Editor’s note: Jasper Craven, Mike Faher, Adam Federman, Elizabeth Hewitt, Mark Johnson, Mike Polhamus and Morgan True contributed to this report.
Every election Rutland state Rep. Doug Gage shows up at the Calvary Bible Church before 7 a.m. to cast his vote and meet with constituents. Usually there are 30 to 35 people at the door. Tuesday there were five voters, and Gage was the sixth.
“The good news is there are no lines,” Gage said. “And the bad news is there are no lines.”
That summed up the mood across Rutland City’s four voting districts Tuesday afternoon. Turnout was generally considered weak especially for a presidential election year. The two voting precincts in Rutland Town also reported relatively low midday numbers.
“It’s been quite slow,” said Gage. “A trickle.”
Rep. Larry Cupoli, another Rutland legislator, said turnout appeared to be low, which he attributed to the early primary date.
And voters seemed less driven by any one candidate or single issue than an obligation to participate in the electoral process. Many voters reported being disillusioned with politics at both the national and state level.
“I haven’t missed an election since I turned 18,” said Jennifer Burrier, 35, of Rutland City, who voted in Ward 2, the city’s second most populous district. Burrier recently moved back to Rutland from California and said she’s a registered Democrat but tends to vote more progressive.
Michelle Poljacik, 64, also voting in Ward 2, said she never misses an election. Asked why she was voting this time she said, “We need to shake things up.” A registered Republican, she cast her vote for Bruce Lisman for governor.
Marty Fleming said she always votes but was particularly dismayed by the current state of politics in Vermont. She said she was old enough to remember when “there were real Republicans” in office. “A stranger off the street could do a better job,” she said. Voting for Lisman, she said, would “at least be a change.”
Christine Traska, a 50-year-old business loan lender in Rutland City, said she wants the state to reform health care. “A lot of things need to change,” she said.
Standing outside the Godnick Adult Center, Rep. Peter Fagan, R-Rutland, said turnout had been moderate but that he expected a lot of voters to come out after 5 p.m. when GE workers made their way home.
There was no one issue in particular driving his constituents, Fagan said, but in recent years the Legislature had taken on social justice issues and many felt that it was time to focus on the economy.
“We need to start focusing on business and economic progress to enable Vermont to continue to grow instead of being stagnant,” Fagan said.
Turnout appeared to be somewhat stronger in outlying towns. At around 1 p.m. Mendon assistant clerk Nancy Gondella said about 200 ballots had been cast as well as 30 absentee ballots. Gondella said because Mendon has just over 830 voters they count the ballots by hand — using the electronic tabulator comes with a $1,000 price tag for each election.
Brandon also reported healthy turnout. At around 3 p.m. it had 440 ballots and 137 absentee ballots; Brandon has 2,808 registered voters. “A better than normal turnout,” said Town Clerk Sue Gage.
Gwen Laporte, who was leaving the Brandon polling office with her three daughters, said, “There’s a lot going on. We have to help direct it.”
Voters line up in Waterbury
Shortly after 5 p.m., the parking lot at Thatcher Brook Primary School in Waterbury was packed. Lines a half-dozen deep formed at the registration table inside.
Becca Washburn, a Waterbury resident, said she supported Democrat Sue Minter for governor.
Minter was “really instrumental” in Waterbury’s government, Washburn said, noting that Minter’s record on the local level was part of why she decided to support her.
Washburn was particularly impressed by Minter’s economic development plan. She said Minter had stressed the importance of the tourism sector and had identified mountain biking as an area for potential growth, which Washburn supports.
Brett Pierce, a state employee with the Department of Public Safety, said that this election cycle, he was looking for a candidate who would support state employees. Pierce, a member of the Vermont State Employees’ Association, said he went with the candidate the union supported, Democrat Matt Dunne.
In Waitsfield, Cindi Jones said she was propelled to the polls Tuesday by the governor’s race. Jones voted for Republican Lt. Gov. Phil Scott, who she said has a strong record in and out of politics.
“He’s a hometown Vermonter who’s worked,” Jones said. “He knows what it’s like to work.”
Tom Buckowski, also of Waitsfield, supported Scott. When Scott was in the Senate, Buckowski found him to be very responsive — he would return emails within just a few hours.
Buckowski said he has concerns about state finances and the burden of taxes on Vermonters and sees Scott as the right man for the job.
“The state is in trouble,” Buckowski said.
Others, including Linda Olson, came out to support Minter.
“I just liked her approach to things,” Olson said. “She seemed to bring some of what I see as women qualities to how she processes and works, and I like that.”
NEK redder than the rest of the state
Many residents in the redder parts of the Northeast Kingdom said they checked Phil Scott at the top of the ballot. They often cited their familiarity with him in explaining their support, adding that he knew how to fix working Vermonters’ problems.
“I’ve known of Phil for a while now, so my confidence is with him,” said Fred Rose, of Island Pond, who knew little of rival Bruce Lisman.
Les Blodgett, of St. Johnsbury, said he thought Scott would slash state regulations. “You can’t even spit in this state without having to get a permit,” he said.
Blodgett, like other Scott supporters, took issue with Lisman’s spate of dark and gloomy television ads that portray the lieutenant governor as a stooge of Democratic Gov. Peter Shumlin.
“Lisman probably had some good ideas, but he blew it with me because of the ads,” Blodgett said. “If a man can’t run on his strengths and accomplishment he shouldn’t be in office.”
Another St. Johnsbury resident, 75-year-old Richard Bedor, portrayed Lisman as a flatlander with no genuine connection to the state.
“Here’s a guy who made his money in New York City — and lived there all his life — and then he comes to Vermont and comes out of the woodwork at the last minute and tries to put on a big act,” Bedor said. “Phil Scott has always been a Vermonter, and he’s made his money in Vermont with his own business.”
“I don’t appreciate Lisman’s negative style of campaigning,” said Eddie Garcia, of St. Johnsbury. “Phil Scott has been around a long time, he knows what he’s doing, and people like him.”
In the Democratic gubernatorial primary, voters often said they voted for either Dunne or Minter.
Aren Tulp, 19, of St. Johnsbury, said he voted for Dunne because the former Google executive had a progressive agenda.
“My main reason was that Dunne seems to have similar policies to Bernie (Sanders),” Tulp said.
A number of the Minter voters said they had shifted to Minter in recent days after a slew of Dunne missteps, including a shift in position on the siting of wind projects.
“It wasn’t his wind position that made me change my mind, it was his political maneuvering,” said Bob Swartz, of St. Johnsbury.
Swartz’s wife, Pat, said she started thinking about switching to Minter after Bill McKibben rescinded his endorsement of Dunne. She added that Minter would be a great governor because of her work as transportation secretary during Tropical Storm Irene.
“I also appreciated that Minter didn’t send us anything in the mail,” she joked, recalling a litany of mailers she’d received from Dunne.
Ellen Derouchie, of Newport, also cited Dunne’s wind policy.
“I liked everyone in the race, but his flip on wind last week changed my mind,” Derouchie said.
While many Northeast Kingdom voters were willing to talk, many said they thought voting was a private act. That sentiment was shared by embattled Jay Peak resort developer Bill Stenger, who voted in the Newport town offices shortly before 5 p.m.
Asked which candidate he voted for, Stenger demurred. Asked more broadly if he would reveal which party he supported, Stenger smiled and started walking toward his luxury Audi.
“I’m not going to tell you who I voted for,” he said before driving away.
Progressives, with dogs, make it to the polls in Burlington
In Burlington’s Old North End neighborhood, Bonnie Acker, 68, stood outside the Ward 2 polling place holding signs for lieutenant governor candidate David Zuckerman and Brian Cina, a candidate for state representative — both Progressives running as Democrats.
Acker, a self-described artist and food system organizer, offered to hold the leashes of people’s dogs while they went to the polls.
The Old North End is friendly territory for Progressives seeking the Democratic nod, and most of the steady stream of voters mentioned at least one as the candidate that brought them to the polls. Still, it was civic duty more than excitement driving the vote.
“Primaries aren’t the most exciting part of electoral politics,” said Nate Gondelman, 28. “But if I’m going to vote in November, I want to have a say in who’s on the ballot.”
Cherie Marshall said she too wanted to weigh in on who would top the Democratic ticket this fall.
“For me it came down to personality because their platforms aren’t that different,” Marshall said.
Maeve Eberhardt came out primarily to vote for Sue Minter because she likes her progressive politics and wanted “to see more representation of women.”
Arnold Weatherhead also voted for Minter but said all the candidates were strong. He said Minter’s strong stance on gun control put her over the top. He also said it was “a crime” so few turn out for the primary voting.
Dick and Nancy Lang said they voted for Phil Scott because they were concerned about one-party rule in Vermont, with the governor’s office and Legislature dominated by the same party.
“It’s an important election. We’re choosing people who are going to serve in government for quite a while,” Nancy Lang said. “We need to pick the best people we can.”
Dick Lang said he liked Scott’s approachability. Both Langs said Scott was a moderate and is well qualified for the position. They added they would not be voting for Donald Trump for president.
Lance Llewellyn said he voted for Bruce Lisman because of his push for smaller government.
Longtime Progressive Sherrill Musty said she came out to vote for Zuckerman for lieutenant governor in the Democratic primary and also voted for Minter. Musty said she could have voted for Dunne but cited Minter’s management experience running the Transportation Agency as one reason for supporting her. She said she hoped Minter could turn the focus on reforming health care if elected.
Twenty-two-year-old Connor Ritter came out to vote for Zuckerman, in part, because his roommate is working on Zuckerman’s campaign. He skipped voting in the governor’s race because he said he didn’t feel informed enough to cast a vote. It was his first time voting in state elections, and Ritter said he was surprised by the number of different positions that were up for election.
Joe Morel was another first-time voter. “I felt it wasn’t worth my time back then,” he said, explaining why he’d never voted before. “But this election, it might be worth my time.”
Morel said he didn’t have a detailed rationale for his gubernatorial pick. “I don’t know, I chose them at random, to be honest.”
He said he voted for Dunne for governor and Zuckerman for lieutenant governor.
“There are far too many choices” to become acquainted with every candidate, he said.
A Bernie Sanders supporter, Deena Murphy, of Burlington, said she’s “very disappointed” with the candidates for state office this year. “It doesn’t feel like there’s a lot of difference between the candidates,” Murphy said.
The big issues on her mind this year are income inequality, the environment and election spending.
Peter Brault, another Burlington resident, said before heading into the polls that he hadn’t yet decided whom to back.
Brault said he’d vote for a Republican for governor and that he was inclined to vote for an outsider. “There hasn’t been an awful lot of new blood” among state politicians lately, Brault said.
“But I do appreciate Phil Scott,” Brault said. “I think he’d do well for us.”
Taxes are an important issue for Brault.
“Taxation is killing us,” he said. “We’re taxed and fee-ed on everything.” Brault said on his most recent water bill, taxes and fees cost more than the water itself.
Experience, locally and globally, drives voters in Brattleboro
After casting his vote Tuesday at Brattleboro’s municipal center, Jerry Irish said he came to the polls mainly because “it’s our right to vote — so I’ve got to make sure I do that.”
Irish said it was the governor’s race, “more than anything,” that interested him. He said he supported Minter, in part because of her experience in state government.
“What I’ve read about her and heard about her, I’ve liked a lot,” Irish said.
Carol Jaenson said she votes in every election because she has lived in countries where voting rights are not a given. She gave Democrat Peter Galbraith her support in the governor’s race because the former U.S. ambassador has been involved in world affairs.
“It’s very important to me. Peter is the one who has that experience,” Jaenson said. “I know this is a state office, but we need people who can see beyond the state.”
Leslie Sullivan Sachs said she was most interested in supporting Zuckerman for lieutenant governor.
“I’ve known David for over 20 years. He has progressive values that really reflect mine,” said Sullivan Sachs, a veteran of anti-nuclear campaigns.
She also said Zuckerman is indefatigable.
“He’s a working farmer. He can’t quit his day job to campaign,” Sullivan Sachs said.