Elections and Government Reform

Senate Committees Advance Campaign Finance Reform

Elections and Government Reform, News and Updates, Victories / By

On Wednesday, March 10th, the Senate Government Operations Committee advanced legislation (S.51) that would effectively ban corporate campaign contributions directly to candidates. If enacted, S.51 would be a meaningful step towards getting big money out of politics. Currently, Vermont’s campaign finance law allows corporations to contribute the same amount as individuals. The idea here is simple: corporations are not people and they shouldn’t have the …

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Burlington Votes to Adopt Ranked Choice Voting

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On Town Meeting Day, Burlington voted resoundingly in favor of a better ballot. Ballot Question 4, a charter change to adopt ranked choice voting for city council elections passed decisively with 64 percent of the vote, and with nearly 4,000 more ‘yes’ votes than ‘no’ votes. Once approved by the legislature, the measure will take effect in 2022.   The Better Ballot Burlington campaign and Honorary Co-Chairs Councilor Zoraya …

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Poll Shows Huge Support for Vote By Mail in VT

Elections and Government Reform, News and Updates, Vote Safe Vermont / By

According to a new poll released Tuesday, Vermont voters are overwhelmingly in favor of keeping the practice of mailing a ballot to every voter, a policy that was put in place by state leaders on a temporary basis last year. The poll, conducted by the independent firm Lincoln Park Strategies on behalf of the nonprofit …

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YES on 4: Better Ballot Burlington – A fun, informative virtual event

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This past week, VPIRG’s own Kate Lapp joined former Gov. Howard Dean, Councilor Zoraya Hightower, Jerry Greenfield of Ben & Jerry’s, Rob Richie of FairVote, and Anna Kellar of the Maine League of Women Voters for a fun, informative virtual event on ranked choice voting. Catch this replay of the event! Featured are remarks from …

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VPIRG Statement on Expected Protests in Montpelier

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At VPIRG, we’re not generally in the business of urging people not to demonstrate or protest peacefully. These are time-honored tactics by which we make our voices heard and show the breadth of support for our campaigns. In fact, the day after the election in November we co-sponsored a State House rally aimed at making …

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Join Us in Supporting Gov. Scott’s Call for Trump’s Resignation or Removal

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We were horrified by the attack on the U.S. Capitol on January 6. The images were shocking. Members of Congress sheltering in place, doors barricaded, and guns drawn by security personnel to keep the angry mob out. One person was shot and killed inside the Capitol during the assault and several others were apparently injured. …

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We Want to Hear Your Thoughts on Vote-by-Mail

Elections and Government Reform, News and Updates, Take Action, Vote Safe Vermont / By

As we collectively catch our breath (and breathe a sigh of relief!) following the election, we have a lot to be proud of as Vermonters. More than 365,000 Vermonters participated in the 2020 Vermont general election, blowing away the previous record by more than 40,000 votes.   This record-breaking turnout is due to a variety of factors – …

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Gray, Pearce Commit to Supporting Popular Vote Winners

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Two of the major party candidates running for Vermont’s top offices (Governor, Lieutenant Governor, and Treasurer) have pledged to support the person who wins the most votes in their race. Incumbent State Treasurer Beth Pearce (D) has signed the pledge, as has Democrat Molly Gray, who is running for the open seat for lieutenant governor. …

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Lower Barriers to Voting Means Higher Youth Voter Participation

Elections and Government Reform, News and Updates, Vote Safe Vermont / By

Voter turnout is notoriously low among young people. However, the dominant narrative that young folks don’t vote because we are simply apathetic is largely inaccurate. Often, the primary barriers preventing young voters from voting are structural, not personal.   For example, voters age 18-34 face higher levels of voting challenges than all other age groups with barriers such …

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