The Vermont Senate is the upper house of the Vermont General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Vermont. The senate consists of 30 members elected from multi-member districts. Each senator represents at least 20,300 citizens. Senators are elected to two-year terms and there is no limit to the number of terms that a senator may serve.
The politics of Vermont encompass the acts of the elected legislative bodies of the US state, the actions of its governors, as overseen by the Vermont courts, and the acts of the political parties that vie for elective power within the state. The state's politics include local Democratic and Republican political parties, as well as several smaller parties.
The Vermont Republican Party is the affiliate of the Republican Party in Vermont and has been active since its foundation in the 1860s. The party is the second largest in the state behind the Vermont Democratic Party, but ahead of the Vermont Progressive Party. The party historically dominated Vermont politics until the mid-20th century, but was replaced by the Vermont Democratic Party. The party currently has very weak federal electoral power in the state, controlling none of Vermont's federal elected offices. The only statewide office that the party currently controls is the governorship, held by Phil Scott.
Elections in Vermont are authorized under Chapter II of the Vermont State Constitution, articles 43–49, which establishes elections for the state level officers, cabinet, and legislature. Articles 50–53 establish the election of county-level officers.
The 1986 Vermont gubernatorial election took place on November 4, 1986. Incumbent Democrat Madeleine Kunin ran successfully for re-election to a second term as Governor of Vermont, defeating Republican candidate Peter Plympton Smith and independent candidate Bernie Sanders. Since no candidate won a majority of the popular vote, Kunin was elected by the Vermont General Assembly per the state constitution.
The 1926 Vermont gubernatorial election took place on November 2, 1926. Incumbent Republican Franklin S. Billings, per the "Mountain Rule", did not run for re-election to a second term as Governor of Vermont. Republican candidate John E. Weeks defeated Democratic candidate Herbert C. Comings to succeed him.
The 1924 Vermont gubernatorial election took place on November 4, 1924. Per the "Mountain Rule", incumbent Republican Redfield Proctor Jr. did not run for re-election to a second term as Governor of Vermont. Republicans nominated Franklin S. Billings. The Democratic nomination was won by Howard E. Shaw. Shaw died before the general election, and the Vermont Democratic Party selected Fred C. Martin as his replacement. Billings defeated Martin in the general election and succeeded Proctor.
The 1922 Vermont gubernatorial election took place on November 7, 1922. Incumbent Republican James Hartness, per the "Mountain Rule", did not run for re-election to a second term as Governor of Vermont. Republican candidate Redfield Proctor Jr. defeated Democratic candidate John Holmes Jackson to succeed him.
The 1920 Vermont gubernatorial election took place on November 2, 1920. Incumbent Republican Percival W. Clement, per the "Mountain Rule", did not run for re-election to a second term as Governor of Vermont. Republican candidate James Hartness defeated Democratic candidate Fred C. Martin to succeed him.
The 1918 Vermont gubernatorial election took place on November 5, 1918. Incumbent Republican Horace F. Graham, per the "Mountain Rule", did not run for re-election to a second term as Governor of Vermont. Republican candidate Percival W. Clement defeated Democratic candidate William B. Mayo to succeed him.
The 1916 Vermont gubernatorial election took place on November 7, 1916. Incumbent Republican Charles W. Gates, per the "Mountain Rule", did not run for re-election to a second term as Governor of Vermont. Republican candidate Horace F. Graham defeated Democratic candidate William B. Mayo to succeed him.
The 1914 Vermont gubernatorial election took place on November 3, 1914. Incumbent Republican Allen M. Fletcher, per the "Mountain Rule", did not run for re-election to a second term as Governor of Vermont. Republican candidate Charles W. Gates defeated Democratic candidate Harland B. Howe and Progressive candidate Walter J. Aldrich to succeed him.
The 1910 Vermont gubernatorial election took place on September 6, 1910. Incumbent Republican George H. Prouty, per the "Mountain Rule", did not run for re-election to a second term as Governor of Vermont. Republican candidate John A. Mead defeated Democratic candidate Charles D. Watson to succeed him.
The 1908 Vermont gubernatorial election took place on September 1, 1908. Incumbent Republican Fletcher D. Proctor, per the "Mountain Rule", did not run for re-election to a second term as Governor of Vermont. Republican candidate George H. Prouty defeated Democratic candidate, Burlington mayor James Edmund Burke to succeed him.
The 1906 Vermont gubernatorial election took place on September 4, 1906. In keeping with the Republican Party's "Mountain Rule", incumbent Republican Charles J. Bell, did not run for a second term as Governor of Vermont. At the start of the year, Percival W. Clement and Fletcher D. Proctor were the leading candidates for the Republican nomination. When it became clear that Proctor had the support of the delegates, Clement ended his campaign for the nomination. He filed as an Independent candidate for the general election and was subsequently endorsed by the Democratic Party. In the general election, Proctor easily defeated Clement.
The 1904 Vermont gubernatorial election took place on September 6, 1904. Incumbent Republican John G. McCullough, per the "Mountain Rule", did not run for re-election to a second term as Governor of Vermont. Republican candidate Charles J. Bell defeated Democratic candidate Eli H. Porter to succeed him.
The 1902 Vermont gubernatorial election took place on September 2, 1902. Incumbent Republican William W. Stickney, per the "Mountain Rule", did not run for re-election to a second term as Governor of Vermont. Republican candidate John G. McCullough defeated Local Option candidate Percival W. Clement and Democratic candidate Felix W. McGettrick to succeed him. Since no candidate won a majority of the popular vote, the election was decided by the Vermont General Assembly in accordance with the state constitution, where McCullough was elected with 164 votes to 59 for Clement and 45 for McGettrick.
The 1900 Vermont gubernatorial election took place on September 4, 1900. Incumbent Republican Edward C. Smith, per the "Mountain Rule", did not run for re-election to a second term as Governor of Vermont. Republican candidate William W. Stickney defeated Democratic candidate John H. Senter to succeed him.
The 1896 Vermont gubernatorial election took place on September 1, 1896. Incumbent Republican Urban A. Woodbury, per the "Mountain Rule", did not run for re-election to a second term as Governor of Vermont. Republican candidate Josiah Grout defeated Democratic candidate J. Henry Jackson to succeed him.
The 1892 Vermont gubernatorial election took place on September 6, 1892. Incumbent Republican Carroll S. Page, per the "Mountain Rule", did not run for re-election to a second term as Governor of Vermont. Republican candidate Levi K. Fuller defeated Democratic candidate B. B. Smalley to succeed him.
