that nominates a candidate shall be as follows:

(A) the State committee of a party for a State or congressional office;

(B) the senatorial district committee for State Senate;

(C) the county committee for county office; or

(D) the representative district committee for a Representative to the General Assembly.

(2) The committee chair shall certify the candidate nomination for the general election to the Secretary of State within 48 hours of the nomination.
17 V.S.A. § 2146 — VT Code / Title 17 / Chapter 43 / Section 2146
§ 2146. Action of board of civil authority or town clerk in revising checklist
Status: in_force

(a) At a meeting to revise the checklist, the board of civil authority shall determine whether any person who has applied to be registered to vote meets the requirements of section 2121 of this title. On demand of a majority of the board present, applicants may be examined under oath concerning the facts stated in the application. The board may make such investigation as it deems proper to verify any statement made under oath by an applicant.

(b) As soon as possible, after receipt of an application, the board or, upon request of the board, the town clerk shall inform an applicant of its action as provided in subsection (d) of section 2145 of this chapter. If the board rejects an applicant, it shall also notify him or her forthwith, in person or by first-class mail directed to the address given in the application, of its reasons. The notice shall be in substantially the following form:

REJECTION OF APPLICATION FOR ADDITION TO CHECKLIST

The Board of Civil Authority of ......................................... ,

(Town/City)

having met on ................................... , 20 ....... to consider applications for addition to the checklist, has found probable cause, as stated below, to reject the application of .........................................

.................................................. .

(Name)

Cause for rejection:

(a) AGE:

(b) CITIZENSHIP:

(c) VOTER'S OATH:

(d RESIDENCE:

The Board of Civil Authority will meet on the ................................ day of ...................................... , 20 ....... , at ....... o'clock at the following location: ................................................ to reconsider your application and give you an opportunity to appear before the Board. You may present any information or witnesses you wish at that time, or you may appeal directly to any Superior judge in this county or district.

..................................................

Town Clerk or Chair of Board

of Civil Authority

(c) If the notice required under subsection (b) of this section is returned undelivered, the board of civil authority shall proceed to remove the person's name from the checklist in the manner set forth in section 2150 of this title.
17 V.S.A. § 2363 — VT Code / Title 17 / Chapter 49 / Section 2363
§ 2363. Voter's choice of party
Status: repealed

(a) A voter shall vote for the candidates of one party only. A person voting at the primary shall not be required to indicate his or her party choice to any election official.

(b) [Repealed.]
17 V.S.A. § 2754 — VT Code / Title 17 / Chapter 58 / Section 2754
§ 2754. Article IV-Other provisions
Status: in_force

(a) This agreement shall take effect when states cumulatively possessing a majority of the electoral votes have enacted this agreement in substantially the same form and the enactments by such states have taken effect in each state.

(b) Any member state may withdraw from this agreement, except that a withdrawal occurring six months or less before the end of a President's term shall not become effective until a President or Vice President shall have been qualified to serve the next term.

(c) The chief executive of each member state shall promptly notify the chief executive of all other states of when this agreement has been enacted and has taken effect in that official's state, when the state has withdrawn from this agreement, and when this agreement takes effect generally.

(d) This agreement shall terminate if the electoral college is abolished.

(e) If any provision of this agreement is held invalid, the remaining provisions shall not be affected.
17 V.S.A. § 2630 — VT Code / Title 17 / Chapter 55 / Section 2630
§ 2630. Applicability
Status: in_force

Except as otherwise provided, and to the extent that such a construction would be reasonable, the provisions of this title shall apply to this chapter.
17 V.S.A. § 2522 — VT Code / Title 17 / Chapter 51 / Section 2522
§ 2522. Sample ballots
Status: repealed

(a) As soon as ballots are received by the town clerk, but not later than 20 days prior to any primary or general election or 10 days prior to any municipal election, the town clerk shall post sample ballots in at least two public places within the town and in or near the town clerk's office. If a town has more than one polling place and the polling places are not all in the same building, the sample ballot shall be posted in at least two public places within each voting district and in or near the town clerk's office.

(b) The town clerk shall prepare the sample ballots by marking the words SAMPLE BALLOT prominently at the top of official election ballots.

(c) [Repealed.]

(d) Upon the request of any high school or other educational institution in the town, the town clerk shall deliver a sample ballot to the high school or educational institution.
17 V.S.A. § 2564 — VT Code / Title 17 / Chapter 51 / Section 2564
§ 2564. Challenges
Status: in_force

(a)(1)(A) Each organized political party, each candidate on the ballot not representing an organized political party, and each committee supporting or opposing any public question on the ballot shall have the right to have not more than two representatives for each voting district, in a polling place but outside the guardrail, for the purpose of observing the voting process and challenging the right of any person to vote.

(B) In no event shall such representatives be permitted to interfere with the orderly conduct of the election, and the presiding officer shall have authority to impose reasonable rules for the preservation of order.

(C) However, in all cases the representatives shall have the right to hear or see the name of a person seeking to vote, and they shall have the right to make an immediate challenge to a person's right to vote.

(2) The grounds of challenge of a person whose name appears on the checklist shall be only:

(A) that he or she is not, in fact, the person whose name appears on the checklist; or

(B) that he or she has previously voted in the same election.

(b) If a challenge is issued, the members of the board of civil authority present in the polling place shall immediately convene, informally hear the facts, and decide whether the challenge should be sustained.

(1) If the board overrules the challenge, the person shall immediately be admitted within the guardrail and permitted to vote.

(2) If the board sustains the challenge, the person shall not be admitted unless, before the polls close, he or she shall obtain a court order directing that he or she be permitted to vote.
17 V.S.A. § 2965 — VT Code / Title 17 / Chapter 61 / Section 2965
§ 2965. Final reports; end-of-cycle reports
Status: in_force

(a) At any time, but not later than December 15 following the general election, each candidate required to report under the provisions of section 2964 of this subchapter shall file with the Secretary of State a “final report” that lists a complete accounting of all contributions and expenditures since the last report and liquidation of surplus and that shall constitute the termination of his or her campaign activities.

(b)(1) At any time, but not later than December 15 following the general election, each political committee, independent expenditure-only political committee, or political party that has not filed a final report as set forth in subdivision (2) of this subsection shall file an end-of-cycle report that lists a complete accounting of all contributions and expenditures since the last report.

(2) At any time, a political committee, independent expenditure-only political committee, or a political party may file a “final report” that lists a complete accounting of all contributions and expenditures since the last report and liquidation of surplus and that shall constitute the termination of its campaign activities.
17 V.S.A. § 2537a — VT Code / Title 17 / Chapter 51 / Section 2537a
§ 2537a. Mailing of general election ballots
Status: in_force

(a) For every general election, the Secretary of State's office shall mail a general election ballot to all active voters on the statewide voter checklist described in section 2154 of this title.

(1) The mailing of the ballots shall commence not later than 43 days before the election and shall be completed not later than October 1.

(2) A postage-paid return envelope, pre-addressed to the town or city clerk of the town or city where the voter is registered to vote, shall be included with the ballot sent to every voter in which the ballot may be mailed back to the clerk. All postage cost shall be paid by the Secretary of State's office.

(3) The address file to be used for the mailing shall be generated from the statewide voter checklist as close as practicable to the date of the mailing and in no case earlier than September 1.

(4) The Secretary of State's office shall include in the mailing to each voter instructions for return of the voted ballot.

(b) General election ballots mailed by the Secretary of State's office under this section shall be returned by the voter to the town or city clerk in the town or city where that voter is registered in accordance with the procedures for return of ballots described in this subchapter.
17 V.S.A. § 2017 — VT Code / Title 17 / Chapter 35 / Section 2017
§ 2017. Undue influence
Status: in_force

A person who attempts by bribery, threats, or any undue influence to dictate, control, or alter the vote of a voter about to be given at a local, primary, or general election shall be fined not more than $200.00.
17 V.S.A. § 2584 — VT Code / Title 17 / Chapter 51 / Section 2584
§ 2584. Opening of ballot boxes; distribution of ballots
Status: in_force

After the closing of the polls, the presiding officer shall open the ballot boxes and distribute the ballots among the election officials in approximately equal numbers. As nearly as may be, election officials shall work in pairs while counting ballots, each pair consisting of members of different parties. Once ballots are distributed to a pair of election officials, that pair shall retain the same ballots throughout the counting process. If more than one kind of ballot has been used in the election, only one kind at a time shall be distributed.
17 V.S.A. § 2647 — VT Code / Title 17 / Chapter 55 / Section 2647
§ 2647. Incompatible offices
Status: in_force

(a)(1) An auditor shall not be town clerk, town treasurer, selectboard member, first constable, collector of current or delinquent taxes, trustee of public funds, town manager, road commissioner, water commissioner, sewage system commissioner, sewage disposal commissioner, cemetery commissioner, or town school district director; nor shall a spouse of or any person assisting any of these officers in the discharge of official duties be eligible to hold office as auditor.

(2)(A) A selectboard member or school director shall not be first constable, collector of taxes, town treasurer, assistant town treasurer, auditor, or town agent.

(B) A selectboard member shall not be lister or assessor.

(3) A cemetery commissioner or library trustee shall not be town treasurer, assistant town treasurer, or auditor.

(4) A town manager shall not hold any elective office in that town or town school district.

(5) Election officers at local elections shall be disqualified as provided in section 2456 of this title.

(b) Notwithstanding subsection (a) of this section, if a school district prepares and reports its budget independently from the budget of the town and the school district is audited by an independent public accountant, a school director or spouse of a school director shall be eligible to hold office as auditor, town treasurer, or assistant town treasurer.
17 V.S.A. § 2479 — VT Code / Title 17 / Chapter 51 / Section 2479
§ 2479. Manner of distribution
Status: in_force

Not later than 45 days before the election, the Secretary of State shall furnish the prepared ballots to the clerk of each town. Ballots shall be sent in securely fastened packages by mail or in some other safe manner, with marks on the outside clearly designating the polling place for which they are intended and the number of ballots enclosed. The town clerk shall store the ballots, except for ballots used as early or absentee voter or sample ballots, in a secure place until the day of the election, at which time the town clerk shall deliver them in sufficient quantities to the presiding officer in each polling place, together with any ballots prepared by the town clerk.
17 V.S.A. § 2948 — VT Code / Title 17 / Chapter 61 / Section 2948
§ 2948. Prohibition on transferring contributions
Status: in_force

A candidate, political committee, or political party shall not accept a contribution that the candidate, political committee, or political party knows is not directly from the contributor but was transferred to the contributor by another person for the purpose of transferring the same to the candidate, political committee, or political party or otherwise circumventing the provisions of this chapter. It shall be a violation of this chapter for a person to make a contribution with the explicit or implicit understanding that the contribution will be transferred in violation of this section.
17 V.S.A. § 2567 — VT Code / Title 17 / Chapter 51 / Section 2567
§ 2567. Voting systems for voters with disabilities
Status: repealed

(a) [Repealed.]

(b) All polling places shall possess at least one voting system approved by the Secretary of State equipped for individuals with disabilities, including accessibility for people who are blind and people who have a visual impairment, to vote independently and privately.
17 V.S.A. § 2142 — VT Code / Title 17 / Chapter 43 / Section 2142
§ 2142. Revision of checklist
Status: in_force

(a) The town clerk shall call such meetings of the board of civil authority as may be necessary before an election or at other times for revision of the checklist.

(b) Notice of a meeting, along with a copy of the most recent checklist and a separate list of names that have been challenged and may be removed, shall be posted in two or more public places within each voting district and in the town clerk's office.

(c) A quorum of the board of civil authority shall be as provided in subdivision 2103(5) of this title, and written notice shall be provided to each member as established in 24 V.S.A. § 801.
17 V.S.A. § 2602a — VT Code / Title 17 / Chapter 51 / Section 2602a
§ 2602a. Appointment of recount committee
Status: in_force

(a)(1) Upon receipt of a petition, the county clerk shall notify all candidates for the office that is the subject of the recount, advising them to each submit immediately a list of a minimum of 10 nominees for individuals to serve on a recount committee.

(2)(A) If a list of nominees is not delivered to the county clerk within two business days, the clerk shall notify the appropriate candidates that they have 24 hours to submit lists of nominees for individuals to serve on the recount committee.

(B) If the petitioning candidate fails to submit a complete list of nominees by this deadline, the recount shall not move forward.

(C) If any other candidate fails to submit a complete list of nominees, the county clerk shall request additional nominees from the other candidates.

(b)(1) The Superior Court shall make a minimum of 12 appointments to the recount committee from among those nominated under this section, with the number of appointments based on the number of votes to be recounted and a goal of completing the recount within one day.

(2) In making these appointments, the court shall appoint an equal number of persons representing each candidate, to the extent practicable.
17 V.S.A. § 2651d — VT Code / Title 17 / Chapter 55 / Section 2651d
§ 2651d. Collector of delinquent taxes; appointment; removal
Status: in_force

(a)(1) A municipality may vote at an annual or special municipal meeting to authorize the legislative body to appoint a collector of delinquent taxes, who may be the municipal treasurer.

(2) A collector of delinquent taxes so appointed may be removed by the legislative body for just cause after notice and hearing.

(b) When a municipality votes to authorize the legislative body to appoint a collector of delinquent taxes, the legislative body's authority to make such appointment shall remain in effect until the municipality rescinds that authority by the majority vote of the registered voters present and voting at an annual or special meeting, duly warned for that purpose.
17 V.S.A. § 2505 — VT Code / Title 17 / Chapter 51 / Section 2505
§ 2505. Guardrail
Status: in_force

A guardrail shall be so constructed that only persons inside the rail can approach within six feet of the ballot boxes and voting booths. Neither the ballot boxes nor the voting booths shall be hidden from those outside the guardrail.
17 V.S.A. § 1822 — VT Code / Title 17 / Chapter 31 / Section 1822
§ 1822. Filling vacancies
Status: in_force

In case of vacancies caused by death, disability, or resignation, the Governor shall fill the vacancies by appointment.
17 V.S.A. § 2944 — VT Code / Title 17 / Chapter 61 / Section 2944
§ 2944. Accountability for related expenditures
Status: in_force

(a) A related campaign expenditure made on a candidate's behalf shall be considered a contribution to the candidate on whose behalf it was made.

(b) As used in this section, a “related campaign expenditure made on the candidate's behalf” means any expenditure intended to promote the election of a specific candidate or group of candidates or the defeat of an opposing candidate or group of candidates, if intentionally facilitated by, solicited by, or approved by the candidate or the candidate's committee.

(c)(1) An expenditure made by a political party or by a political committee that recruits or endorses candidates that primarily benefits six or fewer candidates who are associated with the political party or political committee making the expenditure is presumed to be a related expenditure made on behalf of those candidates, except that the acquisition, use, or dissemination of the images of those candidates by the political party or political committee shall not be presumed to be a related expenditure made on behalf of those candidates.

(2) An expenditure made by a political party or by a political committee that recruits or endorses candidates that substantially benefits more than six candidates and facilitates party or political committee functions, voter turnout, platform promotion, or organizational capacity shall not be presumed to be a related expenditure made on a candidate's behalf.

(d) As used in this section, an expenditure by a person shall not be considered a “related expenditure made on the candidate's behalf” if:

(1)(A) All of the following apply:

(i) the expenditure was made in connection with a campaign event whose purpose was to provide a group of voters with the opportunity to meet a candidate;

(ii) the expenditure was made for:

(I) invitations and any postage for those invitations to invite voters to the event; or

(II) any food or beverages consumed at the event and any related supplies thereof; and

(iii) the cumulative value of any expenditure by the person made under this subsection does not exceed $500.00 per event.

(B) For the purposes of this subdivision (1):

(i) if the cumulative value of any expenditure by a person made under this subsection exceeds $500.00 per event, the amount equal to the difference between the two shall be considered a “related expenditure made on the candidate's behalf”; and

(ii) any reimbursement to the person by the candidate for the costs of the expenditure shall be subtracted from the cumulative value of the expenditures.

(2) All of the following apply:

(A) the expenditure is for an electioneering communication that promotes or supports all of the candidates who are named or pictured in it and no other candidates, and those candidates named or pictured:

(i) have filed or been nominated as described in subdivision 2901(1)(B) of this chapter for a legislative, county, or local office;

(ii) are on the same ballot for the same election; and

(iii) each make an expenditure for the electioneering communication of an equal amount in order to share the cost of the electioneering communication equally; and

(B) no other person has made an expenditure for the electioneering communication.

(e)(1) A candidate may seek a determination that an expenditure is a related expenditure made on behalf of an opposing candidate by filing a petition with the Superior Court of the county in which either candidate resides.

(2) Within 24 hours of the filing of a petition, the court shall schedule the petition for hearing. Except as to cases the court considers of greater importance, proceedings before the Superior Court, as authorized by this section, and appeals from there take precedence on the docket over all other cases and shall be assigned for hearing and trial or for argument at the earliest practicable date and expedited in every way.

(3) The findings and determination of the court shall be prima facie evidence in any proceedings brought for violation of this chapter.

(f) The Secretary of State may adopt rules necessary to administer the provisions of this section.
17 V.S.A. § 2621 — VT Code / Title 17 / Chapter 53 / Section 2621
§ 2621. Vacancy in office of U.S. Senator or Representative
Status: in_force

(a) If a vacancy occurs in the office of U.S. Senator or U.S. Representative, the Governor shall call a special election to fill the vacancy. His or her proclamation shall specify a day for the special election and a day for a special primary, pursuant to section 2352 of this title.

(b) The special election shall be held not more than six months from the date the vacancy occurs, except that if the vacancy occurs within six months of a general election, the special election may be held the same day as the general election provided the ballots for the special election are able to be distributed by the deadline set forth in section 2479 of this title.
17 V.S.A. § 1819 — VT Code / Title 17 / Chapter 31 / Section 1819
§ 1819. Canvassing board
Status: in_force

The Lieutenant Governor, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and the Secretary of State shall canvass the ballots, declaring elected the 14 candidates who have received the greatest number of votes and the Secretary of State shall publish the results. The Secretary of State, upon the completion of the canvass, shall mail or deliver in person to each delegate so elected a notice thereof and such delegates so elected shall be members of the convention.
17 V.S.A. § 2571 — VT Code / Title 17 / Chapter 51 / Section 2571
§ 2571. Checking voter's name upon leaving
Status: in_force

In towns that have exit checklists, before a voter's ballots are deposited, he or she shall again announce his or her name to the election officials attending the second certified copy of the checklist. A mark shall then be placed next to his or her name upon the checklist, ballots shall be deposited and he or she shall proceed immediately outside the guardrail by the exit and shall not again enter within the guardrail unless he or she is an election official.
17 V.S.A. § 2603 — VT Code / Title 17 / Chapter 51 / Section 2603
§ 2603. Contest of elections
Status: in_force

(a) The result of an election for any office, other than for the General Assembly, or public question may be contested by any legal voter entitled to vote on the office or public question to be contested.

(b) A contest is initiated by filing a complaint with a Superior Court alleging:

(1) that errors were committed in the conduct of the election or in count or return of votes, sufficient to change the ultimate result;

(2) that there was fraud in the electoral process, sufficient to change the ultimate result; or

(3) that for any other reason, the result of the election is not valid.

(c) The complaint shall be filed within 15 days after the election in question, or if there is a recount, within 10 days after the court issues its judgment on the recount. In the case of candidates for State or congressional office, for a presidential election, or for a statewide public question, the complaint shall be filed with the Civil Division of the Superior Court, Washington County. In the case of any other candidate or public question, the complaint shall be filed with the Superior Court in any county in which votes were cast for the office or question being challenged.

(d) The Vermont Rules of Civil Procedure shall apply to contests of elections, except that such cases shall be placed upon a special calendar, and hearings shall be scheduled on a priority basis, as public policy demands that such questions be resolved promptly.

(e) After hearing, the court shall issue findings of fact and a judgment, which shall supersede any certificate of election previously issued. If the court finds just cause, the court shall grant appropriate relief, which may include ordering a recount, or ordering a new election. If during the hearing the court receives credible evidence of criminal conduct, the court shall order a transcript of all or part of the testimony to be forwarded to the proper State's Attorney. If a new election is ordered, the court shall set a date for it, after consulting with the Secretary of State; in ordering a new election, the court shall have authority to issue appropriate orders, either to provide for special cases not covered by law, or to supersede provisions of law that may conflict with the needs of the particular situation.

(f) The court shall send a certified copy of its findings of fact and judgment to the Secretary of State.
17 V.S.A. § 1811 — VT Code / Title 17 / Chapter 31 / Section 1811
§ 1811. Governor to call
Status: in_force

Whenever the Congress of the United States shall submit to the several states an amendment to the Constitution of the United States, and pursuant to Article V of such Constitution shall provide that such amendment be acted upon by conventions in the several states, the Governor, within 60 days after such amendment has been officially transmitted from the United States to this State, shall issue a call for the election of delegates to a convention to act upon such amendment. He or she shall set the date for the election of delegates and the date and hour for the holding of such convention.
17 V.S.A. § 1909 — VT Code / Title 17 / Chapter 34A / Section 1909
§ 1909. Review
Status: in_force

(a) Within 30 days of the effective date of any apportionment bill enacted pursuant to section 1906b, 1906c, or 1907 of this chapter, any five or more voters of the State aggrieved by the plan or act may petition the Supreme Court of Vermont for review of same.

(b) The sole grounds of review to be considered by the Supreme Court shall be that the apportionment plan, or any part of it, is unconstitutional or violates section 1903 of this chapter.

(c) The Supreme Court may consolidate two or more appeals, as the interests of justice may require, with due regard for expediting decision in all appeals.

(d) The Supreme Court may designate one or more Justices, one or more Superior judges, or one or more masters to take testimony and make findings of fact in any appeal or consolidated appeals under this section.

(e) In the event the Supreme Court allows any appeal upon one or both grounds set forth in subsection (b) of this section, it shall forward its opinion and decision to the General Assembly, which shall forthwith revise and correct the apportionment law in light of the Supreme Court's decision, to conform to the requirements of law. The Supreme Court shall retain jurisdiction until the General Assembly has produced a plan conforming to all constitutional and statutory requirements, which plan shall thereupon become law.

(f) The review provided in this section shall be the original and exclusive review of legislative apportionment in the courts of this State.
17 V.S.A. § 2617 — VT Code / Title 17 / Chapter 51 / Section 2617
§ 2617. Jurisdiction of Superior Courts
Status: in_force

In all cases for which no other provision has been made, the Superior Court shall have general jurisdiction to hear and determine matters relating to elections and to fashion appropriate relief.
17 V.S.A. § 2644 — VT Code / Title 17 / Chapter 55 / Section 2644
§ 2644. Warnings
Status: in_force

The original warning for each municipal meeting shall be signed by a majority of the legislative body and shall be filed with the clerk and recorded before being posted. When all positions on the legislative body are vacant, warnings may be signed by the clerk.
17 V.S.A. § 2645 — VT Code / Title 17 / Chapter 55 / Section 2645
§ 2645. Charters; adoption, repeal, or amendment; procedure
Status: repealed

(a) A municipality may propose to the General Assembly to adopt, repeal, or amend its charter by majority vote of the legal voters of the municipality present and voting at any annual or special meeting warned for that purpose in accordance with the following procedure:

(1) A proposal to adopt, repeal, or amend a municipal charter (charter proposal) may be made by the legislative body of the municipality or by petition of five percent of the voters of the municipality.

(2) An official copy of the charter proposal shall be filed as a public record in the office of the clerk of the municipality at least 10 days before the first public hearing. The clerk shall certify the date on which he or she received the official copy, and the dated copies thereof shall be made available to members of the public upon request.

(3)(A) The legislative body of the municipality shall hold at least two public hearings prior to the meeting to vote on the charter proposal.

(B) The first public hearing shall be held in accordance with subdivision (a)(2) of this section and at least 30 days before the vote.

(4)(A) If the charter proposal is made by the legislative body, the legislative body may revise the proposal as a result of suggestions and recommendations made at a public hearing, but in no event shall such revisions be made less than 20 days before the date of the meeting to vote on the charter proposal.

(B) If revisions are made, the legislative body shall post a notice of these revisions in the same places as the warning for the meeting not less than 20 days before the date of the meeting and shall attach such revisions to the official copy kept on file for public inspection in the office of the clerk of the municipality.

(5)(A) If the charter proposal is made by petition, the second public hearing shall be held no later than 10 days after the first public hearing. The legislative body shall not have the authority to revise a charter proposal made by petition.

(B) After the warning and hearing requirements of this section are satisfied, the petitioned charter proposal shall be submitted to the voters at the next annual meeting, primary, or general election in the form in which it was filed, except that the legislative body may make technical corrections.

(6)(A) Notice of each public hearing and of the annual or special meeting shall be given in accordance with section 2641 of this chapter.

(B)(i) Each notice shall specify the charter sections to be adopted, repealed, or amended, setting out those sections in the amended form, with deleted matter struck through and new matter underlined.

(ii) If the legislative body of the municipality determines that the charter proposal is too long or unwieldy to set out in amended form, the notice shall include a concise summary of the charter proposal and shall state that an official copy of the charter proposal is on file for public inspection in the office of the clerk of the municipality and that copies thereof shall be made available to members of the public upon request.

(7)(A) Voting on a charter proposal shall be by Australian ballot.

(B)(i) The ballot shall show each charter section to be adopted, repealed, or amended in the amended form, with deleted matter struck through and new matter underlined, and shall permit the voter to vote on each separate proposal contained within the charter proposal.

(ii) If the legislative body determines that the charter proposal is too long or unwieldy to be shown in the amended form, voters shall be permitted to vote upon each separate proposal in its entirety in the form of a yes or no proposition.

(C) An official copy of the charter proposal shall be posted conspicuously in each ballot booth for inspection by the voters during the balloting.

(b)(1) The clerk of the municipality, under the direction of the legislative body, shall announce and post the results of the vote immediately after the vote is counted.

(2) The clerk, within 10 days after the day of the meeting, shall certify to the Secretary of State each separate proposal contained within the charter proposal, showing the facts as to its origin and the procedure followed, which shall include:

(A)(i) If the charter proposal was made by the legislative body, the minutes recorded by the legislative body that detail the origins and intent of each separate proposal;

(ii) If the charter proposal was made by voter petition, the body of the petition and evidence of the required number of petition signatures;

(B) A copy of the official certified copy of the charter proposal filed with the clerk of the municipality pursuant to subdivision (a)(2) of this section;

(C) Copies of the warnings and published notices for each of the public hearings held pursuant to subdivision (a)(3) of this section;

(D) Minutes recorded by the legislative body that detail each of the public hearings held pursuant to subdivision (a)(3) of this section;

(E) Copies of warnings and published notices for the meeting to vote on the charter proposal; and

(F) A copy of the ballot and the results of the vote or votes on the charter proposal.

(c) After confirming that the clerk of the municipality has certified each of the documents listed in subdivision (b)(2) of this section, the Secretary of State shall file the certificate and deliver copies of it to the Attorney General, the Clerk of the House, the Secretary of the Senate, and the chairs of the committees concerned with municipal charters of both houses of the General Assembly.

(d) The charter proposal shall become effective upon affirmative enactment of the proposal, either as proposed or as amended by the General Assembly.
17 V.S.A. § 2506 — VT Code / Title 17 / Chapter 51 / Section 2506
§ 2506. Ballot boxes; signs for depositing ballots
Status: in_force

All ballot boxes shall be rigid wood or metal containers. Ballot boxes shall be furnished at the expense of the town where they are to be used. When not in use, ballot boxes shall be in the custody of the town clerk. During voting hours there shall be signs, provided by the Secretary of State, placed on or near ballot boxes telling voters to deposit their own ballots in the ballot boxes. This requirement shall not apply to the ballot boxes used during primary elections for the collection of unvoted ballots, in which instance unvoted ballots are inserted by election officials.
17 V.S.A. § 2510 — VT Code / Title 17 / Chapter 51 / Section 2510
§ 2510. Polling places; firearms prohibited
Status: in_force

(a)(1) A person shall not knowingly possess a firearm at a polling place or on the walks leading to a building in which a polling place is located on an election day.

(2) The provisions of subdivision (1) of this subsection shall apply to the town clerk's office during any period when a board of civil authority has voted to permit early voting pursuant to subdivision 2546b(a)(1) of this title.

(b) This section shall not apply to:

(1) a firearm carried for legitimate law enforcement purposes by a federal law enforcement officer or a law enforcement officer certified as a law enforcement officer by the Vermont Criminal Justice Council pursuant to 20 V.S.A. § 2358;

(2) a firearm carried by a person while preforming the person's official duties as an employee of the United States; a department or agency of the United States; a state; or a department, agency, or political subdivision of a state if the person is authorized to carry a firearm as part of the person's official duties; or

(3) a firearm stored in a motor vehicle.

(c) Notice of the provisions of this section shall be posted conspicuously at each public entrance to each polling place.

(d) As used in this section:

(1) “Firearm” has the same meaning as in section 13 V.S.A. § 4017.

(2) “Polling place” means a place that a municipality has designated to the Secretary of State as a polling place pursuant to subsection 2502(f) of this title.
17 V.S.A. § 2321 — VT Code / Title 17 / Chapter 47 / Section 2321
§ 2321. Representative district committee
Status: in_force

The “representative district committee” of a party shall consist of those members of the town committee residing in a representative district. A representative district committee may encompass less than an entire town or may extend across town lines. Such a committee shall elect its own officers when called upon to meet, but it need not meet unless required to perform some function under this title. Any three members may call the first meeting by giving at least five days' written notice to all other members; thereafter, the committee shall meet at the call of the chair.
17 V.S.A. § 2019 — VT Code / Title 17 / Chapter 35 / Section 2019
§ 2019. Destroying lists; hindering voting
Status: in_force

A person who, prior to a local, primary, or general election, willfully defaces or destroys any list of candidates posted in accordance with law or, during that election, willfully defaces, tears down, removes, or destroys any card posted for the instruction of voters or, during that election, willfully removes or destroys any of the supplies or conveniences furnished to enable a voter to prepare his or her ballot or willfully hinders the voting of others shall be fined $200.00.
17 V.S.A. § 2941 — VT Code / Title 17 / Chapter 61 / Section 2941
§ 2941. Limitations of contributions
Status: repealed

(a) In any election cycle:

(1)(A) A candidate for State Representative or for local office shall not accept contributions totaling more than:

(i) $1,000.00 from a single source; or

(ii) $1,000.00 from a political committee.

(B) Such a candidate may accept unlimited contributions from a political party.

(2)(A) A candidate for State Senator or for county office shall not accept contributions totaling more than:

(i) $1,500.00 from a single source; or

(ii) $1,500.00 from a political committee.

(B) Such a candidate may accept unlimited contributions from a political party.

(3)(A) A candidate for the office of Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Secretary of State, State Treasurer, Auditor of Accounts, or Attorney General shall not accept contributions totaling more than:

(i) $4,000.00 from a single source; or

(ii) $4,000.00 from a political committee.

(B) Such a candidate may accept unlimited contributions from a political party.

(4) A political committee shall not accept contributions totaling more than:

(A) $4,000.00 from a single source;

(B) $4,000.00 from a political committee; or

(C) $4,000.00 from a political party.

(5) A political party shall not accept contributions totaling more than:

(A) $10,000.00 from a single source;

(B) $10,000.00 from a political committee; or

(C) $60,000.00 from a political party.

(6) [Repealed.]

(b) A single source, political committee, or political party shall not contribute more to a candidate, political committee, or political party than the candidate, political committee, or political party is permitted to accept under this section.

(c) As used in this section:

(1) For a candidate described in subdivisions (a)(1)-(3) of this section, an “election cycle” means:

(A) in the case of a general or local election, the period that begins 38 days after the previous general or local election for the office and ends 38 days after the general or local election for the office for which that person is a candidate, and includes any primary or run-off election related to that general or local election; or

(B) in the case of a special election, the period that begins on the date the special election for the office was ordered and ends 38 days after that special election, and includes any special primary or run-off election related to that special election.

(2) For a political committee, political party, or single source described in subdivisions (4)-(6) of subsection (a), an “election cycle” means a two-year general election cycle.
17 V.S.A. § 1903 — VT Code / Title 17 / Chapter 34A / Section 1903
§ 1903. Periodic reapportionment; standards
Status: in_force

(a) The House of Representatives and the Senate shall be reapportioned and redistricted on the basis of population during the biennial session after the taking of each decennial census of the United States, or after a census taken for the purpose of such reapportionment under the authority of this State.

(b) The standard for creating districts for the election of Representatives to the General Assembly shall be to form representative districts with minimum percentages of deviation from the apportionment standard for the House of Representatives. The standard for creating districts for the election of Senators on a county basis to the General Assembly shall be to form senatorial districts with minimum percentages of deviation from the apportionment standard for the Senate. The representative and senatorial districts shall be formed consistent with the following policies insofar as practicable:

(1) preservation of existing political subdivision lines;

(2) recognition and maintenance of patterns of geography, social interaction, trade, political ties, and common interests;

(3) use of compact and contiguous territory.
17 V.S.A. § 2566 — VT Code / Title 17 / Chapter 51 / Section 2566
§ 2566. Marking ballots
Status: in_force

Except as provided in subdivision 2548(b)(2) of this title, on receiving his or her ballots, the voter shall forthwith, and without leaving the polling place or going outside the guardrail, proceed to one of the booths not occupied by any other person and vote by filling in the appropriate square or oval opposite the name of the candidate of his or her choice for each office, or by writing in the name of the candidate of his or her choice in the blank space provided and filling in the square or oval to the right of that blank space.
17 V.S.A. § 2585 — VT Code / Title 17 / Chapter 51 / Section 2585
§ 2585. Ballots not to be written upon
Status: in_force

No person shall in any manner, nor for any reason, make any mark upon either the face or reverse side of any ballots, during the counting process. All notations, arithmetic, or other marking shall be done upon separate pieces of scratch paper.
17 V.S.A. § 2640a — VT Code / Title 17 / Chapter 55 / Section 2640a
§ 2640a. Representative annual meetings
Status: in_force

(a) A municipality with a population of 5,000 or greater may vote at a special or annual town meeting to establish a representative form of annual or special meeting.

(b)(1) A representative form of annual or special meeting is a meeting of members elected by district to exercise the powers vested in the voters of the town to act upon articles. However, the election of officers, public questions, and all articles to be voted upon by Australian ballot as required by law or as voted under section 2680 of this title at a prior annual or special meeting, and reconsideration of articles under section 2661 of this title shall remain vested in the voters of the town.

(2) An organizational resolution to adopt a representative form of annual or special meeting may be made by the legislative body of the municipality or by petition of five percent of the voters of the municipality. An official copy of the organizational resolution shall be filed in the office of the clerk of the municipality at least 10 days before the annual or special meeting at which the vote whether to adopt the organizational resolution shall take place, and copies thereof shall be made available to members of the public upon request.

(3) An organizational resolution shall include the following:

(A) a certain number of elected members, a range of elected members, or a ratio of elected members to the number of voters. However, in no case shall the number of elected members be less than 100;

(B) a certain number of districts and the boundaries of those districts;

(C) who shall be ex officio voting members, if any, of the meeting;

(D) the procedure for conducting the representative meeting;

(E) specific action, if any, to be taken at the representative meeting; and

(F) a procedure whereby the voters of the municipality may reconsider any action taken at a representative meeting.

(c) The form of the question of whether to establish a representative form of annual or special meeting shall be substantially as follows: “Shall the [name of municipality] adopt the representative form of annual or special meeting as set forth in the organizational resolution?”

(d) A vote establishing a representative form of annual or special meeting shall remain in effect until the municipality votes to discontinue or establish a new representative form of annual or special meeting at an annual or special meeting duly warned for that purpose.
17 V.S.A. § 2590 — VT Code / Title 17 / Chapter 51 / Section 2590
§ 2590. Securing and storing ballots, tally sheets, and checklists
Status: in_force

(a)(1) The following shall not be placed in a sealed container, but shall be delivered to the town clerk along with the sealed containers:

(A) ballots that were never distributed to voters;

(B) any vote tabulator memory card; and

(C) the original entrance checklist.

(2) The presiding officer shall collect and deliver to the town clerk, securely sealed in the containers described in subsection (c) of this section, the following:

(A) packages of voted ballots;

(B) envelopes containing ballots that have been replaced;

(C) envelopes containing defective ballots;

(D) the exit checklist, if present;

(E) tally sheets; and

(F) other election material.

(3) A copy of the entrance checklist shall be placed in the outside pocket of the sealed container or otherwise stored along with but outside the sealed container for delivery to the court in the event of a recount.

(4) If the material collected from one polling place is sealed in more than one container, the presiding officer shall ensure that there shall be attached to the container in which the exit checklist is located, a tag stating that the checklist is in that container.

(5) The form of the seal shall be designated and furnished by the Secretary of State in sufficient quantities to each town clerk. The Secretary of State shall require that all seals be safely kept and fully accounted for.

(b) The Secretary of State shall furnish to all town clerks sufficient quantities of uniform-style containers. The Secretary shall establish a method by which the outside of each container shall indicate the contents of the container, the town to which it belongs, and such other pertinent information as may be required.

(c)(1) The town clerk shall safely store the sealed containers and shall not permit them to be removed from his or her custody or tampered with in any way.

(2)(A) In the event that a container breaks, splits, or opens through handling, or in the event the original entrance checklist or a vote tabulator memory card was inadvertently sealed in a container, the town clerk shall notify the Secretary of State in writing, and the Secretary shall order the town clerk in the presence of two other town election officials who are not members of the same political party to open the bag to remove the entrance checklist or vote tabulator memory card or to move the entire contents to new containers, affix new seals, and transmit the new seal numbers.

(B) Containers shall not be removed or tampered with in any other way, except under court order, or by order of any authorized committee of the General Assembly.

(C) If necessary for safe storage of the containers, the town clerk may store them in a bank vault or other secure place, within or outside the town, provided that access to them cannot reasonably be had without the town clerk's consent.

(d) Except as otherwise provided by federal law, all ballots and tally sheets shall be retained for a period of 90 days from the date of the election, after which time they may be destroyed; provided, however, that if a court order is entered prior to the expiration of the 90-day period, ordering some different disposition of the ballots, the town clerk shall abide by such order.

(e) After the sealed containers are opened as provided in subsection (d) of this section, the town clerk shall file a copy of the entrance or exit checklist and preserve it, together with a statement of discrepancies, as a public record. The checklist shall be retained for a period of at least five years from the date of the election and shall be made available at cost to the public upon request.
17 V.S.A. § 2905 — VT Code / Title 17 / Chapter 61 / Section 2905
§ 2905. Adjustments for inflation
Status: in_force

(a)(1) Whenever it is required by this chapter, the Secretary of State shall make adjustments to monetary amounts provided in this chapter based on the Consumer Price Index. Increases shall be rounded to the nearest $10.00 and shall apply for the term of two two-year general election cycles. Increases shall be effective for the first two-year general election cycle beginning after the general election held in 2016.

(2) As used in this section, Consumer Price Index shall mean the Northeast Region Consumer Price Index for all urban consumers, designated as “CPI-U,” in the northeast region, as published by the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics.

(b) On or before the first two-year general election cycle beginning after the general election held in 2016, the Secretary of State shall calculate and publish on the online database set forth in section 2906 of this chapter each adjusted monetary amount that will apply to those two two-year general election cycles. On or before the beginning of each second subsequent two-year general election cycle, the Secretary of State shall publish the amount of each adjusted monetary amount that shall apply for that two-year general election cycle and the next two-year general election cycle.
17 V.S.A. § 1846 — VT Code / Title 17 / Chapter 32 / Section 1846
§ 1846. Failure to post checklists
Status: in_force

The failure of the selectboard of any town, or the proper officers of any city, to prepare and post checklists of the voters of the town or city as provided by section 2141 of this title, shall not invalidate the votes given by the voters of the town or city upon the proposed article of amendment.
17 V.S.A. § 2153 — VT Code / Title 17 / Chapter 43 / Section 2153
§ 2153. Birthday registration drive
Status: in_force

The Secretary of State may develop and implement a statewide voter registration program for the purpose of encouraging persons to register to vote on their 18th birthday.
17 V.S.A. § 2303 — VT Code / Title 17 / Chapter 45 / Section 2303
§ 2303. Town chair to give notice
Status: in_force

(a) The town chair or, if unavailable or if the records of the Secretary of State show there is no chair, any three voters of the town shall arrange to hold a caucus on the day designated by the State chair, in some public place within the town and shall set the hour of the caucus.

(b)(1) At least five days before the day of the caucus, the town chair shall post a notice of the date, purpose, time, and place of the caucus in the town clerk's office and in at least one other public place in town.

(2) In towns of 5,000 or more population, he or she shall also publish the notice:

(A) in a newspaper having general circulation in the town; or

(B) in a nonpartisan electronic news media website or online forum that specializes in news of the State or the community.

(c) If three voters arrange to call the caucus, the voters shall designate one person among them to perform the duties prescribed in subsection (b) of this section for the town chair.
17 V.S.A. § 2304 — VT Code / Title 17 / Chapter 45 / Section 2304
§ 2304. Town caucus
Status: in_force

(a)(1) At the time and place set for the town caucus, the voters of the party residing in the town shall meet in caucus and proceed to elect a town committee, consisting of such number of voters of the town as the caucus deems necessary, to serve during the following two years or until their successors are elected or appointed.

(2) Additional members of a town committee may be elected by the town committee at any meeting, and may be eligible to vote on matters before the town committee at that meeting or at the next meeting, as determined by the members of the committee before the election.

(b) The voter checklist used by the caucus shall be the most recent checklist approved by the board of civil authority.
17 V.S.A. § 2550 — VT Code / Title 17 / Chapter 51 / Section 2550
§ 2550. Early or absentee voters deemed "present and voting"
Status: in_force

A voter voting by early voter absentee ballot shall be deemed as “present and voting,” for purposes of any provision in which the phrase “present and voting” is used in the Vermont Statutes Annotated or in the acts of the General Assembly.
17 V.S.A. § 1823 — VT Code / Title 17 / Chapter 31 / Section 1823
§ 1823. Quorum; Secretary
Status: in_force

A majority of the delegates shall constitute a quorum to do business, when convened according to the provisions of this chapter. The Secretary of State shall be ex officio Secretary of the convention and with the Chair of the convention, he or she shall certify the vote of the convention to the Secretary of State of the United States.
17 V.S.A. § 1893 — VT Code / Title 17 / Chapter 34 / Section 1893
§§ 1893, 1893a. Repealed. 2021, No. 89 (Adj. Sess.), § 1(a), eff. April 6, 2022.
Status: repealed

(Repealed by 2021, No. 89 (Adj. Sess.), § 1(a), eff. April 6, 2022.)
17 V.S.A. § 2502 — VT Code / Title 17 / Chapter 51 / Section 2502
§ 2502. Location of polling places; outdoor polling places
Status: in_force

(a) Location. Each polling place shall be located in a public place within the town.

(b) Outdoor polling places. A polling place may be located outdoors if it can be operated in a manner consistent with the provisions of this chapter.

(1) The board of civil authority shall designate the outdoor area that comprises the “polling place” for purposes of restrictions and requirements for polling places imposed pursuant to this chapter, including the restrictions on campaigning and other activities within the building containing the polling place described in subdivisions 2508(a)(1)(A) and (B) of this subchapter.

(2) An indoor polling place alternative shall be available at or near the same physical location as the outdoor polling place in case of inclement weather. If conditions require use of the indoor alternative, the Secretary of State's office shall be notified immediately of the change.

(3) Candidates and members of the public who would otherwise be allowed to campaign outside an indoor polling place shall be kept a reasonable distance from the outdoor polling place such that any campaigning does not disrupt or interfere in any way with the voting process.

(c) Drive-up voting. Voting may be conducted by a drive-through or drive-up voting method at a polling place if the voting process can be operated in a manner consistent with the provisions of this chapter.

(1) Drive-up voting procedures shall enable voters to complete the voting process without leaving their vehicles, allowing the voters to deposit their ballots directly into a tabulator or secure ballot box that may be brought to the window of the vehicle or located in such a manner that it can be accessed from the vehicle or providing voters an envelope or folder in which to place their voted ballots before handing it to an election official for processing.

(2) Polling places conducting drive-up voting shall also accommodate walk-in voters and those using other forms of transport.

(d) Ballot transfer. If a polling place is outside or if voting is conducted by a drive-up method, ballots may be periodically transferred from a secure outdoor or drive-up ballot box to another secure container for counting after the close of the polls or to election officials who are processing ballots through the tabulator. Any such transfer shall be done in the presence of two election officials, if possible officials of different parties.

(e) Access. The accessible voting system shall be available for those who request it. Additionally, the board of civil authority shall take such measures as are necessary to ensure that voters who are elders or have a disability may conveniently and secretly cast their votes. Measures that may be taken shall include: location of polling places on the ground floor of a building; providing ramps, elevators, or other facilities for access to the polling place; providing a stencil overlay for ballots; providing a separate polling place with direct communication to the main polling place; and permitting election officials to carry a ballot to an elder or to a person who has a disability in order to permit that person to mark the ballot while in a motor vehicle adjacent to the polling place. For purposes of this subsection, the board of civil authority shall have full jurisdiction on the day of an election over the premises at which a polling place is located.

(f) Polling place designation.

(1) Thirty days prior to a local, primary, or general election, the town clerk shall submit to the Secretary of State a list of polling places within the municipality that will be used in that election. The list shall include the name of the polling location, its physical address, and the time the polling place will open.

(2)(A) A municipality may change the location of a polling place less than 30 days prior to an election only in cases of emergency. If a municipality changes the location of a polling place less than 30 days prior to the election, the town clerk shall notify the Secretary of State within 24 hours of the change and provide the new polling place information.

(B) The Secretary of State shall assist any municipality that needs to change the location of a polling place on the day of an election due to an emergency, including assisting in finding a new location and informing the public of that new location.

(C) The Secretary of State shall inform the State chairs of Vermont's major political parties of any changes made to polling places that he or she is aware of made less than 30 days prior to an election.

(3) The Secretary of State shall provide on his or her official website a list of polling places that will be used in any local, primary, or general election within the State and shall specifically provide notice on that website of any change in the location of a municipality's polling place.
17 V.S.A. § 1971 — VT Code / Title 17 / Chapter 35 / Section 1971
§ 1971. Casting more than one ballot
Status: in_force

A legal voter who knowingly votes more than once in any election held in this State, or who votes in both this State and another state or territory in the same or equivalent election, for the same office shall be fined not more than $1,000.00 if the offense is committed at a primary or general election, and not more than $100.00 if committed at a local election.
17 V.S.A. § 2014 — VT Code / Title 17 / Chapter 35 / Section 2014
§ 2014. Unqualified person voting
Status: in_force

A person, knowing that he or she is not a qualified voter, who votes at a local, primary, or general election for an officer to be elected at that election shall be fined not more than $200.00.
17 V.S.A. § 2537 — VT Code / Title 17 / Chapter 51 / Section 2537
§ 2537. Early or absentee voting in the town clerk's office
Status: in_force

(a)(1) A voter may, if he or she chooses, apply in person to the town clerk for the early voter absentee ballots and envelopes.

(2) In this case, the clerk shall furnish the early voter absentee ballots and envelopes when a valid application has been made or at such time as the clerk receives the ballots, whichever comes first.

(3) The voter may:

(A) mark his or her ballots, place them in the envelope, sign the certificate, and return the ballots in the envelope containing the certificate to the town clerk or an assistant town clerk without leaving the office of the town clerk;

(B) take the ballots and return them to the town clerk in the same manner as if the ballots had been received by mail; or

(C) if the board of civil authority has voted to allow it pursuant to section 2546b of this subchapter, mark the ballots and deposit them directly into the vote tabulator or ballot box in accordance with section 2546b of this subchapter.

(b) Except for justices of the peace as provided in section 2538 of this subchapter, a person shall not take any ballot from the town clerk on behalf of any other person.
17 V.S.A. § 2535 — VT Code / Title 17 / Chapter 51 / Section 2535
§ 2535. Form of early voter absentee ballots and envelopes; federal or military requirements
Status: in_force

(a) Early voter absentee ballots shall be the same as the official ballots to be used at the election.

(b) If necessary, special ballots may be prepared to conform with minimum federal or military regulations and orders covering the transportation of such ballots, provided that the text is identical in substance, except as to type size, with that appearing on the official ballots.

(c) Envelopes, including return envelopes, containing early voter absentee ballots may, as circumstances require, be particularly imprinted, stamped, or superscribed with approved identification words or symbols designating the same as “Vermont Official Early or Absentee Voter Ballot” and with such additional words or devices as are necessary to comply with any censorship regulations or rules that may be in effect at the time of mailing.
17 V.S.A. § 2602d — VT Code / Title 17 / Chapter 51 / Section 2602d
§ 2602d. Review of official return of votes; examination of checklist
Status: in_force

(a)(1) The county clerk shall review the official return of votes for each town, record on the summary sheet for each town the number of ballots counted and the number of voters checked off the checklist on the town's return, and if those two numbers are the same, the checklist for that town shall not be examined.

(2) If those two numbers for a town are not the same, the checklist may be examined in accordance with the following provisions of this section, if requested by one of the candidates subject to the recount.

(b) The checklist from the first container shall be assigned to a team. Two persons who represent different candidates, each acting independently, shall examine the checklist and determine how many voters voted at the polling place, repeating the process until they agree on a number or until they agree to disagree on a number.

(c) Then the checklist shall be examined by the remaining members of the team, repeating the process until they agree on a number or they agree to disagree on the number.

(d) The results obtained from the two subgroups will be compared and if they do not match, the process shall be repeated until there is agreement among all the members of the team or until team members agree to disagree.

(e) The number finally determined by a majority of team members shall be submitted to the county clerk in the presence of the clerk observer team, together with an indication of the nature and extent of any disagreement.

(f) The county clerk shall note on the summary sheet for the town the number finally determined, together with a note indicating that the number of people appearing as having voted on the checklist was subject to dispute, if one or more team members did not agree with the number submitted.
17 V.S.A. § 2359 — VT Code / Title 17 / Chapter 49 / Section 2359
§ 2359. Notification to Secretary of State
Status: in_force

Within three days after the last day for filing petitions, all town and county clerks who have received petitions shall notify the Secretary of State of the names of all candidates, the offices for which they have filed, and whether each has submitted a sufficient number of valid signatures to comply with the requirements of section 2355 of this title. Town and county clerks shall also notify the Secretary of State of any petitions found not to conform to the requirements of this chapter and returned to a candidate under section 2358 of this title, and shall notify the Secretary of State of the status of such petition not later than two days after the last day for filing supplementary petitions.
17 V.S.A. § 2546 — VT Code / Title 17 / Chapter 51 / Section 2546
§ 2546. Receipt of ballots by clerk; voter status; opportunity to cure; processing absentee ballots
Status: in_force

(a) Town clerk; process generally. Beginning 45 days before the opening of the polls on election day, upon receipt of a mailing envelope containing ballots returned by a voter, the town clerk shall, within three business days or on the next day the office is open for business, whichever is later, direct two election officials working together to do all of the following:

(1) open the mailing envelope and sort early voter absentee ballots by ward and district, if necessary; and

(2) determine that the certificate has been signed, the voted ballot was placed in the certificate envelope, and the ballot is not defective for any other reason pursuant to section 2547 of this subchapter.

(A) If the ballot is not deemed defective, the clerk shall check the name of the early voter off the entrance checklist and record the ballot as received and accepted in the online election management system, and:

(i) place the certificate envelopes into a secure container marked “checked in early voter absentee ballots” to be transported to the polling places on election day; or

(ii) open the certificate envelope and place the voted ballot in the ballot box or tabulator in accordance with the procedures contained in section 2546a of this subchapter.

(B) If the ballot is deemed defective, the clerk shall:

(i) Check the name of the early voter off the entrance checklist and record the ballot as received and defective in the online election management system.

(ii) Place the ballot in the defective ballot envelope in accordance with the procedures of subdivisions 2547(b)(1)-(3) of this subchapter.

(iii) Not later than the next business day transmit a notice, with information required by the Secretary of State's office, to the voter informing the voter that the voter's ballot was deemed defective and rejected, the reason it was deemed defective, and the voter's opportunity to correct the error pursuant to subsection 2547(d) of this subchapter. If the ballot was deemed defective because the voter failed to sign the return certificate, to place the voted ballot in the certificate envelope, or did not return their unvoted primary ballots in the unvoted ballot envelope, the clerk shall include a returnable affidavit, designed and provided by the Secretary of State's office, with the notice so the voter may cure the deficiency in accordance with subdivision 2547(d)(1)(C) of this subchapter.

(b) Notice to voters. Beginning five business days preceding the election, the clerk is not required to mail a notice to those voters whose ballots have been deemed defective. In these cases, the clerk shall make a reasonable effort to provide notice to the voter as soon as possible using any contact information for the voter, other than the mailing address, that is contained in the voter checklist and shall record the ballot as defective in the online election management system not later than 24 hours after the ballot is deemed defective.

(c) Processing absentee ballots on election day. If the certificate envelopes have not been opened and the voted ballots placed in the ballot box or tabulator, the town clerk or presiding officer shall deliver the unopened early voter absentee ballots to the election officials at the place where the entrance checklist is located. During the polling hours on election day, at the direction of the presiding officer, at least two election officials shall open the container marked “checked in early voter absentee ballots,” one election official shall open the certificate envelopes, turn the certificate side face down, and hand the envelope face down to a second election official, if possible from a different political party, who shall remove the ballots from the envelopes and deposit them in the ballot box or vote tabulator. If the early voter is a first-time voter who registered by mail or online, and if the proper identification has not been submitted before the closing of the polls, the ballot shall be treated as a provisional ballot, as provided in subchapter 6A of this chapter.

(d) Comingling ballots. All early voter absentee ballots shall be commingled with the ballots of voters who have voted in person.
17 V.S.A. § 2950 — VT Code / Title 17 / Chapter 61 / Section 2950
§ 2950. State officers and State office candidates; contractor contribution restrictions
Status: in_force

(a) Contributor restrictions on contracting.

(1) If a person makes a contribution to a State officer or a candidate for a State office, or if his, her, or its principal or spouse makes such a contribution, that person shall not negotiate or enter into a sole source contract valued at $50,000.00 or more or multiple sole source contracts valued in the aggregate at $100,000.00 or more with that State office or with the State on behalf of that office within one year following:

(A) that contribution, if the contribution was made to the incumbent State officer; or

(B) the beginning of the term of the office, if the contribution was made to a candidate for the State office who is not the incumbent.

(2) The prohibition set forth in subdivision (1) of this subsection shall end after the applicable one-year period described in subdivision (1) or upon the State officer vacating the office, whichever occurs first.

(b) Contractor restrictions on contributions.

(1)(A) A person who enters into a sole source contract valued at $50,000.00 or more or multiple sole source contracts valued in the aggregate at $100,000.00 or more with the office of a State officer or with the State on behalf of that office, or that person's principal or spouse, shall not make a contribution to a candidate for that State office or to that State officer.

(B) The candidate for State office or his or her candidate's committee or the State officer shall not solicit or accept a contribution from a person if that candidate, candidate's committee, or State officer knows the person is prohibited from making that contribution under this subdivision (1).

(2) The prohibitions set forth in subdivision (1) of this subsection shall be limited to a period beginning from the date of execution of the contract and ending with the completion of the contract.

(c) As used in this section:

(1) “Contract” means a “contract for services,” as that term is defined in 3 V.S.A. § 341.

(2) “Person's principal” means an individual who:

(A) has a controlling interest in the person, if the person is a business entity;

(B) is the president, chair of the board, or chief executive officer of a business entity or is any other individual that fulfills equivalent duties as a president, chair of the board, or chief executive officer of a business entity;

(C) is an employee of the person and has direct, extensive, and substantive responsibilities with respect to the negotiation of the contract; or

(D) is an employee of a business entity whose compensation is determined directly, in whole or in part, by the award or payment of contracts by the State to the entity employing the employee. A regular salary that is paid irrespective of the award or payment of a contract with the State shall not constitute “compensation” under this subdivision (D).
17 V.S.A. § 2682 — VT Code / Title 17 / Chapter 55 / Section 2682
§ 2682. Process of voting; appointments
Status: repealed

(a) Election expenses shall be assumed by the municipality.

(b) Returns shall be filed with the town clerk.

(c) In a municipal election controlled by this subchapter, the person receiving the greatest number of votes for an office shall be declared elected to that office and a certificate of election need not be issued.

(d) In the event no person files a petition for an office that is to be filled at the annual or special meeting of a municipality, and if no person is otherwise elected to fill the office, a majority of the legislative body of the municipality may appoint a voter of the municipality to fill the office until the next annual meeting.

(e) [Repealed.]

(f) When the same number of persons are nominated for any town office as there are positions to be filled, the presiding officer may declare the whole slate of candidates elected without making individual tallies, provided each person on the slate has more votes than the largest number of write-in votes for any one write-in candidate.
17 V.S.A. § 2922 — VT Code / Title 17 / Chapter 61 / Section 2922
§ 2922. Registration; political committees; independent expenditure-only political committees
Status: in_force

(a)(1) Each political committee or independent expenditure-only political committee shall register with the Secretary of State within 10 days after making expenditures of $500.00 or more or accepting contributions of $500.00 or more, stating its full name and address. Committees that are not self-funded individuals shall also state the name and address of the bank in which it maintains its campaign checking account; and the name and address of the treasurer responsible for maintaining the checking account.

(2)(A) In addition to the requirements of subdivision (1) of this subsection, a legislative leadership political committee shall designate in its registration that it is established as a legislative leadership political committee.

(B) The Secretary of State shall provide on his or her website a list of all legislative leadership political committees that have been designated as provided in this subdivision (2).

(b) All expenditures by a political committee or an independent expenditure-only political committee shall be paid by either a credit card or a debit card, check, or other electronic transfer from the single campaign checking account in the bank designated by the committee under subsection (a) of this section, or, if under $250.00, the committee may make the expenditure from cash from that campaign checking account if accompanied by a receipt, a copy of which shall be maintained by the committee for at least two years from the end of the two-year general election cycle in which the expenditure was made. A self-funded individual need not utilize a campaign checking account, but shall otherwise comply with this section. Nothing in this subsection shall be construed to prohibit the payment of fees required to be made from a separately held online account designated solely to collect campaign contributions made to the committee.

(c) A political committee or an independent expenditure-only political committee whose principal place of business or whose treasurer is not located in this State shall file a statement with the Secretary of State designating a person who resides in this State upon whom may be served any process, notice, or demand required or permitted by law to be served upon the committee. This statement shall be filed at the same time as the registration required in subsection (a) of this section.
17 V.S.A. § 2984 — VT Code / Title 17 / Chapter 61 / Section 2984
§ 2984. Qualifying contributions
Status: in_force

(a) In order to qualify for Vermont campaign finance grants, a candidate for the office of Governor or Lieutenant Governor shall obtain during the Vermont campaign finance qualification period the following amount and number of qualifying contributions for the office being sought:

(1) for Governor, a total amount of no less than $35,000.00 collected from no fewer than 1,500 qualified individual contributors making a contribution of no more than $50.00 each; or

(2) for Lieutenant Governor, a total amount of no less than $17,500.00 collected from no fewer than 750 qualified individual contributors making a contribution of no more than $50.00 each.

(b) A candidate shall not accept more than one qualifying contribution from the same contributor and a contributor shall not make more than one qualifying contribution to the same candidate in any Vermont campaign finance qualification period. For the purpose of this section, a qualified individual contributor means an individual who is registered to vote in Vermont. No more than 25 percent of the total number of qualified individual contributors may be residents of the same county.

(c) Each qualifying contribution shall indicate the name and town of residence of the contributor and the date accepted and be acknowledged by the signature of the contributor.

(d) A candidate may retain and expend qualifying contributions obtained under this section. A candidate may expend the qualifying contributions for the purpose of obtaining additional qualifying contributions and may expend the remaining qualifying contributions during the primary and general election periods. Amounts expended under this subsection shall be considered expenditures for purposes of this chapter.
17 V.S.A. § 1844 — VT Code / Title 17 / Chapter 32 / Section 1844
§ 1844. Publication in newspapers and on State websites; ballots
Status: in_force

(a)(1) The Secretary of State shall, between September 25 and October 1 in any year in which a vote on ratification of an article of amendment is taken, prepare copies of the proposal of amendment and forward them, with a summary of proposed changes, for publication in at least two newspapers having general circulation in the State, as determined by the Secretary of State.

(2) The proposal shall be so published once each week for three successive weeks in each of the papers at the expense of the State and on the websites of the General Assembly and the Office of the Secretary of State.

(b) The Secretary of State shall cause ballots to be prepared for a vote by the voters of the State upon the proposal of amendment.
17 V.S.A. § 2307 — VT Code / Title 17 / Chapter 45 / Section 2307
§ 2307. Certification of officers and county committee delegates
Status: in_force

(a) Within 72 hours after the caucus, the chair and secretary of the town committee shall submit to the chairs of the State and county committees a copy of the notice calling the meeting and a certified list of the names, mailing addresses, phone numbers, and emails of the officers and members of the town committee and of the delegates to the county committee.

(b) A committee is not considered organized until a certificate of organization is filed by the State committee with the Secretary of State pursuant to section 2313 of this chapter.

(c) The Secretary of State shall furnish forms for this purpose to the chair of the State committee of a political party.
17 V.S.A. § 2015 — VT Code / Title 17 / Chapter 35 / Section 2015
§ 2015. Fraudulent voting
Status: in_force

A person who personates another, living or dead, and gives or offers to give a vote in the name of that other person or gives or offers to give a vote under a fictitious name at a local, primary, or general election for an officer to be elected at that election shall be imprisoned not more than one year or fined not more than $200.00, or both.
17 V.S.A. § 2549 — VT Code / Title 17 / Chapter 51 / Section 2549
§ 2549. Use of federal war ballot
Status: in_force

In addition to and supplementing the provisions of this title, the provisions of any federal statute for a federal war ballot and for procedures affecting and facilitating voting by members of the military service of the United States are hereby authorized for use in this State.
17 V.S.A. § 1906b — VT Code / Title 17 / Chapter 34A / Section 1906b
§ 1906b. Division of two-member representative districts
Status: in_force

(a) An initial district entitled to two Representatives under section 1893 of this title may be divided into single-member representative districts as provided in this section.

(b) As soon as practical after enactment of a final plan for initial districts under section 1906 of this title, the boards of civil authority of the town or towns that constitute 25 percent or more of the population of the initial district may call a meeting of the boards of civil authority of the town or towns of the initial district for the purpose of preparing a proposal for division of the district. Each board shall have one vote, provided that the proposal shall not provide for a representative district line to be drawn through a town if the board of civil authority of that town objects.

(c) In making a proposal under this section, the boards of civil authority shall consider:

(1) preservation of existing political subdivision lines;

(2) recognition and maintenance of patterns of geography, social interaction, trade, political ties, and common interests;

(3) use of compact and contiguous territory;

(4) incumbencies.

(d) In no initial district divided under this section shall the percentage of deviation result in a representative district that extends the limits of the overall range of the percentage of deviation in the initial district plan for reapportionment enacted by the General Assembly under section 1906 of this title.

(e) On or before April 1 of the year of the general election next after enactment of the final plan under section 1906 of this title, the boards of civil authority of the town or towns within each initial district proposing division under this section shall present a proposal for division to the Clerk of the House, and the proposal shall be referred to the appropriate committee. If the boards of civil authority desire to divide the initial district but are unable to obtain a majority vote on a proposed division, they may notify the Clerk of the House on or before April 1 of their failure to agree on a proposal and request that the General Assembly divide the initial district, and the General Assembly may divide the initial district into single-member representative districts.

(f) Representative districts proposed under this section shall become effective when approved by the General Assembly before adjournment sine die. The General Assembly shall approve representative districts proposed by the boards of civil authority if they are consistent with the standards set forth in this section.
17 V.S.A. § 2563 — VT Code / Title 17 / Chapter 51 / Section 2563
§ 2563. Admitting voter
Status: in_force

Before a person may be admitted to vote, he or she shall announce his or her name and, if requested, his or her place of residence in a clear and audible tone of voice, or present his or her name in writing, or otherwise identify himself or herself by appropriate documentation. The election officials attending the entrance of the polling place shall then verify that the person's name appears on the checklist for the polling place.

(1) If the name does appear, and if no one immediately challenges the person's right to vote on grounds of identity or having previously voted in the same election, the election officials shall repeat the name of the person and:

(A)(i) If the checklist indicates that the person is a first-time voter in the municipality who registered by mail or online, whose driver's license, nondriver identification number, or last four digits of his or her Social Security number provided by the applicant have not been verified by the Secretary of State, and who has not provided required identification before the opening of the polls, require the person to present any one of the following: a valid photo identification; a copy of a current utility bill; a copy of a current bank statement; or a copy of a government check, paycheck, or any other government document that shows the current name and address of the voter.

(ii) If the person is unable to produce the required information, the person shall be afforded the opportunity to complete a new application for addition to the checklist in accordance with section 2144 of this title.

(iii) The election officials shall note upon the checklist a first-time voter in the municipality who has registered by mail and who produces the required information, and place a mark next to the voter's name on the checklist and allow the voter to proceed to the voting booth for the purpose of voting.

(B) If the voter is not a first-time voter in the municipality, no identification shall be required. The clerk shall place a check next to the voter's name on the checklist and allow the voter to proceed to the voting booth for the purpose of voting.

(2) If the name does not appear, the person shall be afforded the opportunity to complete an application for addition to the checklist in accordance with section 2144 of this title.
17 V.S.A. § 2602j — VT Code / Title 17 / Chapter 51 / Section 2602j
§ 2602j. Court hearing and judgment
Status: repealed

(a), (b) [Repealed.]

(c) Candidates and their attorneys shall be given the opportunity to present evidence to the court relating to the conduct of the recount, how to count questionable votes, and the marking of any ballot as defective in accordance with section 2547 or subsection 2587(d) of this title.

(d) On the day of the hearing, the town clerk of any town subject to the recount shall be available in person or by telephone to answer any questions regarding the town's election.

(e) If the court determines that any violations of recount procedures have occurred and that they may have affected the outcome of the recount, a new recount shall be ordered.

(f) After such hearings or arguments as may be indicated under the circumstances and after it has made a final decision on any questionable votes or defective ballots, the Superior Court, within five working days, shall:

(1) issue a judgment, which shall supersede any certificate of election previously issued;

(2) send a certified copy of the judgment to the Secretary of State; and

(3) return to the county clerk any ballots containing questionable votes and defective ballots that had been forwarded to the court.
17 V.S.A. § 2581 — VT Code / Title 17 / Chapter 51 / Section 2581
§ 2581. Closing polls
Status: in_force

When the hours set for voting, including extended hours of voting, have expired, the presiding officer at each polling place shall publicly announce that the polls are closed. He or she shall then ensure that all persons who are not election officials are prevented from entering within the guardrail until all votes have been counted and ballots secured as provided in this subchapter. Persons who are not election officials may remain within the polling place but outside the guardrail, or within a designated area in any other room where ballots are being counted, provided that they are able to observe the counting process, but that they do not in any way interfere with the orderly count and return of votes.
17 V.S.A. § 2557 — VT Code / Title 17 / Chapter 51 / Section 2557
§ 2557. Town clerk approval of provisional voter attestation
Status: in_force

(a) The town clerk may make such investigation as he or she deems proper to verify any fact stated in the application. In making the determination whether to accept the provisional voter's attestation, the town clerk shall determine whether the applicant meets all of the registration eligibility requirements. However, the town clerk may not require a provisional voter to complete any form other than that approved under section 2555 of this title; nor may the board of civil authority require all provisional voters or any particular class or group of provisional voters to appear personally before a meeting of the board or routinely or as a matter of policy require provisional voters to submit additional information to verify or otherwise support the information contained in the attestation.

(b) Within two days after the close of the polls, the town clerk shall inform each provisional voter of his or her action on a provisional voter's attestation. If the clerk rejects a provisional voter, the clerk shall also notify the provisional voter immediately of his or her reasons by first-class mail directed to the address given in the application.

(c) When the town clerk approves a provisional voter's attestation, the town clerk shall note his or her approval in the space provided on the envelope, photocopy the affidavit from all provisional envelopes, place all provisional envelopes with the official return of vote, and send all information to the Secretary of State in a manner prescribed by the Secretary.

(d) Upon receipt of the official return of vote that contains provisional envelopes from any town clerk, the Secretary shall open all envelopes that were approved by the municipal clerk, deposit the ballot in a ballot box, and count all approved ballots, adding the totals to the statewide count for federal offices.
17 V.S.A. § 2561 — VT Code / Title 17 / Chapter 51 / Section 2561
§ 2561. Hours of voting; extended hours
Status: in_force

(a) At all elections using the Australian ballot system, the polls may open no earlier than 5:00 a.m. and shall open no later than 10:00 a.m. as set by the board of civil authority in each town. The polls in all polling places shall close at 7:00 p.m.

(b) If at the hour of closing there are any qualified voters at the polling place desiring to vote, who have been unable to do so since appearing there, the polls shall be kept open long enough after the hour of closing to allow those present a reasonable opportunity to vote. A person not present at the hour of closing shall not be entitled to vote, although the polls may not actually be closed when he or she arrives.
17 V.S.A. § 2547 — VT Code / Title 17 / Chapter 51 / Section 2547
§ 2547. Defective ballots
Status: in_force

(a) If upon examination by the election officials it shall appear that any of the following defects is present, either the ballot or the unopened certificate envelope shall be marked “defective” and the ballot shall not be counted:

(1) the identity of the early or absentee voter cannot be determined;

(2) the early or absentee voter is not legally qualified to vote;

(3) the early or absentee voter has voted in person or previously returned a ballot in the same election;

(4) the certificate is not signed;

(5) the voted ballot is not in the certificate envelope; or

(6) in the case of a primary vote, the early or absentee voter has failed to return the unvoted primary ballots.

(b) Each defective ballot or unopened certificate envelope shall be:

(1) affixed with a note from the presiding officer indicating the reason it was determined to be defective; and

(2) placed with other such defective ballots in an envelope marked “Defective Ballots — Voter Checked Off Checklist — Do Not Count”.

(c) The provisions of this section shall be indicated prominently in the early or absentee voter material prepared by the Secretary of State.

(d)(1) If a ballot is deemed defective, the voter shall be notified of the defect in accordance with the provisions of subdivision 2546(a)(2)(B) of this subchapter. Upon notification, the voter may cure the defect until the closing of the polls on election day by:

(A) correcting the defect or submitting a new absentee ballot in person at the clerk's office or at the polling place on election day;

(B) requesting a new ballot be mailed to them by the clerk along with materials for submission of the new ballot, provided the new ballot is received by the presiding officer or other sworn election official prior to the closing of the polls; or

(C) for a voter who failed to sign the certificate envelope, failed to place the voted ballot in the certificate envelope, or did not return their unvoted primary ballots in the unvoted ballot envelope, returning the signed affidavit included in the notice under subdivision 2546(a)(2)(B)(iii) of this subchapter either by mail, in person, or electronically, provided the affidavit is received by the presiding officer or other sworn election official prior to the closing of the polls if returned in person or by mail or prior to the close of business on the day before the election if returned electronically.

(2)(A) If a voter corrects the defect in accordance with subdivision (1)(A) or (1)(C) of this subsection (d), the clerk shall update the status of the ballot to “received — accepted” in the online election management system.

(B) If a voter corrects the defect by requesting a new ballot be mailed to them under subdivision (1)(B) of this subsection (d), the clerk shall enter a second absentee ballot request and issue date for that voter in the online election management system.

(3) The same voter may cure a ballot deemed defective not more than twice for any single election.
17 V.S.A. § 2402 — VT Code / Title 17 / Chapter 49 / Section 2402
§ 2402. Requisites of statement
Status: in_force

(a) A statement of nomination shall contain:

(1) The name of the office for which the nomination is made.

(2) The candidate's name and residence.

(3) If desired, a name, or other identification (in not more than three words) to be printed on the ballot following the candidate's name.

(4) In the case of nomination for President or Vice President of the United States:

(A) The name and state of residence of each candidate for such office, together with the name, town of residence, and correct mailing address of each nominee for the office of elector.

(B)(i) The original statement of nomination shall include a certification by the town clerk of each town where the signers appear to be voters that the persons whose names appear as signers of the statement are registered voters in the town and of the total number of valid signers from the town.

(ii) Only the number of signers certified as registered voters by each town clerk on the original statement of nomination forms shall count toward the required number of signatures.

(C) The statement shall also be accompanied by a consent form from each nominee for elector. The consent form shall be similar to the consent form prescribed in section 2361 of this title.

(b)(1) To constitute a valid nomination, a statement shall contain signatures of voters qualified to vote in an election for the office in question, equal in number to at least:

(A) for presidential and vice presidential offices, 1,000;

(B) for State and congressional offices, 500;

(C) for county officers or State Senators, 100;

(D) for Representative to the General Assembly, 50;

(E) for justice of the peace, 30 or one percent of the legal voters of the municipality, whichever is less.

(2) Signatures need not all be contained on one paper.

(c) A statement shall state that each signer is qualified to vote in an election for the office in question and that the voter's residence is as set forth next to the voter's name.

(d)(1) A statement of nomination and a completed and signed consent form shall be filed:

(A) in the case of nomination for President or Vice President of the United States, not earlier than the fourth Monday in April and not later than 5:00 p.m. on the August 1 preceding the presidential general election;

(B) in the case of nomination for justice of the peace, not earlier than the fourth Monday in April and not later than 5:00 p.m. on the third Monday in July before each primary election; or

(C) in the case of any other independent candidate, not earlier than the fourth Monday in April and not later than 5:00 p.m. on the Thursday preceding the primary election prescribed by section 2351 of this chapter, and not later than 5:00 p.m. of the third day prior to the day of a special primary election.

(2) A public official receiving nominations shall not accept a petition unless a completed and signed consent form is filed at the same time.

(3) A statement of nomination shall apply only to the election cycle in which the statement of nomination is filed.

(e) The Secretary of State shall prescribe and furnish forms for a statement of nomination.

(f) In the event that an independent vice presidential candidate withdraws in accordance with section 2412 of this chapter, the presidential candidate may submit to the Secretary of State on or before the ballot printing deadline a new consent form signed by the presidential candidate and his or her new vice presidential candidate.
17 V.S.A. § 2701 — VT Code / Title 17 / Chapter 57 / Section 2701
§ 2701. Presidential primary; time of holding; form of ballot
Status: in_force

In presidential election years, a presidential primary for each major political party shall be held in all municipalities on the first Tuesday in March. The Secretary of State shall prepare and distribute for use at the primary an official ballot for each party for which one or more candidates qualify for the placing of their names on the ballot under section 2702 of this title. Ballots shall be printed on index stock and configured to be readable by vote tabulators.
17 V.S.A. § 2385 — VT Code / Title 17 / Chapter 49 / Section 2385
§ 2385. Statement by committee officers; consent of candidate
Status: in_force

(a) When a nomination is made under the provisions of this subchapter, the chair and the secretary of the committee making the nomination shall file a statement of nomination in substantially the following form:

“The ................................ met on ............ and nominated the

(name of committee) (date)

following person (or persons) to be a candidate (or candidates) of the

................................... for the office (or offices) indicated

(Name of political party)

.........................................

(Name of candidate) (residence) (office for which nominated)

“Notice of the meeting was properly given in compliance with all requirements of section 2383 of this title and the procedures required by section 2384 of this title were followed. A copy of the notice of the meeting is attached.

“We swear under oath that we understand the above provisions of law and that the statements we have made in this document are true.

Sworn to before me

........................................ ........................................

Notary Public Signature of Chair

........................................ ........................................ ”

Date Signature of Secretary

(b) The statement of nomination shall be signed by the chair or acting chair and secretary or acting secretary of the committee making the nomination. They shall swear in their statement of nomination that the notice requirements of section 2383 of this title and procedural requirements of section 2384 of this title were complied with and that the persons listed as candidates were nominated at the meeting.

(c) A copy of the notice that was sent to all committee members pursuant to section 2383 of this title shall be filed along with the statement of nomination.

(d) Except in the case of nominations for justice of the peace, the candidate named in the statement shall file a consent to having the candidate's name printed on the ballot, similar in form to the consent required in section 2361 of this title before the last day for filing statements of nomination. It shall be sufficient for meeting this requirement if the candidate signs the statement of nomination with a statement in substantially the following form:

“I consent to having my name printed on the general election ballot for the office of _________________________________________ .

(office for which nomination was made)

My name (as I wish it to appear on the ballot), town or city of residence, and party are as follows:

________ _____________ _________________________________________

Name (please print) Town of residence (please print) Party (please print)

____ _________________________________________

Date Signature of Candidate

_________________________________________ ”

Mailing Address

(e) In the case of nominations by town committee or caucus for the office of justice of the peace, before filing the statement of nomination the chair, acting chair, secretary, or acting secretary shall check with each nominee and confirm that he or she consents to have his or her name printed on the ballot as a candidate for that position and to serve if elected.
17 V.S.A. § 2368 — VT Code / Title 17 / Chapter 49 / Section 2368
§ 2368. Canvassing committee meetings
Status: in_force

After the primary election is conducted:

(1) The canvassing committee for State and national offices and statewide public questions shall meet at 10 a.m. one week after the day of the election.

(2) The canvassing committee for county offices, countywide public questions, and State Senator shall meet at 10 a.m. on the third day following the election.

(3) The canvassing committees for local offices, local public questions, and State Representative shall meet at 10 a.m. on the day after the election, except that in the case of canvassing committees for State Representative in multi-town representative districts, the committees shall meet at 10 a.m. on the third day after the election.
17 V.S.A. § 2353 — VT Code / Title 17 / Chapter 49 / Section 2353
§ 2353. Petitions to place names on ballot
Status: in_force

(a) The name of any person shall be printed upon the primary ballot as a candidate for nomination by any major political party for the office indicated, if a petition containing the requisite number of signatures made by registered voters, in substantially the following form, is filed with the proper official, together with the person's written consent to having his or her name printed on the ballot:

I join in a petition to place on the primary ballot of the ...................... . party the name of .................... , whose residence is in the (city), (town) of ...................... in the county of ...................... , for the office of ...................... to be voted for on Tuesday, the ............... day of August, 20 ....... .; and I certify that I am at the present time a registered voter and am qualified to vote for a candidate for this office.

(b)(1) A person's name shall not be listed as a candidate on the primary ballot of more than one party in the same election.

(2) A single petition shall contain only one office for which a person seeks to be a candidate.

(3) A person shall file a separate petition for each office for which he or she seeks to be a candidate.
17 V.S.A. § 2403 — VT Code / Title 17 / Chapter 49 / Section 2403
§ 2403. Number of candidates; party names
Status: in_force

(a)(1) A statement of nomination shall contain the name of only one candidate, except in the case of presidential and vice presidential candidates, who may be nominated by means of the same statement of nomination.

(2) A single statement of nomination shall contain only one office for which a person seeks to be a candidate.

(b)(1) The political or other name on a statement of nomination shall be substantially different from the name of any organized political party. It shall also be substantially different from the political or other name already appearing on any other statement of nomination for the same office then on file with the same officer for the same election.

(2) If the Secretary of State determines that it is not substantially different, the candidate named on the statement shall select a different political or other name; otherwise the Secretary shall print the word “Independent” on the ballot for that candidate.

(c)(1) Except in the case of presidential and vice presidential candidates, the word “independent” may not be used as part of a party name.

(2) If no party is indicated, the word “Independent” shall be printed on the ballot.

(3) A candidate appearing on the ballot as a candidate of a political party shall not also appear on the ballot as an “Independent.”
17 V.S.A. § 2682b — VT Code / Title 17 / Chapter 55 / Section 2682b
§ 2682b. Tie votes for local office
Status: in_force

If there is a tie vote for any office, the legislative body or, in its stead, the municipal clerk shall within seven days warn a runoff election to be held not less than 15 days nor more than 22 days after the warning. The only candidates in the runoff election shall be those who were tied in the original election. However, if one of the candidates that are tied withdraws his or her candidacy within five days after the election, the town clerk shall certify the other tied candidate as the winner, and there shall be no runoff election.
17 V.S.A. § 2904 — VT Code / Title 17 / Chapter 61 / Section 2904
§ 2904. Civil investigation
Status: in_force

(a)(1) The Attorney General or a State's Attorney, whenever he or she has reason to believe any person to be or to have been in violation of this chapter or of any rule made pursuant to this chapter, may examine or cause to be examined by any agent or representative designated by him or her for that purpose any books, records, papers, memoranda, or physical objects of any nature bearing upon each alleged violation and may demand written responses under oath to questions bearing upon each alleged violation.

(2) The Attorney General or a State's Attorney may require the attendance of such person or of any other person having knowledge in the premises in the county where such person resides or has a place of business or in Washington County if such person is a nonresident or has no place of business within the State and may take testimony and require proof material for his or her information and may administer oaths or take acknowledgment in respect of any book, record, paper, or memorandum.

(3) The Attorney General or a State's Attorney shall serve notice of the time, place, and cause of such examination or attendance or notice of the cause of the demand for written responses personally or by certified mail upon such person at his or her principal place of business or, if such place is not known, to his or her last known address. Such notice shall include a statement that a knowing and intentional violation of subchapters 2 through 4 of this chapter is subject to criminal prosecution.

(4) Any book, record, paper, memorandum, or other information produced by any person pursuant to this section shall not, unless otherwise ordered by a court of this State for good cause shown, be disclosed to any person other than the authorized agent or representative of the Attorney General or a State's Attorney or another law enforcement officer engaged in legitimate law enforcement activities unless with the consent of the person producing the same, except that any transcript of oral testimony, written responses, documents, or other information produced pursuant to this section may be used in the enforcement of this chapter, including in connection with any civil action brought under section 2903 of this subchapter or subsection (c) of this section.

(5) Nothing in this subsection is intended to prevent the Attorney General or a State's Attorney from disclosing the results of an investigation conducted under this section, including the grounds for his or her decision as to whether to bring an enforcement action alleging a violation of this chapter or of any rule made pursuant to this chapter.

(6) This subsection shall not be applicable to any criminal investigation or prosecution brought under the laws of this or any state.

(b)(1) A person upon whom a notice is served pursuant to the provisions of this section shall comply with its terms unless otherwise provided by the order of a court of this State.

(2) Any person who, with intent to avoid, evade, or prevent compliance, in whole or in part, with any civil investigation under this section, removes from any place; conceals, withholds, or destroys; or mutilates, alters, or by any other means falsifies any documentary material in the possession, custody, or control of any person subject to such notice or mistakes or conceals any information shall be fined not more than $5,000.00.

(c)(1) Whenever any person fails to comply with any notice served upon him or her under this section or whenever satisfactory copying or reproduction of any such material cannot be done and the person refuses to surrender the material, the Attorney General or a State's Attorney may file, in the Superior Court in the county in which the person resides or has his or her principal place of business or in Washington County if the person is a nonresident or has no principal place of business in this State, and serve upon the person a petition for an order of the court for the enforcement of this section.

(2) Whenever any petition is filed under this section, the court shall have jurisdiction to hear and determine the matter so presented and to enter any order or orders as may be required to carry into effect the provisions of this section. Any disobedience of any order entered under this section by any court shall be punished as a contempt of the court.

(d) Any person aggrieved by a civil investigation conducted under this section may seek relief from Washington Superior Court or the Superior Court in the county in which the aggrieved person resides. Except for cases the court considers to be of greater importance, proceedings before Superior Court as authorized by this section shall take precedence on the docket over all other cases.
17 V.S.A. § 2985 — VT Code / Title 17 / Chapter 61 / Section 2985
§ 2985. Vermont campaign finance grants; amounts; timing
Status: in_force

(a)(1) The Secretary of State shall make grants from the Secretary of State Services Fund in separate grants for the primary and general election periods to candidates who have qualified for Vermont campaign finance grants under this subchapter.

(2) To cover any campaign finance grants to candidates who have qualified under this subchapter, the Secretary of State shall report to the Commissioner of Finance and Management, who shall anticipate receipts to the Services Fund and issue warrants to pay for those grants. The Commissioner shall report any such anticipated receipts and warrants issued under this subdivision to the Joint Fiscal Committee on or before December 1 of the year in which the warrants were issued.

(b) Whether a candidate has entered a primary or is an independent candidate, Vermont campaign finance grants shall be in the following amounts:

(1) For Governor, $150,000.00 in a primary election period and $450,000.00 in a general election period, provided that the grant for a primary election period shall be reduced by an amount equal to the candidate's qualifying contributions.

(2) For Lieutenant Governor, $50,000.00 in a primary election period and $150,000.00 in a general election period, provided that the grant for a primary election period shall be reduced by an amount equal to the candidate's qualifying contributions;

(3) A candidate who is an incumbent of the office being sought shall be entitled to receive a grant in an amount equal to 85 percent of the amount listed in subdivision (1) or (2) of this subsection.

(c) In an uncontested general election and in the case of a candidate who enters a primary election and is unsuccessful in that election, an otherwise eligible candidate shall not be eligible for a general election period grant. However, such candidate may solicit and accept contributions and make expenditures as follows: contributions shall be subject to the limitations set forth in subchapter 3 of this chapter, and expenditures shall be limited to an amount equal to the amount of the grant set forth in subsection (b) of this section for the general election for that office.

(d) Grants awarded in a primary election period but not expended by the candidate in the primary election period may be expended by the candidate in the general election period.

(e) Vermont campaign finance grants for a primary election period shall be paid to qualifying candidates within the first 10 business days of the primary election period. Vermont campaign finance grants for a general election period shall be paid to qualifying candidates during the first 10 business days of the general election period.
17 V.S.A. § 2964 — VT Code / Title 17 / Chapter 61 / Section 2964
§ 2964. Campaign reports; candidates for State office, the General Assembly, and county office; political committees; independent expenditure-only political committees; political parties
Status: in_force

(a)(1) Each candidate for State office, the General Assembly, or a two-year-term county office who has rolled over any amount of surplus into the candidate's new campaign or who has made expenditures or accepted contributions of $500.00 or more during the two-year general election cycle and, except as provided in subsection (b) of this section, each political committee and independent expenditure-only political committee that has not filed a final report pursuant to subsection 2965(b) of this chapter, and each political party required to register under section 2923 of this chapter shall file with the Secretary of State campaign finance reports as follows:

(A) in the first year of the two-year general election cycle, on July 1; and

(B) in the second year of the two-year general election cycle:

(i) on March 15;

(ii) on July 1 and August 1;

(iii) on September 1;

(iv) on October 1, October 15, and the Friday before the general election; and

(v) two weeks after the general election.

(2) Each candidate for a four-year-term county office who has rolled over any amount of surplus into the candidate's new campaign or who has made expenditures or accepted contributions of $500.00 or more during the four-year general election cycle shall file with the Secretary of State campaign finance reports as follows:

(A) in the first three years of the four-year general election cycle, on July 1; and

(B) in the fourth year of the four-year general election cycle:

(i) on March 15;

(ii) on July 1 and August 1;

(iii) on September 1;

(iv) on October 1, October 15, and the Friday before the general election; and

(v) two weeks after the general election.

(b)(1) A political committee, independent expenditure-only political committee, or a political party that has accepted contributions or made expenditures of $500.00 or more during the local election cycle for the purpose of influencing a local election or supporting or opposing one or more candidates in a local election shall file with the Secretary of State campaign finance reports regarding that local election 30 days before, 10 days before, and two weeks after the local election.

(2) As used in this subsection, “local election cycle” means:

(A) in the case of a local election, the period that begins 38 days after the local election prior to the one for which the contributions or expenditures were made and ends 38 days after the local election for which the contributions or expenditures were made, and includes any primary or run-off election related to that local election; or

(B) in the case of a special local election, the period that begins on the date the special local election was ordered and ends 38 days after that special local election, and includes any special primary or run-off election related to that special local election.

(c) A candidate, political committee, independent expenditure-only committee, or political party that is not otherwise required to file a report pursuant to this section shall file with the Secretary of State a report and affirmative statement that the candidate, political committee, independent expenditure-only committee, or political party has not either rolled over any amount of surplus into a new campaign or made expenditures or accepted contributions in the amounts specified in this section.
17 V.S.A. § 2685a — VT Code / Title 17 / Chapter 55 / Section 2685a
§ 2685a. Procedure for recount
Status: repealed

(a) Storage of ballots; assignment of duties.

(1) The town clerk shall store all ballots, still in their sealed containers, in his or her vault until the day of the recount.

(2)(A) The town clerk shall supervise the recount.

(B) If the town clerk is unavailable or is a candidate for the office subject to the recount, the board of civil authority shall appoint a voter of the municipality to perform the duties of the town clerk under this section.

(3)(A) The board of civil authority shall appoint a sufficient number of impartial assistant election officers to perform appropriate tasks to conduct the recount.

(B) Each assistant election officer shall be appointed and sworn as set forth in section 2454 of this title.

(4), (5) [Repealed.]

(b) Preparation for recount.

(1) Before the recount begins, the town clerk shall explain the recount procedures that are to be followed and shall answer questions relating to such procedures.

(2) The election officials shall recount the contents of one container before another container is opened and shall recount the contents of all the containers relating to one polling place before moving to those of another polling place.

(c), (d) [Repealed.]

(e) Ballot review.

(1) If the election officials examining a particular ballot do not agree on how the vote on that ballot should be counted, all of the board of civil authority members present shall review the vote, and the vote shall be counted as agreed upon by a majority of those board of civil authority members.

(2) A write-in vote for a preprinted candidate shall be counted as a vote for that candidate.

(f), (g) [Repealed.]

(h) Other rules for conducting the recount.

(1) The town clerk shall preserve order. If a person, after notice, is persistently disorderly and refuses to withdraw from the premises, the town clerk may cause the person to be removed from the premises.

(2) The town clerk shall designate an area within which the recount shall take place. Persons who are not board of civil authority members or appointed impartial election officers shall be permitted to view a recount in progress, but persons not authorized by the town clerk shall not be permitted within the area designated by the town clerk.

(i) After the recount.

(1)(A) Except as provided in subdivision (B) of this subdivision (1), if the recount results in a tie, a runoff election shall be conducted in accordance with section 2682b of this chapter.

(B) If the recount confirms a tie as to any public question, a new election shall not be held, and the question shall be certified not to have passed.

(2) [Repealed.]
17 V.S.A. § 1849 — VT Code / Title 17 / Chapter 32 / Section 1849
§ 1849. Proclamation by Governor
Status: in_force

The Governor shall thereupon forthwith issue his or her proclamation, attested by the Secretary of State, reciting the article of amendment and announcing the ratification and adoption of it by the people of this State under this chapter and that the amendment has become a part of the Constitution thereof and requiring all officers and all citizens of the State to take notice thereof and govern themselves accordingly; or that the article of amendment has been rejected, as the case may be.
17 V.S.A. § 2681a — VT Code / Title 17 / Chapter 55 / Section 2681a
§ 2681a. Local election ballots
Status: in_force

(a) Ballots for local officers and local public questions shall be prepared at town expense, under the direction of the town clerk, not later than 20 days before the local election. These ballots may be any color and the printing shall be black; in other respects, they shall conform as nearly as may be practicable to the form of the consolidated ballot in chapter 51, subchapter 2 of this title, except as otherwise provided in this section.

(b)(1) On the local election ballot, the candidate's name shall appear as provided in his or her consent form.

(2) The board of civil authority may vote to list a street address for each candidate, or the town of residence of each candidate, or no residence at all for each candidate.

(c) No political party or other designation shall be listed unless the municipal charter provides for such listing, the town has voted at an earlier election to provide such a listing or, in the absence of previous consideration of the question by the town, the legislative body decides to permit listing. If political party or other designations are permitted, no candidate shall use the name of a political party whose certificate of organization has been filed properly with the Secretary of State unless the candidate has been endorsed by a legally called town caucus of that political party for the office in question. In any event, the candidate must still file the petition and consent form required by section 2681 of this title.

(d) The names of candidates for the same office, but for different terms of service, shall be arranged in groups according to the length of their respective terms.

(e) Public questions shall be written in the form of a question, with boxes indicating a choice of “yes” and “no” directly under or to the right side of the public question. No public question shall pass unless a majority of the votes, excluding blank and overvotes, is cast in favor of the proposition.
17 V.S.A. § 2471 — VT Code / Title 17 / Chapter 51 / Section 2471
§ 2471. General election ballot
Status: in_force

(a)(1) A consolidated ballot shall be used at a general election, which shall list the several candidates for the offices to be voted upon. The offices of President and Vice President of the United States, U.S. Senator, U.S. Representative, Governor, Lieutenant Governor, State Treasurer, Secretary of State, Auditor of Accounts, Attorney General, State Senator, Representative to the General Assembly, Judge of Probate, assistant judge, State's Attorney, sheriff, and high bailiff shall be listed in that order. Any statewide public question shall also be listed on the ballot, before the listing of all offices to be filled.

(2) The ballot shall be prepared at State expense under the direction of the Secretary of State. The color of the ballot shall be determined by the Secretary of State. The printing shall be black. Ballots shall be printed on index stock and configured to be readable by vote tabulators. The font shall be at least 10 points for candidate names unless a name exceeds 24 characters, in which case the candidate may change his or her consent form name to 24 characters or less, or the font may be reduced as needed to fit the candidate name space.

(b) Ballots for justices shall be prepared at town expense, under the direction of the town clerk, in the town in which they are to be used. The printing shall be black and shall conform as nearly as possible to the format of the general election ballot.
17 V.S.A. § 2606 — VT Code / Title 17 / Chapter 51 / Section 2606
§ 2606. Senate
Status: in_force

(a) A candidate for the office of State Senator in the general election or any 100 voters in the senatorial district may request the Senate to exercise its constitutional authority to judge the elections and qualifications of its own members by filing a written request with the Secretary of State specifying the candidate or candidates whose election is being challenged. The request must be filed not later than the latest of the following:

(1) 20 days after the date of the election; or

(2) 10 days after a final court judgment, if there is a recount under section 2602 of this title.

(b)(1) The Secretary of State shall notify the Attorney General, who shall investigate the facts, take such depositions as may be necessary, prepare an opinion on the law and facts, and send his or her report and opinion to the Secretary of the Senate at least 10 days before the General Assembly convenes.

(2) If the Attorney General needs additional time to conduct the investigation or prepare the report and opinion required by this subsection, he or she shall alert the Secretary of the Senate of that need and the date by which he or she plans to submit the report and opinion.
17 V.S.A. § 2667 — VT Code / Title 17 / Chapter 55 / Section 2667
§ 2667. Access to annual meeting
Status: in_force

The legislative body of the municipality shall take reasonable measures to ensure that voters who are elders or have a disability may conveniently attend annual or special meetings; provided, however, that such measures need not be taken if doing so would impose undue hardship on the town. Measures may include location of meetings on the ground floor of buildings or providing ramps or other devices for access to meetings. In municipal elections using the Australian ballot system of voting, subsection 2502(b) of this title shall apply. For the purposes of this section, the legislative body shall have full jurisdiction on the day of the municipal meeting over the premises at which the town meeting is to be held.
17 V.S.A. § 2541 — VT Code / Title 17 / Chapter 51 / Section 2541
§ 2541. Marking of ballots
Status: in_force

(a) An early or absentee voter to whom ballots, envelopes, and instructions are mailed shall mark the ballots in accordance with the instructions.

(b) A person who gives assistance to a voter in the marking or registering of ballots shall not in any way divulge any information regarding the choice of the voter or the manner in which the voter's ballot was cast.

(c) If an early or absentee voter makes an error in marking a ballot, the voter may return that ballot by mail or in person to the town clerk and receive another ballot, consistent with the provisions of section 2568 of this chapter.
17 V.S.A. § 2971 — VT Code / Title 17 / Chapter 61 / Section 2971
§ 2971. Report of mass media activities
Status: repealed

(a)(1) In addition to any other reports required to be filed under this chapter, a person who makes expenditures for any one mass media activity totaling $500.00 or more, adjusted for inflation pursuant to the Consumer Price Index as provided in section 2905 of this chapter, within 45 days before a primary, general, county, or local election shall, for each activity, file a mass media report with the Secretary of State and send a copy of the report to each candidate whose name or likeness is included in the activity without that candidate's knowledge.

(2) The copy of the mass media report shall be sent by e-mail to each such candidate who has provided the Secretary of State with an e-mail address on his or her consent form and to any other such candidate by mail.

(3) The mass media report shall be filed and the copy of the report shall be sent within 24 hours of the expenditure or activity, whichever occurs first. For the purposes of this section, a person shall be treated as having made an expenditure if the person has executed a contract to make the expenditure.

(b) The report shall identify the person who made the expenditure; the name of each candidate whose name or likeness was included in the activity; the amount and date of the expenditure; to whom it was paid; and the purpose of the expenditure.

(c) If the activity occurs within 45 days before the election and the expenditure was previously reported, an additional report shall be required under this section.

[Subsection (d) as amended by 2015, No. 30, § 37; see also subsection (d) as contingently amended by 2013, No. 90 (Adj. Sess.), § 4 set out below.]

(d)(1) In addition to the reporting requirements of this section, an independent expenditure-only political committee that makes an expenditure for any one mass media activity totaling $5,000.00 or more, adjusted for inflation pursuant to the Consumer Price Index as provided in section 2905 of this chapter, within 45 days before a primary, general, county, or local election shall, for each such activity and within 24 hours of the expenditure or activity, whichever occurs first, file an independent expenditure-only political committee mass media report with the Secretary of State and send a copy of the report to each candidate whose name or likeness is included in the activity without that candidate's knowledge.

(2) The copy of the mass media report shall be sent by e-mail to each such candidate who has provided the Secretary of State with an e-mail address on his or her consent form and to any other such candidate by mail.

(3) The report shall include all of the information required under subsection (b) of this section, as well as the names of the contributors, dates, and amounts for all contributions in excess of $100.00 accepted since the filing of the committee's last report.

[Subsection (d) as contingently amended by 2013, No. 90 (Adj. Sess.), § 4; see also subsection (d) as amended by 2015, No. 30, § 37 set out above..]

(d) [Repealed.]
17 V.S.A. § 2152 — VT Code / Title 17 / Chapter 43 / Section 2152
§ 2152. Division of checklist
Status: in_force

A town clerk may divide the checklist into active and inactive sections. The active section shall include all the qualified voters of the town, except for those voters included in the inactive section, pursuant to this provision. The inactive section shall include only those voters who have failed to respond to the notice sent pursuant to subdivision 2150(d)(3) of this title. The active and inactive designations are for recordkeeping purposes only, and shall have no bearing on voting eligibility.
17 V.S.A. § 2921 — VT Code / Title 17 / Chapter 61 / Section 2921
§ 2921. Registration; candidates
Status: in_force

(a)(1) Each candidate who files a consent to the printing of the candidate's name on the ballot, as provided in section 2361, 2370, 2385, or 2402 of this title, shall register with the Secretary of State prior to filing the consent stating the candidate's full name and address, the office the candidate is seeking, and the name and address of the treasurer responsible for maintaining the checking account. A candidate's treasurer may be the candidate or the candidate's spouse.

(2) A candidate's consent, subsequently filed in accordance with section 2361, 2385, or 2402 of this title, shall state the candidate's name the same as it appears on this registration.

(3) Each candidate who makes an expenditure shall file with the Secretary of State, at the time of making the first expenditure, the name and address of the bank in which the candidate maintains the campaign checking account.

(b) All expenditures by a candidate shall be paid by either a credit card or a debit card, check, or other electronic transfer from the single campaign checking account in the bank designated by the candidate under subsection (a) of this section, or, if under $250.00, the candidate may make the expenditure from cash from that campaign checking account if accompanied by a receipt, a copy of which shall be maintained by the candidate for at least two years from the end of the election cycle in which the expenditure was made. Nothing in this subsection shall be construed to prohibit the payment of fees required to be made from a separately held online account designated solely to collect campaign contributions made to the candidate.

(c) As used in this section, “election cycle” means:

(1) in the case of a general or local election, the period that begins 38 days after the previous general or local election for the office and ends 38 days after the general or local election for the office for which that person is a candidate, and includes any primary or run-off election related to that general or local election; or

(2) in the case of a special election, the period that begins on the date the special election for the office was ordered and ends 38 days after that special election, and includes any special primary or run-off election related to that special election.
17 V.S.A. § 2663 — VT Code / Title 17 / Chapter 55 / Section 2663
§ 2663. Certificate of vote
Status: in_force

Whenever an act of the General Assembly by its provisions takes effect only when accepted by vote of a municipality, the clerk of the municipality shall certify within 10 days to the Secretary of State the result of such vote.
17 V.S.A. § 2384 — VT Code / Title 17 / Chapter 49 / Section 2384
§ 2384. Procedure upon meeting
Status: in_force

At the time and place set for the meeting, the committee shall proceed to nominate such candidates as it may desire pursuant to this subchapter. Nomination shall require a majority of those present and voting, and if no candidate shall have received a majority after two ballots, the candidate with the lowest number of votes in the second and in each succeeding ballot shall be eliminated until a candidate receives a majority.
17 V.S.A. § 2125 — VT Code / Title 17 / Chapter 43 / Section 2125
§ 2125. Intermittent residence
Status: in_force

A person, having taken the voter's oath, who moves from Vermont and obtains voting residence outside the State shall not vote in any election in this State until he or she has once again qualified to vote under this title, except that he or she need not take the voters' oath again.
17 V.S.A. § 2533 — VT Code / Title 17 / Chapter 51 / Section 2533
§ 2533. Notification of invalid application
Status: in_force

If the town clerk finds an application for an early or absentee voter ballot that has been submitted to him or her to be invalid or incomplete, he or she shall immediately notify the person making the application, either personally or by mail, stating the ground on which the same is found to be invalid. The application may be corrected but shall not be valid unless it is returned corrected to the clerk within the time allowed for submitting an original application.
17 V.S.A. § 2942 — VT Code / Title 17 / Chapter 61 / Section 2942
§ 2942. Exceptions
Status: in_force

The contribution limitations established by this subchapter shall not apply to contributions to a political committee made for the purpose of advocating a position on a public question, including a constitutional amendment.
17 V.S.A. § 2323 — VT Code / Title 17 / Chapter 47 / Section 2323
§ 2323. Probate district committee
Status: in_force

The “probate district committee” of a party shall consist of those members of the county committee residing in a probate district. Such a committee shall elect its own officers when called upon to meet, but it need not meet unless required to perform some function under this title. The chair of the county committee may call the first meeting by giving at least five days' written notice to all other members; thereafter the committee shall meet at the call of the probate district chair.
17 V.S.A. § 2565 — VT Code / Title 17 / Chapter 51 / Section 2565
§ 2565. Delivery of ballots
Status: in_force

Except as otherwise provided in subsection 2548(b) of this title, as each voter passes through the entrance of the guardrail, an election official or officials shall hand him or her one of each kind of ballot. The election officials shall also answer any questions a voter may ask concerning the process of voting. The presiding officer shall keep the election officials in charge of furnishing ballots to voters supplied with a sufficient number of blank ballots, keeping the remainder of the blank ballots safely secured until needed.
17 V.S.A. § 2640 — VT Code / Title 17 / Chapter 55 / Section 2640
§ 2640. Annual meetings
Status: in_force

(a) A meeting of the legal voters of each town shall be held annually on the first Tuesday of March for the election of officers and the transaction of other business, and it may be adjourned to another date. When a municipality fails to hold an annual meeting, a warning for a subsequent meeting shall be issued immediately, and at that meeting all the officers required by law may be elected and its business transacted.

(b)(1) When a town so votes, it may thereafter start its annual meeting on any of the three days immediately preceding the first Tuesday in March at such time as it elects and may transact at that time any business not involving voting by Australian ballot or voting required by law to be by ballot and to be held on the first Tuesday in March. A meeting so started shall be adjourned until the first Tuesday in March.

(2) An informational meeting held in the three days preceding the first Tuesday in March pursuant to this subsection shall be video recorded and a copy of the recording shall be posted in a designated electronic location within 24 hours until the results of the annual meeting have been certified.

(c)(1) Notwithstanding section 2508 of this title, public discussion of ballot issues and all other issues appearing in the warning, other than election of candidates, shall be permitted at the annual meeting, regardless of the location of the polling place.

(2) Notwithstanding the provisions of subdivision (1) of this subsection, a candidate for local office nominated from the floor at the annual meeting may introduce his or her candidacy to the extent permitted by the voters at the meeting.
17 V.S.A. § 2457 — VT Code / Title 17 / Chapter 51 / Section 2457
§ 2457. Workshops and information for election officials
Status: in_force

(a) The Secretary of State or his or her designee shall organize regional workshops for election officials, provide them with informational materials about the conduct of elections and recounts, and otherwise help them run elections in conformance with State and federal law.

(b)(1) The regular presiding officer of each town or an assistant designated by the board of civil authority shall attend, at the town's expense, at least one of these election workshops every two years.

(2) Each town clerk shall file with the Secretary of State by December 31 of each even-numbered year a letter certifying compliance with this subsection.

(c)(1) The town clerk of each town shall provide the Secretary of State with the names and addresses of all members of the board of civil authority and shall promptly notify the Secretary of State of any changes in the list.

(2) The Secretary of State shall invite all members of the boards of civil authority to the workshops and provide them with informational materials.
17 V.S.A. § 2716 — VT Code / Title 17 / Chapter 57 / Section 2716
§ 2716. Notification to Secretary of State
Status: in_force

Not later than 5:00 p.m. on the 65th day before the day of the general election, the chair of the State committee of each major political party shall certify in writing to the Secretary of State the names of the presidential and vice presidential nominees selected at the party's national convention.
17 V.S.A. § 2141 — VT Code / Title 17 / Chapter 43 / Section 2141
§ 2141. Posting of checklist
Status: in_force

(a) At least 30 days before any local, primary, or general election, the town clerk shall cause copies of the most recent checklist of the persons registered to vote to be posted in two or more public places in the municipality in addition to being posted at the town clerk's office; however, in a municipality having a population of fewer than 5,000 registered voters, only one checklist in addition to the one posted in the town clerk's office need be posted.

(b) Upon the checklist shall be stated against the name of each voter, if possible, the street and number of each voter's residence and otherwise the mailing address of each voter's residence. Additions or amendments to the checklist may be attached to the checklist by means of a separate list.

(c) The town clerk shall make available a copy of the list, together with lists of corrections and additions when made:

(1) to the chair of each political party in the municipality, upon request, free of charge;

(2) to officers with whom primary petitions are filed under section 2357 of this title, free of charge; and

(3) to any other person, upon request, at cost.
17 V.S.A. § 2312 — VT Code / Title 17 / Chapter 45 / Section 2312
§ 2312. First meeting of the State committee
Status: in_force

(a) The chair of the State committee shall name an hour and place of meeting, at which time the members-elect of the State committee shall meet and perfect an organization of the State committee for the ensuing two years.

(b) The chair of the State committee shall notify all members-elect of the State committee in writing, at least 10 days before the day set for the meeting.
17 V.S.A. § 2150 — VT Code / Title 17 / Chapter 43 / Section 2150
§ 2150. Removing names from checklist
Status: in_force

(a)(1) When a voter from one political subdivision becomes a resident of another political subdivision and is placed on the checklist there, the town clerk shall notify the clerk of the political subdivision where the voter was formerly a resident by submitting the notification electronically within the statewide voter checklist system or by mailing to that clerk a copy of the voter registration application form or other official notice, and that clerk shall strike the voter's name from the checklist of that political subdivision.

(2) When a town clerk receives a copy of the death certificate of a voter, public notice of the death of a voter, or official notice from the Department of Motor Vehicles that a voter has authorized his or her address to be changed for voting purposes, the clerk shall strike the voter's name from the checklist.

(3) A town clerk shall also strike from the checklist the name of any voter who files a written request that his or her name be stricken.

(b) The board of civil authority at any time may consider the eligibility of persons on the checklist whom the board believes may be deceased, may have moved from the municipality, or may be registered in another place and may remove names of persons no longer qualified to vote. However, the board shall not remove any name from the checklist except in accordance with the procedures in subsection (d) of this section, and any systematic program for removing names from the checklist shall be completed at least 90 days before an election.

(c) In addition to any actions it takes under subsections (a) and (b) of this section, by September 15 of each odd-numbered year the board of civil authority shall review the most recent checklist name by name and consider, for each person whose name appears on the checklist, whether that person is still qualified to vote. In every case where the board of civil authority is unable to determine under subdivisions (d)(1) and (2) of this section that a person is still qualified to vote, the board of civil authority or, upon request of the board, the town clerk shall send a written notice to the person and take appropriate action as provided in subdivisions (d)(3) through (5) of this section. The intent is that when this process is completed there will have been some confirmation or indication of continued eligibility for each person whose name remains on the updated checklist.

(d) Except as provided in subsection (a) of this section, a board of civil authority shall only remove a name from the checklist in accordance with the following procedure:

(1) If the board of civil authority is satisfied that a voter whose eligibility is being considered is still qualified to vote in the municipality, the voter's name shall remain on the checklist, and no further action shall be taken.

(2)(A)(i) If the board of civil authority does not immediately know that the voter is still qualified to vote in the municipality, the board shall attempt to determine with certainty what the true status of the voter's eligibility is.

(ii) The board of civil authority may consider and rely upon official and unofficial public records and documents, including telephone directories, city directories, newspapers, death certificates, obituaries (or other public notices of death), tax records, and any checklist or checklists showing persons who voted in any election within the last four years.

(iii) The board of civil authority may also designate one or more persons to attempt to contact the voter personally.

(B) Any voter whom the board of civil authority finds through such inquiry to be eligible to remain on the checklist shall be retained without further action being taken.

(C) The name of any voter proven to be deceased shall be removed from the checklist.

(3)(A)(i) If after conducting its inquiry the board of civil authority or town clerk is unable to locate a voter whose name is on the checklist, or if the inquiry reveals facts indicating that the voter may no longer be eligible to vote in the municipality, the board of civil authority or, upon request of the board, the town clerk shall send a written notice to the voter.

(ii) The notice shall be sent by first-class mail to the most recent known address of the voter, asking the voter to verify his or her current eligibility to vote in the municipality.

(iii) The notice shall be sent with the required U.S. Postal Service language for requesting change of address information.

(B) Enclosed with the notice shall be a postage-paid pre-addressed return form on which the voter may reply swearing or affirming the voter's current place of residence as the municipality in question or alternatively consenting to the removal of the voter's name.

(C) The notice required by this subsection shall also include the following:

(i) A statement informing the voter that if the voter has not changed his or her residence, or if the voter has changed his or her residence but the change was within the area covered by the checklist, the voter should return the form to the town clerk's office. The statement shall also inform the voter that if he or she fails to return the form as provided in this subdivision (3), written affirmation of the voter's address shall be required before the voter is permitted to vote.

(ii) Information concerning how the voter can register to vote in another state or another municipality within this State.

(4) If the voter confirms in writing that the voter has changed his or her residence to a place outside the area covered by the checklist, the board of civil authority shall remove the voter's name from the checklist.

(5) In the case of voters who failed to respond to the notice sent pursuant to subdivision (3) of this subsection, the board of civil authority shall remove the voter's name from the checklist on the day after the second general election following the date of such notice, if the voter has not voted or appeared to vote in an election since the notice was sent or has not otherwise demonstrated his or her eligibility to remain on the checklist.

(6)(A) Notwithstanding the provisions of subdivision (5) of this subsection, if at any time subsequent to removal of a person's name from the checklist the board determines that the person was still qualified to vote and that the voter's name should not have been removed, the board shall add the person's name to the checklist as provided in section 2147 of this chapter.

(B) The provisions of this chapter shall be liberally construed, so that if there is any reasonable doubt whether a person's name should have been removed from the checklist, the person shall have the right to have the person's name immediately returned to the checklist.

(7)(A) The board of civil authority shall keep detailed records of its proceedings under this subchapter for at least two years. These records, except records relating to a person's decision not to register to vote or to the identity of the voter registration agency through which any particular voter registered, shall be public records and shall be available for inspection and copying at actual cost. The records shall include:

(i) in the case of each name removed from the checklist, a clear statement of the reason or reasons for which the name was removed;

(ii) in the case of the updating of the checklist required by subsection (c) of this section, the working copy or copies of the checklist used in the name by name review conducted to ascertain continued eligibility to vote;

(iii) the total number of new registrations occurring during the period between general elections;

(iv) the total number of persons removed from the checklist during the period between general elections; and

(v) lists of the names and addresses of all persons to whom notices were sent under this subsection (d), and information concerning whether or not each person to whom a notice was sent responded to the notice as of the date that inspection of the records is made.

(B)(i) A letter certifying compliance with this section shall be filed with the Secretary of State on or before September 20 of each odd-numbered year.

(ii) Upon request of any Superior judge or upon request of the Secretary of State, the town clerk shall forward a certified copy of the records of checklist maintenance.
17 V.S.A. § 1933 — VT Code / Title 17 / Chapter 35 / Section 1933
§ 1933. Nonperformance of duty by public officer
Status: in_force

Except as otherwise provided by this title, a public officer upon whom a duty is imposed by the provisions of this title who willfully neglects to perform such duty or who willfully performs it in such a way as to hinder the object of the provisions of this title shall be fined not more than $500.00.
17 V.S.A. § 2602m — VT Code / Title 17 / Chapter 51 / Section 2602m
§ 2602m. Storage and return of election materials
Status: in_force

(a)(1) After the recount, the county clerk shall store the sealed containers and any other recount materials in the county clerk's vault until returned to the towns.

(2) The county clerk shall release all containers to the respective town clerks after issuance of the court's judgment, together with a copy of the judgment.

(3) The respective town clerks or their designees shall transport the containers to the towns from which they came.

(b) Upon receiving from the court any ballots containing questionable votes and defective ballots, the county clerk shall keep them in a sealed container for a period of two years.
17 V.S.A. § 2013 — VT Code / Title 17 / Chapter 35 / Section 2013
§ 2013. False answer as to right to vote
Status: in_force

A person who knowingly gives a false answer or information to the presiding officer at a local, primary, or general election or to the authority present to decide upon the qualifications of voters, touching a person's right to vote at such election, shall be fined not more than $200.00.
17 V.S.A. § 2102 — VT Code / Title 17 / Chapter 41 / Section 2102
§ 2102. Short title
Status: in_force

This title may be referred to and cited as the “Vermont Election Laws.”
17 V.S.A. § 2658 — VT Code / Title 17 / Chapter 55 / Section 2658
§ 2658. Duties
Status: in_force

The moderator shall be the presiding officer of municipal meetings, shall decide questions of order and shall make public declaration of votes taken, except in elections using the Australian ballot system. When a vote declared by him or her is immediately questioned by one voter, he or she shall divide the meeting, and if requested by seven voters, shall cause the vote to be taken by paper ballot, unless the town has provided some other procedure in such cases. Robert's Rules or some other rules of order shall govern all municipal meetings, except in elections using the Australian ballot system.
17 V.S.A. § 2543a — VT Code / Title 17 / Chapter 51 / Section 2543a
§ 2543a. Provision of secure ballot drop boxes
Status: in_force

(a) A board of civil authority may vote to install one or more secure outdoor ballot drop boxes (drop boxes) for the return of voted ballots.

(b) Drop boxes shall be located on municipal property. If a town has only one drop box, it shall be located on the property of the municipal clerk's office.

(c) Drop boxes shall allow for the return of ballots by voters at any time of day and must be available for the return of ballots not later than 43 days before the election.

(d) Drop boxes shall be installed and maintained in accordance with guidance issued by the Secretary of State's office. At a minimum, drop boxes shall:

(1) be affixed to a foundation or other immovable object such that they cannot be removed without being tampered with;

(2) be under 24-hour video surveillance or in the alternative be within sight of the municipal building;

(3) be constructed in such a manner that it is impossible to remove the ballots without the ballot box being tampered with; and

(4) be able to be closed such that ballots may not be deposited once the deadline for deposit has passed.

(e)(1) Ballots may be deposited in the drop boxes until the close of business on the day before the election. At the close of business, the drop box shall be closed and instructions affixed to the drop box instructing the voter to return the voter's voted ballot to the polling place on the day of the election.

(2) Notwithstanding subdivision (1) of this subsection, a board of civil authority may vote to allow ballots to be deposited in the drop boxes until not later than the closing of the polls on election day.

(f) The Secretary of State's office shall provide drop boxes to a town or city upon request following a vote of the board of civil authority. The maximum number of drop boxes that the Secretary of State's office shall provide in any town or city shall be as follows:

(1) up to 5,000 registered voters, one;

(2) between 5,000 and 10,000 registered voters, two;

(3) between 10,000 and 15,000 registered voters, three;

(4) between 15,000 and 20,000 registered voters, four; and

(5) over 20,000 registered voters, five.

(6) A town or city may have a number of secure drop boxes equal to the number of representative districts in that town or city, with one drop box located in each district, if that number is greater than the number allowed based on that town or city's number of registered voters in subdivisions (1)-(5) of this subsection. If there is not suitable municipal property for the location of a secure drop box in the area covered by a certain district in the town or city, an alternative location may be used with the approval of the Secretary of State's office.
17 V.S.A. § 2543 — VT Code / Title 17 / Chapter 51 / Section 2543
§ 2543. Return of ballots
Status: in_force

(a) After marking the ballots and signing the certificate on the envelope, the early or absentee voter to whom the same are addressed shall return the ballots to the clerk of the town in which the voter is registered, in the manner prescribed, except that in the case of a voter to whom ballots are delivered by justices, the ballots shall be returned to the justices calling upon that voter, and they shall deliver them to the town clerk.

(b) Once an early voter absentee ballot has been returned to the clerk in the envelope with the signed certificate, it shall be stored in a secure place and shall not be returned to the voter for any reason unless the ballot is deemed defective under subdivision 2546(a)(2) of this subchapter and the voter chooses to cure the defect and cast the ballot pursuant to subsection 2547(d) of this subchapter.

(c) If a ballot includes more than one page, the early or absentee voter need only return the page upon which the voter has marked his or her vote.

(d)(1) All early voter absentee ballots returned as follows shall be counted:

(A) by any means, to the town clerk's office before the close of business on the day preceding the election;

(B) to any secure ballot drop box provided by the town or city in which the voter is registered pursuant to section 2543a of this subchapter before the close of business on the day before the election;

(C) by mail to the town clerk's office before the close of the polls on the day of the election; and

(D) by hand delivery to the presiding officer at the voter's polling place before the closing of the polls at 7:00 p.m.

(2) An early voter absentee ballot returned in a manner other than those set forth in subdivision (1) of this subsection shall not be counted.

(e) A candidate whose name appears on the ballot for that election, or a paid campaign staff member of any such candidate, may not return a ballot to the town clerk or to a secure ballot drop box, unless that candidate or paid campaign staff member:

(1) is returning the candidate's or paid campaign staff member's own ballot;

(2) is returning the ballot of an immediate family member, as defined in section 2532 of this title, including a person's spouse, children, brothers, sisters, parents, spouse's parents, grandparents, and spouse's grandparents, who has requested the candidate's or paid campaign staff member's assistance with the return of that ballot;

(3) is returning the ballot of a voter for whom the candidate or paid campaign staff member is a caretaker, and who has requested the candidate's or paid campaign staff member's assistance with the return of that ballot; or

(4) is a justice of the peace performing his or her official duties pursuant to section 2538 of this title.

(f) No individual may return more than 25 ballots to the town clerk or to a secure ballot drop box unless the individual is a justice of the peace performing his or her official duties pursuant to section 2538 of this title.

(g) The clerk or other local election official accepting the return of ballots shall not be required to enforce the provisions of subsections (e) and (f) of this section but shall report any suspected violations to the Secretary of State's office, which shall refer them to the Attorney General's office for investigation. Individuals violating this section may be subject to penalties pursuant to section 2017 of this title.
17 V.S.A. § 2973 — VT Code / Title 17 / Chapter 61 / Section 2973
§ 2973. Specific identification requirements for radio, television, or internet communications
Status: in_force

(a) In addition to the identification requirements set forth in section 2972 of this subchapter, a person, candidate, political committee, independent expenditure-only political committee, or political party that makes an expenditure for an electioneering communication shall include in any communication that is transmitted through radio, television, or online video, in a clearly spoken manner, an audio statement of the name and title of the person who paid for the communication and that the person paid for the communication.

(b) If the person who paid for the communication is not an individual, the audio statement required by this section shall include the name of that person and the name and title of the treasurer in the case of a political committee, independent expenditure-only political committee, or political party or the principal officer in the case of any other person that is not an individual.
17 V.S.A. § 2589 — VT Code / Title 17 / Chapter 51 / Section 2589
§ 2589. Identifying ballots
Status: in_force

When each kind of ballot has been completely counted, each pair of election officials shall securely bind the ballots they have counted and one copy of each tally sheet they have prepared with string or rubber bands and shall, on a separate piece of paper, indicate the number of ballots in the package and the identity of the election officials who counted them, as: “100 ballots counted by John Doe and Mary Smith.”
17 V.S.A. § 2602 — VT Code / Title 17 / Chapter 51 / Section 2602
§ 2602. Petitions for recounts; setting date of recount
Status: repealed

(a) [Repealed.]

(b) In the case of recounts described in subsection 2601(a) of this subchapter, the following procedure shall apply.

(1) A petition for a recount shall be filed within seven calendar days after the election.

(2) The petition shall be filed with:

(A) the Civil Division of the Superior Court, Washington County, in the case of candidates for State or congressional office, or for a presidential election; or

(B) the Superior Court in any county in which votes were cast for the office to be recounted, in the case of any other office.

(3) The petition shall be supported, if possible, by a certified copy of the certificate of election prepared by the canvassing committee, verifying the total number of votes cast and the number of votes cast for each candidate.

(c)(1) The Superior Court shall:

(A) set the date of the recount to be:

(i) five business days after the court receives the petition, in the case of a primary recount; or

(ii) 10 business days after the court receives the petition, in the case of a general election recount; and

(B) notify all candidates of the recount date no later than the next business day after the petition is received.

(2)(A) The Superior Court shall forward a copy of the petition to the county clerk.

(B) The court shall order the town clerk or clerks having custody of the ballots to be recounted or their designees to transport the ballots and a copy of the entrance checklist from the election to be recounted to the county clerks of their respective counties before the day set for the recount.

(C) The county clerk shall store all ballots, still in their sealed containers, in his or her vault until the day of the recount.

(d)-(i) [Repealed.]
17 V.S.A. § 2605 — VT Code / Title 17 / Chapter 51 / Section 2605
§ 2605. House of Representatives
Status: in_force

(a) A candidate for the office of Representative to the General Assembly in the general election, or any elected town officer in the representative district, or any 25 voters in the representative district may request the House of Representatives to exercise its constitutional authority to judge the elections and qualifications of its own members, by filing a written request with the Secretary of State specifying the candidate or candidates whose election is being challenged. The request must be filed not later than the latest of the following:

(1) 20 days after the date of the election; or

(2) 10 days after a final court judgment, if there is a recount under section 2602 of this title.

(b)(1) The Secretary of State shall notify the Attorney General, who shall investigate the facts, take such depositions as may be necessary, prepare an opinion on the law and facts, and send his or her report and opinion to the Clerk of the House at least 10 days before the General Assembly convenes.

(2) If the Attorney General needs additional time to conduct the investigation or prepare the report and opinion required by this subsection, he or she shall alert the Clerk of the House of that need and the date by which he or she plans to submit the report and opinion.
17 V.S.A. § 2972 — VT Code / Title 17 / Chapter 61 / Section 2972
§ 2972. Identification in electioneering communications
Status: in_force

(a) An electioneering communication shall contain the name and mailing address of the person, candidate, political committee, independent expenditure-only political committee, or political party that paid for the communication. The name and address shall appear prominently and in a manner such that a reasonable person would clearly understand by whom the expenditure has been made, except that:

(1) An audio electioneering communication paid for by a candidate does not need to contain the candidate's address.

(2) An electioneering communication paid for by a person acting as an agent or consultant on behalf of another person, candidate, political committee, independent expenditure-only political committee, or political party shall clearly designate the name and mailing address of the person, candidate, political committee, independent expenditure-only political committee, or political party on whose behalf the communication is published or broadcast.

(b) If an electioneering communication is a related campaign expenditure made on a candidate's behalf as provided in section 2944 of this chapter, then in addition to other requirements of this section, the communication shall also clearly designate the candidate on whose behalf it was made by including language such as “on behalf of” such candidate.

(c)(1) In addition to the identification requirements in subsections (a) and (b) of this section, an electioneering communication paid for by or on behalf of a political committee, independent expenditure-only political committee, or political party shall contain the name of any contributor who contributed more than 25 percent of all contributions and more than $2,000.00 to that committee or party since the beginning of the two-year general election cycle in which the electioneering communication was made to the date on which the expenditure for the electioneering communication was made.

(2) For the purposes of this subsection, a committee or political party shall be treated as having made an expenditure if the committee or party or person acting on behalf of the committee or party has executed a contract to make the expenditure.

(d) If it is not practicable to meet the identification requirements of this section within an electioneering communication that is broadcast over the internet, such an electioneering communication shall contain a link that shall be clear and conspicuous and that, if clicked, takes the reader to a web page or social media page that provides all of the identification information as required by this section.

(e) The identification requirements of this section shall not apply to lapel stickers or buttons, nor shall they apply to electioneering communications made by a single individual acting alone who spends, in a single two-year general election cycle, a cumulative amount of not more than $150.00 on those electioneering communications, adjusted for inflation pursuant to the Consumer Price Index as provided in section 2905 of this chapter.
17 V.S.A. § 2593 — VT Code / Title 17 / Chapter 51 / Section 2593
§ 2593. Participation to be entered on statewide checklist by town clerk
Status: in_force

Not later than 60 days after an annual town meeting, primary election, presidential primary, or general election, the town clerk shall indicate on the town checklist of the statewide checklist each voter's participation, participation method, and political party of ballot taken, if applicable, in that election by a method approved by the Secretary of State.
17 V.S.A. § 2148 — VT Code / Title 17 / Chapter 43 / Section 2148
§ 2148. Appeal from board of civil authority
Status: in_force

(a) Any person whose application to vote has been rejected or whose name has been removed from the checklist may appeal to any Superior judge in the county in which the applicant claims residence. If there is no judge available in the county the appeal may be taken to any Superior judge. When an appeal is initiated after the Thursday immediately preceding the day of an election, it shall be conducted at once by the judge. In all instances, the appeal shall be conducted with sufficient speed, in order to resolve, when possible, all issues on appeal in sufficient time to permit a successful appellant to vote at the pending election. Neither formal pleadings nor filing fee shall be required and an appellant may represent himself or herself.

(b) An appeal is commenced by presenting an informal but written notice of appeal to the judge to whom the appeal is taken. The notice need only be sufficient to identify the appellant and the town in which he or she has been denied eligibility to vote. The judge shall forthwith schedule a hearing and notify the appellant and the town clerk, personally or by certified mail. The appellant and any other person may present evidence at the hearing, which shall be conducted informally so as to do substantial justice to all parties.

(c) Upon conclusion of the hearing the judge shall issue a written order, either affirming the decision of the board of civil authority, or ordering that the appellant's name be added to the checklist. The applicant shall not be permitted to vote unless and until the town clerk receives a written order from the court ordering that the applicant be permitted to vote.
17 V.S.A. § 2011 — VT Code / Title 17 / Chapter 35 / Section 2011
§ 2011. Perjury before board making checklist
Status: in_force

A person who knowingly swears falsely to a fact or matter that may be the subject of inquiry by the board of civil authority or town clerk in revising the checklist as provided in this title shall be guilty of perjury and imprisoned not more than 15 years or fined not more than $1,000.00, or both.
17 V.S.A. § 2555 — VT Code / Title 17 / Chapter 51 / Section 2555
§ 2555. Provisional ballot envelopes
Status: in_force

The clerk shall deliver to each polling place on the date of the election a sufficient number of provisional ballot envelopes printed with a voter attestation. The attestation shall include:

(1) A statement informing the applicant of the requirements for voter eligibility set forth in section 2121 of this title and space for the provisional voter to provide the information necessary for the town clerk to determine eligibility, including a place for the applicant to swear or affirm, by checking the appropriate box, that he or she meets all voter eligibility requirements set forth in section 2121 of this title and the signature of the provisional voter signed under penalty of perjury. In addition, the attestation shall include the following information:

(A) The provisional voter's place and date of birth.

(B) The provisional voter's town of legal residence.

(C) The provisional voter's street address or a description of the physical location of the applicant's residence. The description must contain sufficient information so that the town clerk can determine whether the applicant is a resident of the town.

(2) An attestation by the provisional voter that he or she submitted a properly completed voter application form. The attestation shall be signed by the provisional voter under penalty of perjury.

(3) Space on the application for documentation of the town clerk's action.

(4) A statement informing the provisional voter: “If you choose to vote by provisional ballot, after the close of the polls, the town clerk will determine whether you meet all eligibility requirements. If the clerk denies your application, he or she will inform you that the application has been denied.”
17 V.S.A. § 2721 — VT Code / Title 17 / Chapter 57 / Section 2721
§ 2721. Nomination of presidential electors
Status: in_force

In presidential election years, presidential electors for major political parties shall be nominated at the party platform convention held pursuant to this title. Electors for all other presidential candidates shall be nominated pursuant to chapter 49, subchapter 3 of this title.
17 V.S.A. § 2583 — VT Code / Title 17 / Chapter 51 / Section 2583
§ 2583. Official checklist to be tallied; storage of checklist
Status: repealed

(a)(1) The presiding officer, as soon after the closing of the polls as possible, shall cause both certified checklists to be examined and the number of voters checked as having voted to be tallied. Both tallies shall be recorded by the presiding officer. The presiding officer shall prepare a statement listing any discrepancies between the checklists, including the names involved and other details relating to the discrepancies.

(2) Unless the board of civil authority votes not to use an exit checklist under section 2507 of this chapter, each checklist shall be identified as either the “entrance” or “exit” checklist, and the exit checklist, together with a statement of discrepancies, shall be sealed and stored with the ballots and tally sheets as provided in section 2590 of this chapter. The entrance checklist shall be safely stored so that the public cannot have access to it for a period of 90 days except under the direct supervision of the town clerk.

(b) [Repealed.]
17 V.S.A. § 2313 — VT Code / Title 17 / Chapter 45 / Section 2313
§ 2313. Filing of certificate of organization
Status: in_force

(a)(1) Within 10 days after the first meeting of the State committee of a party, the chair and secretary shall file in the office of the Secretary of State a certificate stating that the party has completed its organization for the ensuing two years and has substantially complied with the provisions of this chapter.

(2) However, no State committee shall be eligible to file a certificate of organization unless it has town committees organized in at least 30 towns in this State and county committees organized in at least seven counties by January 1 of the year of the general election.

(b) The certificate of organization shall:

(1) set forth the names, mailing addresses, phone numbers, and emails of the officers and members of the State committee, together with the counties that they represent;

(2) contain a listing of the towns and counties in which committees have organized;

(3) designate, in not more than three words, the name by which the party shall be identified on any Australian ballot; and

(4) be accompanied by a copy of the notice calling the meeting.

(c) The Secretary of State shall prescribe and furnish the form to be used for this purpose.

(d) Upon receipt of a certificate of organization, the Secretary of State promptly shall notify all persons who have registered with the Secretary of State asking to be notified of such filings.

(e)(1) Within 10 days, the Secretary of State shall accept a certificate of organization if it appears to be valid on its face or reject it if it is not.

(2) The Secretary of State may reject a certificate of organization if the political or other name is not substantially different from the name of any organized political party.

(3) When a certificate is rejected, the Secretary of State promptly shall notify the chair and secretary of the committee to inform them in writing of the reasons for rejection.

(f) A committee is not considered organized until the material required by this section has been filed and accepted.
17 V.S.A. § 2305 — VT Code / Title 17 / Chapter 45 / Section 2305
§ 2305. First meeting of town committee
Status: in_force

(a)(1) The first meeting of the town committee shall be held immediately following adjournment of the caucus.

(2) At this meeting, members of the town committee shall elect committee officers and delegates to the county committee.

(b) All officers and other members of the town committee and all delegates to the county committee shall be voters of the town.
17 V.S.A. § 2572 — VT Code / Title 17 / Chapter 51 / Section 2572
§ 2572. Viewing of the checklist
Status: in_force

(a) A representative of each political party, a candidate on the ballot not represented by a political party, and a representative of each committee supporting or opposing any public question on the ballot shall each have the right to view, no more than two times each, a copy of the checklist upon which the election officials are marking those persons who have voted.

(b) This viewing shall occur only at times during the election that are convenient for the election officials and is required to be permitted only in instances where the board of civil authority have received a request in writing from the representative or candidate at least 12 hours before the opening of the polls.

(c) This section shall only apply at polling places that have checklists of eligible voters numbering 500 or less.
17 V.S.A. § 2653 — VT Code / Title 17 / Chapter 55 / Section 2653
§ 2653. Acceptance of office
Status: in_force

A person present at the meeting electing him or her to municipal office shall be treated as accepting, unless he or she declines before the meeting is adjourned. When not present, he or she shall be served as soon as possible with a written notice, signed by the clerk and served by the constable.
17 V.S.A. § 2924 — VT Code / Title 17 / Chapter 61 / Section 2924
§ 2924. Candidates; surplus campaign funds; new campaign accounts
Status: in_force

(a) A candidate who has surplus funds after all campaign debts have been paid shall not convert the surplus to personal use, other than to reduce personal campaign debts or as otherwise provided in this chapter.

(b) Surplus funds in a candidate's account shall be:

(1) contributed to other candidates, political parties, or political committees subject to the contribution limits set forth in this chapter;

(2) contributed to a charity;

(3) contributed to the Secretary of State Services Fund;

(4) rolled over into a new campaign or be carried forward for surplus maintenance as provided in subsection (d) of this section; or

(5) liquidated using a combination of the provisions set forth in subdivisions (1)-(4) of this subsection.

(c) The “final report” of a candidate shall indicate the amount of the surplus and how it has been liquidated.

(d)(1)(A) A candidate who chooses to roll over any surplus into a new campaign for public office shall close out his or her former campaign by converting all debts and assets to the new campaign.

(B) A candidate who does not intend to be a candidate in a subsequent election but who chooses to carry forward any surplus shall maintain that surplus by closing out his or her former campaign and converting all debts and assets to surplus maintenance.

(2) The candidate may use his or her former campaign's treasurer and bank account for the new campaign under subdivision (1)(A) of this subsection or the maintenance of surplus under subdivision (1)(B) of this subsection. A candidate shall be required to file a new bank designation form only if there has been a change in the treasurer or the location of the campaign account.
17 V.S.A. § 2491 — VT Code / Title 17 / Chapter 51 / Section 2491
§ 2491. Political subdivision; vote tabulators
Status: in_force

(a) Except as provided in subsection (b) of this section, a board of civil authority may, at a meeting held not less than 60 days prior to an election and warned pursuant to 24 V.S.A. § 801, vote to require the political subdivision for which it is elected to use vote tabulators for the registering and counting of votes in subsequent local, primary, or general elections, or any combination of those.

(b) A town with 1,000 or more registered voters as of December 31 in an even-numbered year shall use vote tabulators for the registering and counting of votes in subsequent general elections.

(c)(1) The Office of the Secretary of State shall pay the following costs associated with this section by using federal Help America Vote Act funds, as available:

(A) full purchase and warranty cost of vote tabulators, ballot boxes, and two memory cards for each tabulator;

(B) annual maintenance costs of vote tabulators for each town; and

(C) the first $500.00 of the first pair of a vote tabulator's memory cards' configuration costs for each primary and general election.

(2) A town shall pay the remainder of any cost not covered by subdivision (1) of this subsection.

(d)(1) Notwithstanding a town's use of vote tabulators under this section or any other provision of law, the Secretary of State may suspend the use of vote tabulators and require the hand count of votes in an election if the Secretary determines there are reasonable grounds to believe that the vote tabulators to be used in that election may have been rendered inoperable.

(2) Upon such a determination, the Secretary shall alert the clerks of the affected municipalities of his or her decision as soon as practicable.
17 V.S.A. § 2562 — VT Code / Title 17 / Chapter 51 / Section 2562
§ 2562. Presiding officer to assign duties to election officials
Status: in_force

At each polling place, the presiding officer shall assign specific duties to each election official present. Insofar as practical, he or she shall assign election officials to work in pairs, with each pair containing members from different political parties.
17 V.S.A. § 2355 — VT Code / Title 17 / Chapter 49 / Section 2355
§ 2355. Number of signatures required
Status: in_force

The number of signatures on primary petitions shall be not less than:

(1) for State and congressional officers, 500;

(2) for county officers or State senator, 100; and

(3) for Representative to the General Assembly, 50.
17 V.S.A. § 2322 — VT Code / Title 17 / Chapter 47 / Section 2322
§ 2322. Senatorial district committee
Status: in_force

The “senatorial district committee” of a party shall consist of those members of the county committee residing in a senatorial district. A senatorial district committee may encompass less than an entire county or may extend across county lines. Such a committee shall elect its own officers when called upon to meet, but it need not meet unless required to perform some function under this title. Any three members may call the first meeting by giving at least five days' written notice to all other members; thereafter, the committee shall meet at the call of the chair.
17 V.S.A. § 2650 — VT Code / Title 17 / Chapter 55 / Section 2650
§ 2650. Additional listers and selectboard members
Status: in_force

(a) Additional listers. A town may vote at a special or annual town meeting to elect two additional listers for terms of one year each.

(b) Additional selectboard members.

(1)(A) A town may vote at a special or annual town meeting to elect two additional selectboard members for terms of either one or two years each.

(B) When the terms of the additional selectboard members are to be for two years, the warning for the meeting shall so specify.

(2)(A) If two additional selectboard member positions are created, they shall be for terms of the same length, but if the terms of the new positions are to be for two years, when the additional selectboard members are first elected, one shall be elected for one year and the other selectboard member for two years.

(B) Terms of these additional selectboard members shall end on annual meeting days. If the additional selectboard members are elected at a special meeting, the term of those elected for one year shall expire on the next annual meeting day and those elected for two years shall expire on the second annual meeting day following their election.

(c) Discontinuing additional listers or selectboard members.

(1) A vote establishing additional listers or selectboard members shall remain in effect until the town votes to discontinue the two additional positions at an annual or special meeting duly warned for that purpose.

(2) The term of office of any lister or selectboard member in office on the date a town votes to discontinue that office shall expire on the 31st day after the vote, unless a petition for reconsideration or rescission of that vote is filed with the clerk of the municipality in accordance with section 2661 of this chapter, in which case that section shall control.
17 V.S.A. § 2532 — VT Code / Title 17 / Chapter 51 / Section 2532
§ 2532. Authorized applicants; application form; duplicates
Status: in_force

(a) Authorized applicants.

(1) An early or absentee voter, or an authorized family member or health care provider acting in the voter's behalf, may apply for an early voter absentee ballot by telephone, in person, or in writing. As used in this subsection, “family member” means a person's spouse, children, brothers, sisters, parents, spouse's parents, grandparents, and spouse's grandparents.

(2) Any other authorized person may apply in writing or in person; provided, however, that voter authorization to such a person shall not be given by response to a robotic phone call.

(b) Form of application.

(1) The application shall be in substantially the following form:

REQUEST FOR EARLY VOTER ABSENTEE BALLOT Name of early or absentee voter: _________________________________________ Voter's Town of Residence: _________________________________________ Current physical address (address where you reside): _________________________________________ _________________________________________ Telephone Number: ___________ E-mail Address: _______________________________________________________________________ Date: _________________________________________ I request early voter absentee ballot(s) for the election(s) checked below: (1) Annual Town Meeting; (2) All other local elections; (3) August Primary Election; (4) Presidential Primary (YOU MUST SELECT PARTY); (5) November General Election; (6) All elections in this calendar year. Please deliver the ballot(s) as indicated below (check one): (1) Mail to voter at: _________________________________________ Street or P.O. Box Town/City State Zip Code (2) Delivery by two Justices of the Peace (this may only be selected if you are ill, injured, or have a disability). If applicant is other than early or absentee voter: Name of applicant: _________________________________________ Address of applicant: _________________________________________ Relationship to early or absentee voter: _________________________________________ Organization, if applicable: _________________________________________ Date: _________________________________________ Signature of applicant: _________________________________________

(2) If the application is made by telephone or in writing, the information supplied shall be in substantial conformance with the information requested on this form.

(c) Simultaneous voter registration.

(1) If a person makes a simultaneous request to register to vote and to apply for an early voter absentee ballot or if the request for an early voter absentee ballot is made for a person who is not yet registered and the town clerk receives the request prior to the deadline to apply for early voter absentee ballots set forth in section 2531 of this subchapter, the town clerk shall mail a blank voter registration application, together with a full set of early voter absentee ballots, to that person.

(2) An official federal postcard application shall suffice as a simultaneous application to register to vote and for an early voter absentee ballot.

(3)(A) All voter registration applications that are returned to the town clerk before the close of the polls on election day shall be considered and acted upon by the board of civil authority before the ballots are counted.

(B) If the voter registration application is approved and the voter's name added to the checklist, the early voter absentee ballots cast by that voter shall be treated as other valid early voter absentee ballots.

(d) Application time frame.

(1) An application for an early voter absentee ballot shall be valid for the elections or the time frame specified by the applicant.

(2) A single application shall only be valid for any elections within the same calendar year.

(e) Duplicate early voter absentee ballots.

(1)(A) The town clerk may, upon application, issue a duplicate early voter absentee ballot if the original ballot is lost or not received by the voter within a reasonable period of time after it is mailed to the voter by the town clerk or by the Secretary of State's office pursuant to section 2537a of this subchapter.

(B) The application may be made by a person entitled to apply for an early voter absentee ballot under subsection (a) of this section and shall be accompanied by a sworn statement affirming that the voter has not received the original ballot.

(2) If a duplicate early voter absentee ballot is issued and both the duplicate and original early voter absentee ballots are received before the close of the polls on election day, the ballot that is received first by the town clerk shall be counted and the Elections Division of the Secretary of State's office shall be notified.

(f) Unauthorized applicants.

(1) Any person who applies for an early voter absentee ballot knowing the person is without authorization from the early or absentee voter shall be fined not more than $100.00 per violation for the first three violations, not more than $500.00 per violation for the fourth through ninth violations, and not more than $1,000.00 per violation for the tenth and subsequent violations.

(2) The Attorney General or a State's Attorney, whenever he or she has reason to believe any person to be or to have been in violation of this provision, shall conduct a civil investigation in accordance with the procedures set forth in section 2904 of this title.
17 V.S.A. § 2126 — VT Code / Title 17 / Chapter 43 / Section 2126
§ 2126. Village checklist
Status: in_force

A village clerk shall automatically include on the village checklist the names of all persons living within the village who are on the checklist of the town in which the village is located, except as provided in section 2122 of this title. No separate application or other action on the part of the voter shall be required.
17 V.S.A. § 2970 — VT Code / Title 17 / Chapter 61 / Section 2970
§ 2970. Campaign reports; public questions
Status: in_force

(a) Any formal or informal political action committee or independent expenditure-only political committee that makes expenditures of $500.00 or more during the election cycle for the purpose of advocating a position on a public question or influencing an election in any election shall file a report of its expenditures 30 days before, 10 days before, and two weeks after the election with the Secretary of State.

(b) As used in this section, “election cycle” means:

(1) in the case of a public question in a general or local election, the period that begins 38 days after the general or local election prior to the one in which the public question is posed and ends 38 days after the general or local election in which the public question is posed; or

(2) in the case of a public question in a special election, the period that begins on the date the special election for the public question was ordered and ends 38 days after that special election.
17 V.S.A. § 2540 — VT Code / Title 17 / Chapter 51 / Section 2540
§ 2540. Instructions to be sent with ballots
Status: repealed

(a) The town clerk shall send with all early voter absentee ballots and envelopes printed instructions, which may be included on the envelope, in a form prescribed by the Secretary of State's office.

(b) [Repealed.]
17 V.S.A. § 1820 — VT Code / Title 17 / Chapter 31 / Section 1820
§ 1820. General election law to apply; expense of election
Status: in_force

Expenses of such election shall be paid by the State or town as in the case of general elections. The statutory provisions as to holding general elections, furnishing ballots, instructions and forms, appointment and payment of election officers, filling of vacancies, solicitation of voters at the polls, challenging of voters, manner of conducting elections, counting and preserving the ballots and making returns thereof, and all other kindred subjects shall apply to such elections insofar as they are consistent with this chapter, it being the intent of this chapter to place such elections under the regulation and protection of the laws relating to general elections.