Vermont officials confirm 100,000 ballots returned ahead of Nov. 3 vote

More than 100,000 Vermonters returned their ballots as of Monday, a figure cited by state leaders as the election approaches next Tuesday. With just over a week remaining, top officials declared the state's voting process secure.

Winooski City Clerk Jenny Willingham and her staff of two are working extended hours to prepare for the event. Willingham stated that the priority is ensuring voters are not impeded when they arrive at the polls. She acknowledged that some residents remain skeptical of the postal process, adding that officials want voters to feel their vote counts and that they are treated with respect.

State Secretary of State Sarah Copeland Hanzas, a Democrat, and Governor Phil Scott, a Republican, appeared together on Monday to demonstrate bipartisan confidence in the system. The pair said there are no specific or credible threats to Vermont elections at this time. However, they noted that heated political rhetoric from across the country is influencing the local environment.

Copeland Hanzas outlined contingency plans for potential disruptions on Election Day. She listed power outages, internet failures, communications breakdowns, and physical threats as key risks. She also mentioned the possibility of Immigration and Customs Enforcement presence at polls and emphasized the need to monitor local weather conditions. The Secretary of State called for a reduction in the intensity of political discourse surrounding the vote.

The U.S. Department of Justice indicated it would deploy 1,000 election monitors to communities nationwide. Under Vermont law, poll watchers are prohibited from communicating with or interfering with election workers and voters. Governor Scott said state and local police are ready to respond if anyone is blocked or intimidated.

Scott stated that the state will do whatever is necessary to protect the process. He added that officials are effectively freezing the Secretary of State’s website to prevent hacking in the lead-up to the election. For voters who missed the mailing deadline, ballots can still be submitted via official dropboxes, town clerks, or on Election Day itself.