Democracy

Making government more open, responsive to, and reflective of ordinary Vermonters.

Narrow special interests disproportionately influence elections, public debate, and the government’s decision-making process, often drowning out the voice, subverting the will, and harming the interests of the general public. VPIRG is working for a more participatory and inclusive democracy: in favor of government transparency and integrity, against big money politics, and for more fair and accessible elections.

Our Priorities

It is not hyperbole to say that we are now facing some of the greatest threats to democracy in our nation’s history. The Trump administration and its cronies in Congress benefit from rigging the system and targeting certain constituencies, discouraging or preventing their participation in elections. They seek to coalesce power in the hands of corporate interests and the super-wealthy. And they reject transparency, preferring instead to “flood the zone” with disinformation and lies. 

We are not immune to the effects of this anti-democratic behavior here in Vermont. At VPIRG, we have a longstanding history of working to strengthen our democracy so that it comes ever closer to reaching the ideals upon which this nation was founded. Given the threats we face right now, our goal is not only to stand up to the threats we’re facing from Washington, but also to show leadership by making Vermont’s elections as open, fair, and transparent as possible. Here are some of our current priorities: 

Ranked Choice Voting

We know there’s already strong interest in the 2028 presidential election. The presidential primaries are likely to be wide-open, and this is a time when people should be free to vote for their favorite candidate without fear that casting such a vote could give some advantage to their least favorite candidate. Ranked Choice Voting would also eliminate the problem of wasted ballots, which occurs when you vote for a candidate who drops out before Vermont’s presidential primary takes place. We support having RCV in place for the 2028 presidential primary.

Corporate Power Reset

When the US Supreme Court issued its ruling in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission in January of 2010, it dismantled a century of campaign finance regulations and turned massive power over to corporations to influence elections. The Court held generally that the government can’t restrict independent political expenditures by corporations. This is the “corporations are people too” argument. But corporations are NOT people. In fact, only the states, as creators of corporations, have the authority to define the powers of the corporations they charter. So, VPIRG is backing legislation called “Corporate Power Reset,” which would modify corporate charters to exclude the power to engage in political spending. If a corporation lacks the capacity to spend money on politics—much like it lacks the capacity to vote or run for office—then it can have no First Amendment right to influence elections.  

Close the Lobbying Loophole

A lobbying disclosure loophole in Vermont law is being exploited by some special interests and should be closed. For example, the Koch Network’s Americans for Prosperity supports the fossil fuel industry and opposes laws that VPIRG has helped to pass that support clean energy and climate action (among other things). AFP has been spending hundreds of thousands of dollars in advertising aimed at taking down legislators who voted for climate action, but by exploiting a loophole in state law, they are avoiding timely and complete disclosure to the state. We need to make political spending transparent by passing H.686 and closing the loophole.       

Vermont Voting Rights Act

As one of our nation’s most important civil rights laws, the 1965 Voting Rights Act, is being dismantled at the federal level, we are working with coalition partners and legislative champions here in Vermont to protect the rights of traditionally underrepresented citizens by passing a Vermont Voting Rights Act. The Legislature is considering this legislation (S.298) in the current session.

We need to strengthen our elections, not weaken them. We can protect people’s right to vote, get big money out of politics, and shine a light on the dark money donors involved. In 2026, VPIRG will advocate for Pro-Voter bills in Vermont to protect our elections and improve transparency. 

Learn more about our priorities from the pages below:

Ranked Choice voting
Corporate Power Reset
Voting Rights Act

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