# Nov. 3, 2026 General Election — Westfield, VT ballot: candidate profiles _Generated 2026-10-12T19:39:01-04:00. Nonpartisan compilation; no endorsements._ Ballot verified against the Vermont Secretary of State '2026 General Election Qualified Candidates' workbook (https://outside.vermont.gov/dept/sos/Elections_Division/election_info_resources/candidates/2026_general_election_qualified_candidates.xlsx, 'Last Updated 9/23/2026'). Profiles compiled Oct 12, 2026 from candidate websites, official government pages, and news/civic-guide sources linked inline. 'Record' pros/cons are documented actions as reported by the cited source; listing under pros or cons reflects how supporters or critics have characterized them and is not an evaluation. No endorsements. Ballotpedia pages could not be fetched directly (blocked); items attributed to Ballotpedia come via search snippets or secondary guides and are flagged. ## Ballot verification **Matches** - All 31 candidate names on the photo list appear on the official SOS 2026 General Election Qualified Candidates list (last updated 9/23/2026) for the matching offices/districts (ORL 1 Senate, ORL-LAM House, Orleans county offices). - Hometowns confirmed as read: Balint (Brattleboro), Malloy (Weathersfield), Seymour (Highgate), Scott (Berlin), Gray (Burlington), Rodgers (Glover), LaFleur (Stowe), Copeland Hanzas (Bradford), Paige (Washington), Shaw (Bennington), Ashe (Burlington), Kronick (Poultney), Kemon (Vergennes), Morley (Barton), Higley (Lowell), Menon (Coventry), Ross (Albany), Hardy (Derby), Selby (Morgan), Leyva (Westfield), Harlow (Holland). Janoo (Burlington) also matches. - Parties confirmed as read: Altair, Ortiz, Seymour, Walton, Judd (Independent); Balint, Gray, Copeland Hanzas, Ashe, Clark, Pieciak (Democratic); Malloy, Scott, Rodgers, LaFleur, Paige, Kronick, Kemon (Republican); Goodband (Peace and Justice); Roy (Freedom and Unity); Hampl, Shaw (Progressive); Ross (Independent). **Corrections / mismatches vs. photo** - Adam Ortiz hometown: photo 'Burlington?' -> official NEWPORT CITY. - Phoenix K. Altair hometown (blank on photo) -> IRASBURG; party Independent confirmed. - Ryan P. Walton hometown (blank) -> RUTLAND CITY. - June Goodband hometown (blank) -> SPRINGFIELD. - Brian Judd hometown (blank) -> BARRE CITY. - Dean Roy hometown (blank) -> STOWE. - Amanda Janoo party: photo 'Democratic' -> official DEM/PROG (Democratic and Progressive). - Zachary Hampl hometown (blank) -> RUTLAND TOWN. - Mike Pieciak hometown (blank) -> WINOOSKI. - Charity R. Clark hometown (blank) -> WILLISTON. - John Morley III party: photo 'Republican' -> official REP/DEM. - Mark Higley party: photo 'Republican' -> official REP/DEM. - Praneet Menon party: photo 'Democratic' -> official REP/DEM. - Curtis A. Hardy, Sean Selby, Farzana Leyva, Jennifer L. Harlow party: photo 'Republican' -> official REP/DEM. - John S. Rodgers is the INCUMBENT Lt. Governor (not marked on photo list). - MISSING from photo list: High Bailiff (Orleans County) - Richard Wells Jr., Derby, REP/DEM (profiled below; confirm on printed ballot). - MISSING from photo list: Justice of the Peace (Westfield, town ballot) - Karen Blais, LaDonna R Dunn, Nicole L Dunn, Michael J Piper, Pat Sagui (all Independent, Westfield). Not profiled. - Note: SOS financial-disclosure filename spells 'Zachary Hample'; ballot name HAMPL. Morley's SOS mailing address is in Orleans village; town of residence Barton. ## Representative to Congress (U.S. House, at-large) (vote for 1) ### Phoenix K. Altair - **Party (official list):** Independent - **Hometown:** Irasburg - **Incumbent:** No **Bio.** Little public info found. Independent candidate on the official 2026 general election list, listing an Irasburg residence. **Background.** A BallotReady listing describes Altair as a writer, artist, ordained priestess and ceremony/funeral officiant; she appeared on the 'Disenfranchised Podcast' (Sept 2026) to discuss the run. The Full Record found 'little public record' for this candidate. **Stated positions** - Little public info found. **Links:** , , **Uncertain / notes** - `uncertain` Little public info found. Searched: VT SOS 2026 candidate workbook, VTDigger 2026 election guide, Ballotpedia (fetch blocked; via search snippets), thegist.vote, theballotbrief.com, smarter.vote, thefullrecord.org, general web search on name + office. - `uncertain` Biographical description comes from a BallotReady listing (self-description); not independently verified. - `uncertain` No campaign website listed on the SOS workbook; no stated policy positions found. ### Becca Balint - **Party (official list):** Democratic - **Hometown:** Brattleboro - **Incumbent:** Yes **Bio.** Incumbent U.S. Representative for Vermont's at-large district since January 2023; won the Aug. 11, 2026 Democratic primary with 98.3%. **Background.** Born at a U.S. Army hospital in Heidelberg, Germany; lives in Brattleboro. Former public and private school teacher. B.A. Smith College; Ed.M. Harvard (1995); M.A. history, UMass Amherst (2001). Served in the Vermont Senate, including as President Pro Tempore, before election to Congress in 2022. Serves on House Judiciary and Budget committees (119th Congress). **Stated positions** - Supports a national single-payer 'Medicare for All' system; supports federal drug-price negotiation and restricting pharmacy benefit managers. ([source](https://www.vermontpublic.org/local-news/2026-10-08/candidates-for-congress-face-off-over-immigration-healthcare-and-voting-in-vermont-public-debate)) - Supports dismantling ICE and housing immigration enforcement in a different agency; called ICE 'a paramilitary force'. ([source](https://www.vermontpublic.org/local-news/2026-10-08/candidates-for-congress-face-off-over-immigration-healthcare-and-voting-in-vermont-public-debate)) - Opposes the Iran war and voted for a War Powers Resolution to remove U.S. forces from hostilities with Iran absent congressional authorization (H.Con.Res. 86, June 3, 2026). ([source](https://www.thefullrecord.org/guide/race/us-house-vt-al)) - Campaign site supports codifying abortion rights in federal law, expanded background checks, red-flag laws and reinstating the assault weapons ban. ([source](https://www.thefullrecord.org/guide/race/us-house-vt-al)) - Says the 2025 'One Big Beautiful Bill Act' mostly benefited top earners, while acknowledging the senior deduction and no-tax-on-tips/overtime provisions help some Vermonters. ([source](https://www.vermontpublic.org/local-news/2026-10-08/candidates-for-congress-face-off-over-immigration-healthcare-and-voting-in-vermont-public-debate)) **Record in office — items cited favorably** - Voted YES on H.J.Res. 72 (Feb 11, 2026) to terminate the emergency underlying 25% tariffs on Canadian imports; passed 219-211. ([source](https://www.thefullrecord.org/guide/race/us-house-vt-al)) - Voted YES on H.R. 1834 'Breaking the Gridlock Act' (Jan 8, 2026) extending enhanced ACA premium tax credits; passed 230-196. ([source](https://www.thefullrecord.org/guide/race/us-house-vt-al)) - Cosponsored H.R. 2743, the Raise the Wage Act of 2025, to raise the federal minimum wage. ([source](https://www.thefullrecord.org/guide/race/us-house-vt-al)) - Voted YES on H.R. 4405, the Epstein Files Transparency Act (Nov 18, 2025); passed 427-1. ([source](https://www.thefullrecord.org/guide/race/us-house-vt-al)) **Record in office — items cited critically** - Voted NO on the Laken Riley Act (S. 5, Jan 22, 2025), which passed 263-156 with bipartisan support and requires DHS detention of undocumented immigrants charged with certain crimes. ([source](https://www.thefullrecord.org/guide/race/us-house-vt-al)) - Voted NO on H.R. 1 (One Big Beautiful Bill Act, 2025), which included a senior tax deduction and no-tax-on-tips/overtime provisions she later acknowledged benefit some Vermonters. ([source](https://www.vermontpublic.org/local-news/2026-10-08/candidates-for-congress-face-off-over-immigration-healthcare-and-voting-in-vermont-public-debate)) - Voted NO on H.R. 5371 (Nov 12, 2025), the bill that ended the 43-day federal shutdown and funded SNAP retroactively; passed 222-209. ([source](https://www.thefullrecord.org/guide/race/us-house-vt-al)) - Voted NO on the FY2026 NDAA (S. 1071, Dec 10, 2025), which included a service-member pay raise; passed 312-112. ([source](https://www.thefullrecord.org/guide/race/us-house-vt-al)) **Links:** , , , **Uncertain / notes** - `uncertain` Roll-call details are taken from The Full Record, which links to U.S. House Clerk roll calls; verify individual votes at clerk.house.gov before publication. ### Gerald Malloy - **Party (official list):** Republican - **Hometown:** Weathersfield - **Incumbent:** No **Bio.** Republican nominee; won the Aug. 11, 2026 GOP primary with 76.6% over Mark Coester. **Background.** Retired U.S. Army officer (served 1980-2006; West Point B.S. 1984), graduate degree from Temple University (1996), graduate certificate from Georgetown (2021); business executive after military service. Lives in the Perkinsville area (Weathersfield). **Stated positions** - Would use relationships in Congress to recruit businesses to Vermont and create career-path jobs for young people. ([source](https://www.vermontpublic.org/local-news/2026-10-08/candidates-for-congress-face-off-over-immigration-healthcare-and-voting-in-vermont-public-debate)) - Supports drug-price transparency and shorter patent timelines to speed generics; does not support universal Medicare. ([source](https://www.vermontpublic.org/local-news/2026-10-08/candidates-for-congress-face-off-over-immigration-healthcare-and-voting-in-vermont-public-debate)) - Opposes abolishing ICE; supports deporting people who commit crimes but says the government should not try to 'track down every single person who is not fully documented'. ([source](https://www.vermontpublic.org/local-news/2026-10-08/candidates-for-congress-face-off-over-immigration-healthcare-and-voting-in-vermont-public-debate)) - Does not support Trump administration tariffs on Canada. ([source](https://www.thefullrecord.org/guide/race/us-house-vt-al)) - Called for a peace agreement in the Iran war conditioned on Iran not having nuclear weapons. ([source](https://www.vermontpublic.org/local-news/2026-10-08/candidates-for-congress-face-off-over-immigration-healthcare-and-voting-in-vermont-public-debate)) - Opposes rapid climate mandates such as the Green New Deal and Vermont's Global Warming Solutions Act (2022 Ballotpedia survey); 2026 campaign Q&A says 'Women have a right to abortion in Vermont' under state law. ([source](https://www.thefullrecord.org/guide/race/us-house-vt-al)) **Links:** , **Uncertain / notes** - `uncertain` Hometown on official list is Weathersfield; The Full Record lists Perkinsville, a village within Weathersfield. ### Adam Ortiz - **Party (official list):** Independent - **Hometown:** Newport City - **Incumbent:** No **Bio.** Little public info found. Independent candidate; participated in Vermont Public's Oct. 8, 2026 U.S. House debate. **Background.** Born in Philadelphia; U.S. Army National Guard veteran (2006-2012), per his Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey as summarized by The Full Record. **Stated positions** - Describes environmental protection and infrastructure investment as priorities: 'All issues are environmental issues... The Vermont brand is everyone's responsibility to protect.' ([source](https://www.thefullrecord.org/guide/race/us-house-vt-al/adam-ortiz)) - In debate, proposed mental-health access, support for women veterans, and making Vermont a destination for physical therapy and mental-health care, partly by rebuilding 'ghost towns'. ([source](https://www.vermontpublic.org/local-news/2026-10-08/candidates-for-congress-face-off-over-immigration-healthcare-and-voting-in-vermont-public-debate)) **Links:** , **Uncertain / notes** - `uncertain` Ballot photo read hometown as Burlington; official list says NEWPORT CITY. - `uncertain` Little public info found. Searched: VT SOS 2026 candidate workbook, VTDigger 2026 election guide, Ballotpedia (fetch blocked; via search snippets), thegist.vote, theballotbrief.com, smarter.vote, thefullrecord.org, general web search on name + office. ### Suzanne "Suz" Seymour - **Party (official list):** Independent - **Hometown:** Highgate - **Incumbent:** No **Bio.** Independent candidate running as 'Are You Okay, Vermont?' (RUOKVT); Colchester small-business owner. **Background.** Per her campaign site: former Domino's Pizza franchisee (Concord and Salem, NH); founded massage-therapy businesses in Massachusetts and Vermont; past president of the Vermont chapter of the American Massage Therapy Association; stand-up comedian since 2014, radio host and writer; former executive director of the LGBT Coalition of Western Massachusetts and co-vice president of InterPride. Survived a 2022 head-on collision. **Stated positions** - Pledges to work with either party, refuse corporate PAC and pharmaceutical-industry donations, hold quarterly town halls statewide, and publish an accounting of every vote. ([source](https://ruokvt.com/about/)) - Campaign emphasizes fiscal transparency, small-business and rural support, and healthcare access. ([source](https://ruokvt.com/suzanne-suz-seymour-announces-independent-campaign-for-u-s-congress/)) **Links:** , , **Uncertain / notes** - `uncertain` Biography is self-reported on campaign site. ### Ryan P. Walton - **Party (official list):** Independent - **Hometown:** Rutland City - **Incumbent:** No **Bio.** Independent candidate ('Walton for Vermont'). **Background.** Per his campaign site: background in Vermont real estate investment and rehabilitation, property-services business ownership, construction, software/product development, writing and education. **Stated positions** - Argues Vermont should send an independent representative rather than give its vote 'automatically' to a national party; would work with either party when it benefits Vermont. ([source](https://www.waltonforvermont.com/)) - Campaign accepts only one $250 contribution per Vermont individual; no PAC, party or corporate contributions. ([source](https://www.waltonforvermont.com/)) - Runs a public meeting series, 'Who Governs Vermont?', on where governing authority in the state should reside. ([source](https://www.waltonforvermont.com/)) **Links:** , , **Uncertain / notes** - `uncertain` Ballot photo had no hometown; official list says RUTLAND CITY. - `uncertain` Few specific federal policy positions found on campaign site; biography is self-reported. ## Governor (vote for 1) ### June Goodband - **Party (official list):** Peace and Justice (Green Mountain Peace and Justice Party) - **Hometown:** Springfield - **Incumbent:** No **Bio.** Psychotherapist/counselor for 30+ years; Green Mountain Peace and Justice Party nominee for governor in 2024 (about 1.2% of the vote) and again in 2026. **Background.** Springfield resident; private-practice counselor focused on emotional wellbeing and addiction recovery. Has not held elected office. **Stated positions** - Calls for full implementation of Vermont's existing universal health care law; describes health care as a human right. ([source](https://june4govvt.org/)) - Supports replacing homestead property taxes as the main school-funding source with statewide progressive taxation. ([source](https://vtdigger.org/profile/june-goodband/)) - Calls for requiring profitable businesses to pay a living wage, and for worker cooperatives, renewable-energy infrastructure, childcare, affordable housing and local food investment. ([source](https://june4govvt.org/)) - Campaign says 'We aren't asking for money'; asks for volunteer help instead. ([source](https://june4govvt.org/)) **Links:** , , ### Amanda Janoo - **Party (official list):** Democratic / Progressive (listed DEM/PROG) - **Hometown:** Burlington - **Incumbent:** No **Bio.** Economist; Democratic nominee after winning the Aug. 11, 2026 primary over Aly Richards (49.1% to 46.5%); also nominated by the Progressive Party per the SOS list. **Background.** Grew up in Strafford; rents in Burlington. Economics and Policy Lead at the Wellbeing Economy Alliance, advising governments including Scotland, Wales, Finland, New Zealand and Canada; began career with the United Nations on industrial policy. Co-founded the Wellbeing Economy Alliance of Vermont; former Rights and Democracy Institute board chair and ACLU-VT board member. Has not held elected office. **Stated positions** - Proposes state-funded universal primary care, funded in part by higher taxes on incomes over $500,000 (stated at a July 23, 2026 debate). ([source](https://smarter.vote/races/vt-governor-2026/amanda-janoo/)) - Proposes a Vermont Public Bank partnering with credit unions, redirecting economic-development subsidies to Vermont businesses, and an Office of Community Wealth Building. ([source](https://www.stateside.com/sites/default/files/2026-10/Amanda%20Janoo%20Candidate%20Profile.pdf)) - Proposes higher property taxes on second homes/luxury rentals with revenue used to lower taxes for residents. ([source](https://www.addisonindependent.com/2026/04/09/amanda-janoo-launches-bid-for-governor/)) - Supports a moratorium/ban on AI data centers and new taxes on large digital platforms and AI infrastructure. ([source](https://www.janooforvt.com/platform-page/)) - Has stated support for full repeal of Act 181 (land-use law). ([source](https://smarter.vote/races/vt-governor-2026/amanda-janoo/)) **Links:** , , **Uncertain / notes** - `uncertain` Ballot photo read party as Democratic; official SOS list shows DEM/PROG (Democratic and Progressive nominations). Confirm how the printed Westfield ballot displays it. - `uncertain` Act 181 repeal position is reported by Smarter.Vote; primary source not independently confirmed. ### Brian Judd - **Party (official list):** Independent - **Hometown:** Barre City - **Incumbent:** No **Bio.** Barre City native; U.S. Navy veteran (1978-1983); former SAG-AFTRA background actor/stand-in in Los Angeles. **Background.** Ran for Barre City Council Ward 2 in 2021 (lost by 38 votes; Vermont Supreme Court affirmed dismissal of his election-contest suit in 2022). Won 2022 GOP primary for Vermont House Washington-3 and lost the general election. Associate degrees from Santa Monica College. Has not held elected office. **Stated positions** - Would use executive authority to seek full repeal of Act 181, restore state psychiatric hospitals, and audit state government and nonprofits. ([source](https://vermontdailychronicle.com/barre-independent-running-for-governor/)) - Says he would work to stop tax increases, lower existing taxes and return money to taxpayers. ([source](https://vermontdailychronicle.com/barre-independent-running-for-governor/)) - Has advocated reinstating loitering/vagrancy laws alongside medical and psychiatric evaluation, job training and housing for homeless residents. ([source](https://smarter.vote/races/vt-governor-2026/brian-judd/)) **Links:** , , **Uncertain / notes** - `uncertain` Ballot photo had no hometown; official list says BARRE CITY. ### Dean Roy - **Party (official list):** Freedom and Unity - **Hometown:** Stowe - **Incumbent:** No **Bio.** Stowe High School student who formed the Freedom and Unity Party to qualify; reported as the first person under 18 on a Vermont general-election ballot for governor. **Background.** Served as a legislative page at the Statehouse (2025); works part-time at his parents' pizza shop. Has not held elected office. **Stated positions** - Identifies housing and property taxes as the top issues; supports statewide caps on short-term rentals plus a 5% tax on them. ([source](https://vtdigger.org/2025/07/20/stowe-teen-preps-for-gubernatorial-race/)) - Platform promises 'no new restrictions of any kind on guns, construction, or farming' and rejects Vermont's electric-vehicle sales mandate. ([source](https://people.com/14-year-old-dean-roy-running-for-vermont-governor-11865915)) - Has said women have a right to choose; supports immigration reform and restoring relations with Canada. ([source](https://vtdigger.org/2025/07/20/stowe-teen-preps-for-gubernatorial-race/)) - Opposes automated license-plate-reader (Flock) cameras. ([source](https://smarter.vote/races/vt-governor-2026/dean-roy/)) **Links:** , , **Uncertain / notes** - `uncertain` Ballot photo had no hometown; official list says STOWE. - `uncertain` News reports give his age as 14 or 15 depending on date of publication. ### Phil Scott - **Party (official list):** Republican - **Hometown:** Berlin - **Incumbent:** Yes **Bio.** Incumbent governor since January 2017, seeking a sixth two-year term. **Background.** Vermont Senate (Washington County) 2001-2010; Lieutenant Governor 2011-2017. Co-owned DuBois Construction (1986-2017; sold his share after election). B.S. industrial education, University of Vermont (1980). **Stated positions** - Campaigning on affordability, restrained state spending and tax relief; directed agencies to hold average general-fund growth just above 1%. ([source](https://www.vermontpublic.org/local-news/2026-08-28/gov-phil-scott-lean-state-budget-unspecified-tax-relief-plan)) - Supports restructuring education governance and finance through voluntary district mergers (H.955 / Act 170). ([source](https://vtdigger.org/2026/06/19/act-46-all-over-again-gov-phil-scott-signs-education-reform-bill-kick-starting-a-familiar-process-for-voluntary-school-mergers/)) - Supports a Clean Energy Standard counting nuclear power; has opposed energy mandates he views as unaffordable. ([source](https://vtdigger.org/2026/01/20/scott-forecasts-comeback-for-nuclear/)) - Supports Vermont's universal vote-by-mail for general elections and opposes federal efforts to manage state election procedures. ([source](https://vtdigger.org/2026/08/25/as-trump-tries-to-curtail-mail-in-voting-vermont-officials-clean-up-errors-on-state-voter-rolls/)) - Says housing requires land-use reform; said the 2026 Legislature 'did very little' on housing. ([source](https://vermontdailychronicle.com/scott-post-mortem-on-26-session-at-the-end-of-the-day-the-legislature-did-very-little/)) **Record in office — items cited favorably** - Signed H.955 (2026), creating a process for voluntary school-district mergers and regional shared services, after months of negotiation with the Legislature. ([source](https://governor.vermont.gov/governor-scotts-blog/action-taken-governor-scott-bills-during-2026legislative-session)) - Signed 2023 reproductive-health 'shield' bills (H.89, S.37) protecting providers and patients from certain out-of-state investigations. ([source](https://vtdigger.org/2023/05/10/phil-scott-signs-landmark-reproductive-shield-bills-into-law/)) - Signed H.938 (2026) establishing the Vermont Homelessness Response Continuum, and S.298 (2026) voter protections. ([source](https://governor.vermont.gov/governor-scotts-blog/action-taken-governor-scott-bills-during-2026legislative-session)) - Publicly disclosed and corrected ~900 erroneous DMV-generated voter registrations before ballots were mailed (Aug 2026), alongside the Secretary of State. ([source](https://vtdigger.org/2026/08/25/as-trump-tries-to-curtail-mail-in-voting-vermont-officials-clean-up-errors-on-state-voter-rolls/)) **Record in office — items cited critically** - Vetoed S.190 (2026), the Legislature's healthcare-reform bill; legislative supporters criticized the veto. ([source](https://vtdigger.org/2026/06/17/scott-vetoes-legislatures-latest-attempt-at-healthcare-reform/)) - Vetoed H.817 (2026) on mental-health literacy and peer supports in schools, citing separation of powers. ([source](https://governor.vermont.gov/press-release/action-taken-governor-phil-scott-legislation-june-17-2026)) - Vetoed H.710 (2026) defining electricity-generating facilities (renewable-energy legislation); reactions were mixed. ([source](https://www.wcax.com/2026/06/21/vermont-renewable-energy-bill-veto-draws-mixed-reactions/)) - Ongoing dispute with the Vermont State Employees Association over his return-to-office mandate for state workers. ([source](https://vtdigger.org/2026/05/28/gov-phil-scott-is-running-for-reelection/)) - Appointed Michael Drescher to the Vermont Supreme Court; most Senate Democrats opposed the nominee over his role prosecuting two detained students, and confirmation required a tie-breaking vote. ([source](https://www.nhpr.org/2026-02-03/tie-breaking-vote-controversial-nominee-vermont-supreme-court)) **Links:** , , ## Lieutenant Governor (vote for 1) ### Molly Gray - **Party (official list):** Democratic - **Hometown:** Burlington - **Incumbent:** No **Bio.** Former Lieutenant Governor (2021-2023); Democratic nominee in 2026. **Background.** Grew up on a family farm in Newbury. Attorney; Vermont Law School J.D. (2014). Assistant attorney general in the Vermont AG's Criminal Division (2018-2021). Ran unsuccessfully for U.S. House in 2022. Became first executive director of the Vermont Afghan Alliance in 2023. **Stated positions** - Supports publicly funded universal primary care; suggested funding via recouping federal tax cuts and a higher tax on luxury second homes. ([source](https://vtdigger.org/2026/10/06/lt-gov-candidates-largely-agree-on-politics-clash-personally/)) - Supports Act 250 reforms removing regulations for housing in town and village centers and automatic statewide zoning approval for pre-approved housing plans. ([source](https://www.mollyforvt.com/priorities)) - Supports prohibiting immigration enforcement at schools, hospitals, courthouses and polling places. ([source](https://www.mollyforvt.com/priorities)) - Supports making Election Day a paid state holiday; advocates ratification of Proposals 3 and 4. ([source](https://www.mollyforvt.com/priorities)) **Links:** , , , **Uncertain / notes** - `uncertain` Prior lieutenant-governor term (2021-2023) is a past term, not current incumbency; record items from that term were not compiled here. ### John S. Rodgers - **Party (official list):** Republican - **Hometown:** Glover - **Incumbent:** Yes **Bio.** Incumbent Lieutenant Governor (elected 2024); seeking reelection. **Background.** Glover resident, age 61 (Oct 2026). Served 16 years in the Vermont Legislature as a Democrat before running for lieutenant governor as a Republican in 2024. **Stated positions** - Opposes 'unnecessary taxes, mandates, and government spending'; supports reducing regulations on small businesses. ([source](https://www.rodgersforvt.com/priorities)) - Supports property rights and traditional rural land uses; supported the grassroots effort that led to partial repeal of Act 181. ([source](https://www.vermontpublic.org/local-news/2026-09-28/poll-shows-molly-gray-poised-unseat-lt-gov-john-rodgers)) - Supports career and technical education, apprenticeships, and law-enforcement resources. ([source](https://www.rodgersforvt.com/priorities)) - Backs new nuclear power and said he is 'open' to a property-tax freeze. ([source](https://vermontdailychronicle.com/rodgers-backs-new-nuclear-open-to-property-tax-freeze/)) **Record in office — items cited favorably** - Has spoken against federal Medicare/Medicaid cuts, tariffs and detentions of migrant workers; describes his term as focused on constituent service. ([source](https://vtdigger.org/2026/10/06/lt-gov-candidates-largely-agree-on-politics-clash-personally/)) - Cast the Feb. 3, 2026 tie-breaking Senate vote (16-15) confirming Michael Drescher to the Vermont Supreme Court, saying the nominee 'showed tremendous courage' and had faced 'unfair abuse'. ([source](https://www.nhpr.org/2026-02-03/tie-breaking-vote-controversial-nominee-vermont-supreme-court)) **Record in office — items cited critically** - The same Drescher tie-breaking vote went against 15 of 17 Senate Democrats; Judiciary Chair Nader Hashim said the nominee had 'sacrificed the public trust'. ([source](https://www.nhpr.org/2026-02-03/tie-breaking-vote-controversial-nominee-vermont-supreme-court)) - In the Oct. 6, 2026 debate, opponent Molly Gray accused him of 'small, petty, personal' attacks; asked about regrets in office, he said he could not think of any mistakes. ([source](https://vtdigger.org/2026/10/06/lt-gov-candidates-largely-agree-on-politics-clash-personally/)) **Links:** , , **Uncertain / notes** - `uncertain` Ballot photo did not mark Rodgers as incumbent; VTDigger and The Gist list him as incumbent. ## State Treasurer (vote for 1) ### Zachary Hampl - **Party (official list):** Progressive - **Hometown:** Rutland Town - **Incumbent:** No **Bio.** Author and financial account manager; won the Progressive primary (289 votes) but party leaders voted in May not to endorse him. **Background.** Age 32 (Aug 2026). Former EMT during COVID-19; brief stint selling insurance; founded a Young Americans for Liberty chapter at Castleton University; describes his views as a mix of left and right. Author of two novels. First-time candidate. **Stated positions** - Proposes a state financial institution modeled on the Bank of North Dakota, with more collaboration between government and Vermont financial institutions. ([source](https://vtdigger.org/2026/08/24/a-vermonter-is-running-for-treasurer-as-a-progressive-the-party-says-hes-not-their-candidate/)) - Says housing and health care should be treated as human rights, while remaining skeptical of major government intervention. ([source](https://vtdigger.org/2026/08/24/a-vermonter-is-running-for-treasurer-as-a-progressive-the-party-says-hes-not-their-candidate/)) - Argues a treasurer not backed by a party fits the job's nonpartisan duties. ([source](https://vtdigger.org/2026/08/24/a-vermonter-is-running-for-treasurer-as-a-progressive-the-party-says-hes-not-their-candidate/)) **Links:** , , **Uncertain / notes** - `uncertain` Ballot photo had no hometown; official list says RUTLAND TOWN. - `uncertain` Financial-disclosure filename on SOS list spells name 'Hample'; ballot name is HAMPL. ### Lynn LaFleur - **Party (official list):** Republican - **Hometown:** Stowe - **Incumbent:** No **Bio.** Accountant; placed on the ballot by GOP leaders after primary winner H. Brooke Paige withdrew from this race. **Background.** Lived in Vermont full-time for about 10 years; raised in Massachusetts. B.S. and M.S. in accounting, Northeastern University. Runs her own accounting/tax business; treasurer of the Stowe Republican Committee and the Vermont GOP. **Stated positions** - Would not create new programs that add administrative overhead; would look for duplicate payments and 'strictly adhere to the budget'. ([source](https://www.waterburyroundabout.org/news-archive/three-candidates-vie-for-state-treasurer)) - Wants to move state employees over time from pensions toward defined-contribution plans. ([source](https://www.waterburyroundabout.org/news-archive/three-candidates-vie-for-state-treasurer)) - Pledges more transparency on grants funded by the treasurer's office. ([source](https://vtgop.substack.com/p/correctionupdate-vtgop-fills-slate)) **Links:** , ### Mike Pieciak - **Party (official list):** Democratic - **Hometown:** Winooski - **Incumbent:** Yes **Bio.** Incumbent State Treasurer since 2023, seeking a third term. **Background.** Winooski resident. Prior to treasurer, served as Commissioner of the Vermont Department of Financial Regulation (per Ballotpedia). **Stated positions** - Top priority is new housing via the 'Invest in Vermont' (formerly 10% in VT) low-interest loan program. ([source](https://www.waterburyroundabout.org/news-archive/three-candidates-vie-for-state-treasurer)) - Wants to help small businesses with succession planning, including conversion to employee ownership. ([source](https://www.waterburyroundabout.org/news-archive/three-candidates-vie-for-state-treasurer)) - Supports fully funding the state pension system and reducing unfunded liabilities. ([source](https://www.mikeforvermont.com/issues)) **Record in office — items cited favorably** - Invest in Vermont program has provided low-interest loans linked to roughly 1,700 housing units (up to $130 million committed). ([source](https://www.waterburyroundabout.org/news-archive/three-candidates-vie-for-state-treasurer)) - Vermont Saves retirement program, passed in his first term and launched in the second, had about 8,300 participants. ([source](https://www.waterburyroundabout.org/news-archive/three-candidates-vie-for-state-treasurer)) - Office proposed and passed purchase of $100 million in Vermonters' medical debt for a one-time $1 million investment; also proposed ArrayRx drug discount card (launching 2027) and 'Baby Bonds'. ([source](https://www.mikeforvermont.com/issues)) **Record in office — items cited critically** - Republican opponent Lynn LaFleur says his new programs add to the tax burden and are less beneficial than advertised, and that state accounting practices and pension funding need more work. ([source](https://www.waterburyroundabout.org/news-archive/three-candidates-vie-for-state-treasurer)) **Links:** , , **Uncertain / notes** - `uncertain` Ballot photo had no hometown; official list says WINOOSKI. - `uncertain` Former DFR Commissioner role is from Ballotpedia (page fetch blocked); verify. - `uncertain` Program outcomes (unit counts, participant counts, debt relief) are as stated by the candidate/his campaign; no independent audit cited. - `uncertain` Only opponent-attributed criticism found for 'cons'; no independent critical reporting located. ## Secretary of State (vote for 1) ### Sarah Copeland Hanzas - **Party (official list):** Democratic - **Hometown:** Bradford - **Incumbent:** Yes **Bio.** Incumbent Secretary of State since 2023, seeking a third term; won 2026 Democratic primary with 98.7%. **Background.** Bradford resident; former member of the Vermont House. Endorsed by the Vermont AFL-CIO, EMILY's List and Sierra Club Vermont (per Wikipedia). **Stated positions** - Wants a state voting rights act (e.g., ballot translation, disability access protections previously in federal law). ([source](https://www.rutlandherald.com/news/local/three-running-for-vt-secretary-of-state/article_21901346-a3a0-5984-9032-13221d8ffe5d.html)) - Supports further expanding vote-by-mail, including for local elections. ([source](https://www.rutlandherald.com/news/local/three-running-for-vt-secretary-of-state/article_21901346-a3a0-5984-9032-13221d8ffe5d.html)) - Wants a public system to track the state rule-making process. ([source](https://www.rutlandherald.com/news/local/three-running-for-vt-secretary-of-state/article_21901346-a3a0-5984-9032-13221d8ffe5d.html)) **Record in office — items cited favorably** - Office created Vermont's first universal voter guide (online and mailed print copy). ([source](https://sos.vermont.gov/elections/voters/voter-guide)) - Campaign cites updating the Vermont Election Management System and modernizing the Safe at Home address-confidentiality program. ([source](https://sarahforvermont.com/key-issues)) - Publicly announced and removed ~900 erroneous DMV-generated voter registrations before 2026 general-election ballots were mailed; none had voted. ([source](https://vtdigger.org/2026/08/25/as-trump-tries-to-curtail-mail-in-voting-vermont-officials-clean-up-errors-on-state-voter-rolls/)) **Record in office — items cited critically** - The DMV registration error was first reported to her office by a Vermonter in winter 2025-26, and the office did not immediately act; a deeper review began after a similar New Jersey disclosure. ([source](https://vtdigger.org/2026/08/25/as-trump-tries-to-curtail-mail-in-voting-vermont-officials-clean-up-errors-on-state-voter-rolls/)) - Republican opponent H. Brooke Paige says universal vote-by-mail and multi-week voting periods should end. ([source](https://www.rutlandherald.com/news/local/three-running-for-vt-secretary-of-state/article_21901346-a3a0-5984-9032-13221d8ffe5d.html)) **Links:** , , , ### H. Brooke Paige - **Party (official list):** Republican - **Hometown:** Washington - **Incumbent:** No **Bio.** Newsstand owner and frequent statewide candidate; won 2026 GOP primary for Secretary of State (97.4%). Also won the GOP treasurer primary and withdrew from that race. **Background.** Washington, VT resident. Has run for multiple statewide offices in past cycles. **Stated positions** - Says he is not opposed to absentee voting but current practices should end, including universal vote-by-mail and multi-week voting periods. ([source](https://www.rutlandherald.com/news/local/three-running-for-vt-secretary-of-state/article_21901346-a3a0-5984-9032-13221d8ffe5d.html)) - Says the Office of Professional Regulation oversees too many professions; some should move to the Health Department or other agencies. ([source](https://www.rutlandherald.com/news/local/three-running-for-vt-secretary-of-state/article_21901346-a3a0-5984-9032-13221d8ffe5d.html)) - Opposes voting without photo ID (iVoterGuide questionnaire). ([source](https://ivoterguide.com/candidate/8432/race/35335/election/1500)) **Links:** , , ### Rachel Shaw - **Party (official list):** Progressive - **Hometown:** Bennington - **Incumbent:** No **Bio.** Progressive nominee (endorsed by party leaders); also a Progressive candidate for Bennington state Senate district. **Background.** Working mother of two in Bennington; worked in sales, marketing and hospitality. Degree in Emergency Management and Homeland Security from Massachusetts Maritime Academy; National Guard 2011-2017. **Stated positions** - Supports making Vermont the third state to use ranked-choice voting statewide. ([source](https://www.benningtonbanner.com/local-news/bennington-woman-running-for-state-senate-seat/3414905)) - Supports taxing vacant homes and short-term rentals, preventing data center construction, opposing forced school consolidation, and universal primary/preventive care (stated for her Senate campaign). ([source](https://www.benningtonbanner.com/local-news/bennington-woman-running-for-state-senate-seat/3414905)) **Links:** , **Uncertain / notes** - `uncertain` Ballot photo marked Bennington with '?'; official list confirms BENNINGTON. - `uncertain` Most published positions were stated for her state Senate campaign; few Secretary-of-State-specific positions found. - `uncertain` Ballotpedia profile fetch was blocked. ## Auditor of Accounts (vote for 1) ### Tim Ashe - **Party (official list):** Democratic - **Hometown:** Burlington - **Incumbent:** No **Bio.** Deputy State Auditor for the past five years; open seat (Auditor Doug Hoffer retiring). **Background.** Former Vermont Senate President Pro Tempore; first elected to the Senate in 2009 (Chittenden). Former affordable-housing developer with Cathedral Square; president of the board of Community Health Centers of Burlington. **Stated positions** - Priorities: health-care prices and access, value of housing programs, and support for rural communities. ([source](https://www.waterburyroundabout.org/news-archive/tim-ashe-and-ivar-kronick-are-running-for-vermont-state-auditor)) - Proposes audits of state health-care spending, housing program performance, short-term rental effects, exposure to federal cuts, and whether small towns get a fair share. ([source](https://www.timashe.com/accountability-agenda)) - Says the auditor 'can't be a lobbyist' and should communicate results, including when programs work. ([source](https://www.waterburyroundabout.org/news-archive/tim-ashe-and-ivar-kronick-are-running-for-vermont-state-auditor)) **Links:** , , **Uncertain / notes** - `uncertain` Not the incumbent auditor; his deputy-auditor tenure is staff service, so no 'record' section compiled. ### Ivar Kronick - **Party (official list):** Republican - **Hometown:** Poultney - **Incumbent:** No **Bio.** Republican nominee; works for Dometic UK Blind Systems Ltd. **Background.** Born in Norway, raised near Philadelphia; Williams College graduate; lived many years in Berkshire County, MA (served on Pittsfield City Council/Finance Committee per Ballotpedia snippet). Says he is not an auditor by trade but has decades in highly audited environments. **Stated positions** - Would shift from performance audits toward waste/fraud/abuse audits of large spending areas: Medicaid, education, highways/transit and the pension fund. ([source](https://www.waterburyroundabout.org/news-archive/tim-ashe-and-ivar-kronick-are-running-for-vermont-state-auditor)) - Would make audit recommendations independently searchable. ([source](https://www.waterburyroundabout.org/news-archive/tim-ashe-and-ivar-kronick-are-running-for-vermont-state-auditor)) - Supports authority to audit private recipients of state funds and adding IT auditors. ([source](https://ivoterguide.com/candidate/97438/race/35337/election/1500)) **Links:** , , **Uncertain / notes** - `uncertain` Ballot photo marked Poultney with '?'; official list confirms POULTNEY. - `uncertain` Pittsfield City Council service is from a search snippet of Ballotpedia (fetch blocked); verify. ## Attorney General (vote for 1) ### Charity R. Clark - **Party (official list):** Democratic - **Hometown:** Williston - **Incumbent:** Yes **Bio.** Incumbent Attorney General since 2023, seeking a third term. **Background.** Joined the AG's office in 2014 under William Sorrell; chief of staff under T.J. Donovan; resigned in 2022 to run. Says she is a 10th-generation Vermonter. **Stated positions** - Will continue suing the federal government where she believes it violates law or the Constitution. ([source](https://www.waterburyroundabout.org/news-archive/incumbent-attorney-general-clark-defending-seat-against-challenger-kemon)) - Supports a state data privacy law and continued action against pharmacy benefit managers. ([source](https://thegist.vote/race/2026-general-vt/vt-attorney-general)) - Supports abortion rights including medication-abortion access. ([source](https://thegist.vote/race/2026-general-vt/vt-attorney-general)) **Record in office — items cited favorably** - Vermont will receive $92.7 million from a Meta settlement; her office's state-court suit survived Meta's challenge at the Vermont Supreme Court and the U.S. Supreme Court declined review. ([source](https://www.waterburyroundabout.org/news-archive/incumbent-attorney-general-clark-defending-seat-against-challenger-kemon)) - Office joined or filed at least 70 suits against the Trump administration (per Clark), which she says prevailed or won injunctions most of the time and restored withheld federal funds. ([source](https://www.waterburyroundabout.org/news-archive/incumbent-attorney-general-clark-defending-seat-against-challenger-kemon)) - Sued pharmacy benefit managers over drug pricing and Monsanto over PCB contamination. ([source](https://thegist.vote/race/2026-general-vt/vt-attorney-general)) **Record in office — items cited critically** - Republican opponent Ed Kemon calls many of the federal lawsuits 'partisan signaling' and says he would drop some to negotiate release of withheld federal funds. ([source](https://www.waterburyroundabout.org/news-archive/incumbent-attorney-general-clark-defending-seat-against-challenger-kemon)) **Links:** , , , **Uncertain / notes** - `uncertain` Ballot photo had no hometown; official list says WILLISTON (mailing address Richmond). - `uncertain` Lawsuit counts differ by source (campaign site: 49; Clark in Sept 2026 interviews: ~70). Win-rate figures are Clark's own claims. - `uncertain` Only opponent-attributed criticism found for 'cons'. ### Edwin Howell Kemon - **Party (official list):** Republican - **Hometown:** Vergennes - **Incumbent:** No **Bio.** Systems engineer; moved to Vergennes in 2015. Not an attorney. **Background.** Grew up near Washington, D.C.; systems engineering degree from Virginia Tech; worked with the U.S. Department of Defense and on permissions for a Canadian company supplying the U.S. Marine Corps. **Stated positions** - Says the AG should act as a manager and prioritize investigations of corruption/malfeasance regardless of party; cites EB-5 as an example of red flags not pursued. ([source](https://www.waterburyroundabout.org/news-archive/incumbent-attorney-general-clark-defending-seat-against-challenger-kemon)) - Wants investigations of Public Utility Commission decisions on solar and communication towers; favors a mix of fuel sources including fossil fuels. ([source](https://www.waterburyroundabout.org/news-archive/incumbent-attorney-general-clark-defending-seat-against-challenger-kemon)) - Would drop some federal lawsuits (e.g., on DEI and gender-related policy) and negotiate with the administration over withheld funds. ([source](https://www.waterburyroundabout.org/news-archive/incumbent-attorney-general-clark-defending-seat-against-challenger-kemon)) **Links:** , **Uncertain / notes** - `uncertain` Ballot photo marked Vergennes with '?'; official list confirms VERGENNES. ## State Senator (Orleans District) (vote for 1) ### John Morley III - **Party (official list):** Republican / Democratic (listed REP/DEM) - **Hometown:** Barton - **Incumbent:** Yes **Bio.** Incumbent by appointment: Gov. Scott appointed him to the Orleans Senate seat on Dec. 5, 2025 after Sam Douglass resigned. Sole candidate on the ballot. **Background.** Lifelong Northeast Kingdom resident; Lake Region Union HS and UVM graduate. First-class lineman; Village Manager and elected trustee, Village of Orleans (33 years with the village). Vermont House 2004-2010. Board of Vermont Public Power Supply Authority. Clerk of Senate Government Operations and Health & Welfare committees. **Stated positions** - On appointment: 'I look forward to working with legislators and the administration to improve the lives of my constituents as well as all Vermonters.' ([source](https://governor.vermont.gov/press-release/governor-phil-scott-appoints-john-morley-state-senate)) **Record in office — items cited favorably** - Brought 30+ years of municipal utility/village management experience (electric, water/wastewater, streets, fire, library), cited by the governor in the appointment. ([source](https://governor.vermont.gov/press-release/governor-phil-scott-appoints-john-morley-state-senate)) - Sponsored S.303 (three-acre stormwater discharge permit administration) and S.245 (allowing recorded telehealth appointments with consent) in 2026; voted in about 93% of 91 recorded roll calls. ([source](https://www.oneclickpolitics.com/legislators/6493)) **Record in office — items cited critically** - None documented found. **Links:** , **Uncertain / notes** - `uncertain` Official list shows party REP/DEM (nominated by both parties); legislature lists him as Republican. - `uncertain` No documented criticisms of his Senate record found (searched legislature.vermont.gov, VTDigger, local news). Senate record is under one session. - `uncertain` Vote-participation figure is from a third-party tracker (One Click Politics); verify on legislature.vermont.gov. ## State Representative (Orleans-Lamoille District) (vote for 2) ### Mark Higley - **Party (official list):** Republican / Democratic (listed REP/DEM) - **Hometown:** Lowell - **Incumbent:** Yes **Bio.** Incumbent; member of the Vermont House since 2009. **Background.** Born in Brattleboro; U.S. Navy Seabees (builder); self-employed general contractor since 1978; Lowell lister since 1994; former Brattleboro selectboard (1986-87). Member of Vermont Beef Producers, VT Farm Bureau and Vermont Sugar Makers. Committees: Ways and Means; Rules (ex officio); Legislative Committee on Administrative Rules; vice chair, County and Regional Governance Study Committee. **Stated positions** - Little public info found. **Record in office — items cited favorably** - Voted YES on H.955 (education-system transformation, passed 125-10) and H.949 (homestead property tax yields, passed 111-23) on May 29, 2026. ([source](https://www.billsponsor.com/politicians/7581/mark-higley)) - Long-serving member (since 2009) on House Ways and Means, the tax-writing committee. ([source](https://legislature.vermont.gov/people/single/2026/14681)) **Record in office — items cited critically** - Voted against overriding the governor's vetoes of H.727 (sustainable data center deployment) and S.208 (law-enforcement identification standards) on May 29, 2026; majorities supported override but fell short of two-thirds. ([source](https://www.billsponsor.com/politicians/7581/mark-higley)) **Links:** , **Uncertain / notes** - `uncertain` Official list shows party REP/DEM; legislature lists him as Republican. - `uncertain` No campaign website or 2026 position statements found. - `uncertain` Whether the H.727/S.208 votes are a pro or con depends on the reader's view; listed under cons only because the House majority voted the other way. ### Praneet Menon - **Party (official list):** Republican / Democratic (listed REP/DEM) - **Hometown:** Coventry - **Incumbent:** No **Bio.** Chair of the Coventry Village School Board and of the North Country Supervisory Union Board; first run for the House. **Background.** Raised in Mumbai, moved to the U.S. at 16. Engineering degrees (RPI per campaign site) and UVM master's; managed aviation and defense programs for the Air Force and Army. Flight instructor, author, software entrepreneur; working toward becoming a mental-health counselor. Coventry Trustee of Cemetery Funds; formerly on the Coventry Planning Commission. **Stated positions** - Focus on controlling property taxes, utility and health-care costs; supporting small businesses and workforce development; broadband; community-based health care; and the housing shortage. ([source](https://www.vtcng.com/news_and_citizen/news/local_news/menon-announces-candidacy-house-orleans-lamoille-district/article_82618548-9e36-4a1f-99ef-1cb6e1839014.html)) - 'I'm running because we need leadership that takes affordability seriously...' ([source](https://www.vtcng.com/news_and_citizen/news/local_news/menon-announces-candidacy-house-orleans-lamoille-district/article_82618548-9e36-4a1f-99ef-1cb6e1839014.html)) **Links:** , , **Uncertain / notes** - `uncertain` Ballot photo read party as Democratic; official SOS list shows REP/DEM (both nominations). Confirm printed ballot. - `uncertain` Only two candidates for two seats; sitting Rep. Michael Marcotte is not on the ballot (per The Ballot Brief). ## Probate Judge (Orleans Probate District) (vote for 1) ### Angela M. Ross - **Party (official list):** Independent - **Hometown:** Albany - **Incumbent:** Yes **Bio.** Little public info found. Listed as the sitting Orleans probate judge; unopposed. **Background.** Attorney (campaign email domain 'angrosslaw'). Listed as Probate Judge on the Vermont Assistant Judges association's Orleans County page. **Stated positions** - Little public info found. **Record in office — items cited favorably** - None documented found. **Record in office — items cited critically** - None documented found. **Links:** , , **Uncertain / notes** - `uncertain` Little public info found. Searched: VT SOS 2026 candidate workbook, VTDigger 2026 election guide, Ballotpedia (fetch blocked; via search snippets), thegist.vote, theballotbrief.com, smarter.vote, thefullrecord.org, general web search on name + office. Also searched vtcourts.gov Orleans Probate Division. - `uncertain` Incumbency per The Gist and vtassistantjudges.org; start date of service not found. - `uncertain` No documented record items (pros/cons) found. ## Assistant Judge (Orleans County) (vote for 2) ### Curtis A. Hardy - **Party (official list):** Republican / Democratic (listed REP/DEM) - **Hometown:** Derby - **Incumbent:** Yes **Bio.** Little public info found. Incumbent Orleans County assistant (side) judge; running unopposed for one of two seats. **Background.** No further biography found. **Stated positions** - Little public info found. **Record in office — items cited favorably** - None documented found. **Record in office — items cited critically** - None documented found. **Links:** , **Uncertain / notes** - `uncertain` Little public info found. Searched: VT SOS 2026 candidate workbook, VTDigger 2026 election guide, Ballotpedia (fetch blocked; via search snippets), thegist.vote, theballotbrief.com, smarter.vote, thefullrecord.org, general web search on name + office. - `uncertain` Hardwick Gazette lists him as R-Newport (mailing address); SOS list gives town of residence DERBY. - `uncertain` No documented record items found. ### Sean Selby - **Party (official list):** Republican / Democratic (listed REP/DEM) - **Hometown:** Morgan - **Incumbent:** Yes **Bio.** Little public info found. Incumbent Orleans County assistant (side) judge; running unopposed for one of two seats. **Background.** No further biography found. **Stated positions** - Little public info found. **Record in office — items cited favorably** - None documented found. **Record in office — items cited critically** - None documented found. **Links:** , **Uncertain / notes** - `uncertain` Little public info found. Searched: VT SOS 2026 candidate workbook, VTDigger 2026 election guide, Ballotpedia (fetch blocked; via search snippets), thegist.vote, theballotbrief.com, smarter.vote, thefullrecord.org, general web search on name + office. - `uncertain` Hardwick Gazette lists him as 'Sean C. Selby (R-W. Charleston)' (mailing address); SOS list gives town MORGAN. - `uncertain` No documented record items found. ## State's Attorney (Orleans County) (vote for 1) ### Farzana Leyva - **Party (official list):** Republican / Democratic (listed REP/DEM) - **Hometown:** Westfield - **Incumbent:** Yes **Bio.** Incumbent Orleans County State's Attorney; running unopposed. **Background.** Became interim state's attorney in Sept 2022 after Gov. Scott named incumbent Jennifer Barrett a Superior Court judge; lost a 2022 write-in campaign to Barrett, who then declined the seat; appointed by Scott in January 2023 to the 2023-27 term. **Stated positions** - Little public info found. **Record in office — items cited favorably** - Orleans Superior Court (Judge Daniel Richardson) dismissed an April 2023 challenge to her appointment, ruling the governor had authority to fill the vacancy. ([source](https://vtdigger.org/2023/04/20/court-dismisses-challenge-to-phil-scotts-appointment-of-orleans-county-states-attorney/)) **Record in office — items cited critically** - Defense attorney David Sleigh sued on behalf of 31 plaintiffs arguing the full-term vacancy required a special election rather than appointment (dismissed on the merits). ([source](https://vtdigger.org/2023/04/20/court-dismisses-challenge-to-phil-scotts-appointment-of-orleans-county-states-attorney/)) **Links:** , , **Uncertain / notes** - `uncertain` Ballot photo marked Westfield with '?'; official list confirms WESTFIELD. - `uncertain` No documented record of prosecution outcomes or stated 2026 positions found; pros/cons concern the appointment, not job performance. ## Sheriff (Orleans County) (vote for 1) ### Jennifer L. Harlow - **Party (official list):** Republican / Democratic (listed REP/DEM) - **Hometown:** Holland - **Incumbent:** Yes **Bio.** Incumbent Orleans County Sheriff; appointed January 2020 (first female sheriff in Vermont at the time), elected 2022; unopposed in 2026. **Background.** Newport Police Department from 2004, focused on crimes against children, school safety, opioids and domestic violence; Vermont Criminal Justice Training Council instructor. Agawam Police Academy (1999); B.A. psychology, Johnson State College. **Stated positions** - Little public info found. **Record in office — items cited favorably** - Won the 2022 general election (8,857 votes) after her 2020 appointment. ([source](https://electionarchive.vermont.gov/contest/157901)) - Barton signed a policing contract with the sheriff's department (2025); Greensboro kept 24/7 sheriff coverage in 2026. ([source](https://bartonchronicle.com/barton-signs-contract-with-sheriff/)) - Department expanded school-based child-abuse awareness and healthy-relationship education. ([source](https://www.newportvermontdailyexpress.com/news/local-law-enforcement-discusses-child-abuse-awareness-and-response/article_c5f43519-44a4-46b1-9757-5886ca82e3c5.html)) **Record in office — items cited critically** - Glover voters rejected the town's sheriff policing contract at Town Meeting, and residents complained about how deputies patrol the town. ([source](https://bartonchronicle.com/in-glover-board-wants-police-focus-on-ordinances/)) **Links:** , , **Uncertain / notes** - `uncertain` Ballot photo marked Holland with '?'; official list confirms HOLLAND. - `uncertain` Greensboro detail is from a search summary of a Newport Daily Express article (not fully read); Barton Chronicle articles are paywalled beyond the lede. - `uncertain` Also listed in some records as Jennifer Harlow Jacobs. ## High Bailiff (Orleans County) (vote for 1) ### Richard Wells Jr. - **Party (official list):** Republican / Democratic (listed REP/DEM) - **Hometown:** Derby - **Incumbent:** Yes **Bio.** Little public info found. Incumbent Orleans County High Bailiff; unopposed. **Background.** Per the Hardwick Gazette, he indicated he was not required to provide financial information. The high bailiff serves process on the sheriff and can temporarily act as sheriff. **Stated positions** - Little public info found. **Record in office — items cited favorably** - None documented found. **Record in office — items cited critically** - None documented found. **Links:** , **Uncertain / notes** - `uncertain` NOT on the ballot as read from the photo; present on the official SOS list for Orleans County. Verify whether it is on the printed Westfield ballot (likely below Sheriff). - `uncertain` Little public info found. Searched: VT SOS 2026 candidate workbook, VTDigger 2026 election guide, Ballotpedia (fetch blocked; via search snippets), thegist.vote, theballotbrief.com, smarter.vote, thefullrecord.org, general web search on name + office. ## Ballot proposals ### Proposal 3: Article 23: Right to collectively bargain **Summary.** Would add to the Vermont Constitution a right for employees to organize or join a labor organization and bargain collectively with their employer through an exclusive representative over wages, hours, working conditions and workplace safety. **What changes.** Adds a constitutional right to collective bargaining (currently protected by state statute and, for most private employers, federal law). Bars any future law that 'interferes with, negates, or diminishes' that right, and bars laws prohibiting union-security agreements that require union membership as a condition of employment, i.e., a 'right-to-work' law could not be enacted without another constitutional amendment. Does not require anyone to join a union by itself, and cannot displace federal labor law. How far the 'no law shall... diminish' language reaches (e.g., public-employee strike limits) is untested and would be decided by courts. Both Proposals 3 and 4 are drafted as 'Article 23'; if both pass the numbering must be reconciled. **Arguments for** - Aimee Bertrand (president, Vermont State Employees Association; VP, Vermont AFL-CIO): ensures Vermont workers 'will forever have the option to join a union and bargain', citing federal actions she views as attacks on workers. ([source](https://ballotexplained.com/measures/vermont/proposal-3)) - Patrick Yoes (national president, Fraternal Order of Police): recognizes the right of employees, including law-enforcement officers, to bargain over decisions that affect them. ([source](https://ballotexplained.com/measures/vermont/proposal-3)) - South Burlington Voter Guide summary of supporters: constitutional protection is harder to undo than statute; supporters cite research associating right-to-work laws with lower wages. ([source](https://www.sbvoterguide.com/ballot-measures)) - Lt. Gov. candidate Molly Gray advocates ratification. ([source](https://www.mollyforvt.com/priorities)) **Arguments against** - Rob Roper (former Vermont Republican Party chair): the amendment 'effectively strips, in key cases, one's right to individually bargain on one's own behalf.' ([source](https://ballotexplained.com/measures/vermont/proposal-3)) - Fiscal Alliance Foundation: Vermont workers already have statutory bargaining rights; the amendment would permanently bar a right-to-work law and, citing Illinois' similar amendment, could raise taxes and costs. ([source](https://fiscalalliancefoundation.org/prop3/)) - Elizabeth Brown (VTDigger opinion, Oct 1, 2026): moves labor policy out of the Legislature's hands, could call existing limits on public-employee strikes and school-board bargaining into question, and leave judges to decide which laws survive. ([source](https://vtdigger.org/2026/10/01/opinion-can-vermont-afford-proposal-3/)) **Sources:** , , , , , ### Proposal 4: Article 23: Equality of rights (equal protection) **Summary.** Would add an equal-protection guarantee to the Vermont Constitution and bar the State from denying equal treatment under the law on account of race, ethnicity, sex, religion, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, or national origin. **What changes.** Text: 'That the people are guaranteed equal protection under the law. The State shall not deny equal treatment under the law on account of a person's race, ethnicity, sex, religion, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, or national origin.' A third sentence states the article does not prevent 'measures intended to provide equality of treatment and opportunity for members of groups that have historically been subject to discrimination.' Vermont's 1777 constitution currently has no explicit equal-protection clause; residents rely on the U.S. 14th Amendment, the Common Benefits Clause (Ch. I, Art. 7) and state statutes. What remedial measures the third sentence permits, and whether unlisted grounds (e.g., age) are covered by the first sentence, are undefined and would be settled by courts. Passed two consecutive legislative sessions before going to voters. **Arguments for** - House Speaker Jill Krowinski (D): 'equal protection under the law is not a partisan issue, it is a fundamental right.' ([source](https://ballotexplained.com/measures/vermont/proposal-4)) - Rev. Mark Hughes (Vermont Racial Justice Alliance): provides 'constitutional clarity' and an enforceable state foundation independent of federal doctrine. ([source](https://legislature.vermont.gov/Documents/2026/Workgroups/Senate%20Judiciary/Bills/P.R.4/Witness%20Testimony/P.R.4~Mark%20Hughes~Testimony%20~4-8-2026.pdf)) - Cary Brown (Vermont Commission on Women): gains for equality 'based on sex or any other class' cannot be taken for granted. ([source](https://ballotexplained.com/measures/vermont/proposal-4)) - League of Women Voters of Vermont summary: codifying categories in the constitution makes them harder to roll back than statute. ([source](https://lwvofvt.org/vermont-proposal-4-on-november-3-ballot/)) **Arguments against** - State Rep. Michael Boutin (R): supports the first sentence but objects to a 'finite list and ambiguous third sentence' that 'appears to create different standards of equality for different groups.' ([source](https://ballotexplained.com/measures/vermont/proposal-4)) - Vermont Family Alliance (Renee McGuinness testimony): finite list excludes other groups; provisions on gender identity/expression and remedial measures would invite legal challenges, citing the U.S. Supreme Court's affirmative-action ruling. ([source](https://legislature.vermont.gov/Documents/2026/Workgroups/Senate%20Judiciary/Bills/P.R.4/Witness%20Testimony/P.R.4~Renee%20McGuinness~Vermont%20Family%20Alliance%20Testimony~1-29-2026.pdf)) - State Rep. Zachary Harvey (R): describes it as part of a 'cultural zeitgeist that is currently falling out of vogue.' ([source](https://ballotexplained.com/measures/vermont/proposal-4)) - Liberty Counsel Action (quoted by iVoterGuide): argues it would affect parental-consent rules, single-sex spaces and sports, and lacks conscience protections. ([source](https://ivoterguide.com/ballotmeasure/155/election/1500)) **Sources:** , , , ,