voting

From Secretary of State's Office:

Vermont Secretary of State Jim Condos is pleased to announce the dates and locations for his fifth biennial Transparency Tour. Throughout late October and November Secretary Condos will travel to several locations across Vermont to provide training and facilitate discussion on Vermont’s transparency laws, Vermont’s Public Records Act, and Open Meeting Law.

“The public’s right to know is enshrined in our Vermont Constitution,” said Secretary Condos. “Vermonters deserve openness and transparency in government. By educating municipal and state employees, elected officials, and engaged residents on the requirements of government under Vermont’s Open Meeting Laws and the Public Records Act, I hope to help government officials of all stripes better serve Vermonters.”

Government officials at all levels, from local volunteer board and commission members, to elected officials and state employees, and interested members of the public, are invited and encouraged to attend.

For the first time, this year’s Transparency Tour will include an overview of Vermont’s election procedures, and the steps the Secretary of State’s office is taking to ensure the integrity and security of our elections, titled “Defending Our Democracy.” With the 2020 elections just around the corner, Vermonters increasingly want to know that their votes are safe, secure and will count on Election Day.

As a longtime proponent of transparency and openness in government, Secretary Condos looks forward to engaging attendees in an informative discussion on the requirements of government officials, and the rights of Vermont citizens.

“With trust in government at an all-time low, I believe that sunshine is the best disinfectant,” said Secretary Condos. “Let the sun shine in!”

Cris Ericson talks about non-citizen voting.

From Cris:

"The noncitizen voting controversy for Winooski, Vermont is now before the Court. The attorneys in this case did not quote a particular federal law under Title 52 United States Code that may be interpreted to clearly prohibit noncitizen voting; but this case has not been brought to a federal Court. The video ends with a subtle reminder, a drum beat call to action, that it took Native American Indians many years to get the right to vote in the United States - their land."

PSA Version: Tom Little, Special Master of the Vermont Apportionment Board, explains why Legislative Redistricting is important and how the public can influence the distribution of House and Senate candidates and districts across Vermont.

With the delay of the 2020 U.S. Census data, the Apportionment Board must work fast to develop legislative district maps for local leaders to respond to and submit final recommendations to the Legislature for approval in early 2022.

The public is asked to weigh in on key questions:

- What is more important: making sure the populations in each district are as close to equal as possible, or allowing larger (within constitutional guidelines) differences in populations to maintain district lines closer to the status quo?

- Should your legislative district lines conform to town and/ or county boundary lines?

- Do you prefer single member house districts (one representative per a House district of around 4,300) or two member districts (two representatives in a single house district of around 8,600 people)?

- Do you prefer single member senate districts (one senator per senate district of around 21,500 people), or multi-member senate districts (two or three senators in a single district of around 43,000 or 64,500 people)?

Let the Legislative Apportionment Board know your views on these questions and on other factors you wish them to consider as they draw up proposed legislative district lines by emailing Board members at their addresses posted on the Board’s website (sos.vermont.gov/apportionment-board/contact-the-board), participating in monthly online meetings (sos.vermont.gov/apportionment-board), or mailing a letter c/o the Secretary of State’s office (Legislative Apportionment Board, 128 State Street, Montpelier, VT 05633-1101).

This is a critical exercise in our representative democracy. It happens only every 10 years – don’t miss out on it!

Tom Little, Special Master of the Vermont Apportionment Board, explains why Legislative Redistricting is important and how the public can influence the distribution of House and Senate candidates and districts across Vermont.

With the delay of the 2020 U.S. Census data, the Apportionment Board must work fast to develop legislative district maps for local leaders to respond to and submit final recommendations to the Legislature for approval in early 2022.

The public is asked to weigh in on key questions:

- What is more important: making sure the populations in each district are as close to equal as possible, or allowing larger (within constitutional guidelines) differences in populations to maintain district lines closer to the status quo?

- Should your legislative district lines conform to town and/ or county boundary lines?

- Do you prefer single member house districts (one representative per a House district of around 4,300) or two member districts (two representatives in a single house district of around 8,600 people)?

- Do you prefer single member senate districts (one senator per senate district of around 21,500 people), or multi-member senate districts (two or three senators in a single district of around 43,000 or 64,500 people)?

Let the Legislative Apportionment Board know your views on these questions and on other factors you wish them to consider as they draw up proposed legislative district lines by emailing Board members at their addresses posted on the Board’s website (sos.vermont.gov/apportionment-board/contact-the-board), participating in monthly online meetings (sos.vermont.gov/apportionment-board), or mailing a letter c/o the Secretary of State’s office (Legislative Apportionment Board, 128 State Street, Montpelier, VT 05633-1101).

This is a critical exercise in our representative democracy. It happens only every 10 years – don’t miss out on it!