Valley voters broke their own records in terms of voter turnout on August 11 and absentee/mail-in ballots played a significant role in that.
Voter turnout for this week’s primary ranged from 32.9% to 42.0% compared to a range of 22% to 30% in the 2018 primary. This year 42% of Waitsfield voters cast ballots. In Warren 39.6% of voters went to the polls or mailed in/dropped off ballots. In Fayston 35.2% of voters turned out and 39.2% of Moretown voters participated in the primary. In Duxbury 32.9% of voters turned out or mailed in and dropped off ballots.
Like voters throughout Vermont, Republican voters selected incumbent Governor Phil Scott as the Republican candidate and Scott Milne as the Republican candidate for lieutenant governor.
Democratic voters followed state trends in electing current Lieutenant Governor David Zuckerman as the candidate to challenge Scott for governor. Democratic lieutenant governor candidate Molly Gray edged out Senator Tim Ashe for the nomination, mirroring the rest of the state.
Incumbent Democratic Congressman Peter Welch prevailed in The Valley and Vermont. Washington County state senators Ann Cummings, Anthony Pollina and Andrew Perchlik prevailed locally and in Washington County. Incumbent Democratic Secretary of State Jim Condos was the top choice for local and statewide voters.
Voters in the Washington-7 district cast 1,549 ballots for incumbent Democratic State Representative Maxine Grad and 1,540 ballots for incumbent Democratic State Representative Kari Dolan. Both Dolan and Grad received numerous write-in votes from Republicans and some from Progressives. Governor Phil Scott likewise received many write-in votes from those who cast Democratic and Progressive ballots.
