Vermont sees big surge in absentee voting

An American flag flies in the breeze in Woodstock, Vermont, on the Fourth of July. (Gareth Henderson Photo)

A big surge in absentee voting may add up to record-breaking participation in Vermont’s primary election set for Tuesday, Aug. 11. 

The state has encouraged people to request absentee ballots, due to health concerns amid the pandemic — and it appears they listened. Already, more Vermonters have voted absentee in this 2020 primary than did so in the 2016 and 2018 primaries combined, by over 24,000 votes, Secretary of State Jim Condos told Vermont Public Radio. 

Aside from the factors of more people being home and the ability to vote remotely, Condos told VPR the contested races in the Democratic, Republican and Progressive primaries are probably driving more interest in the election, as they often do. Of course, several of those races include the highest offices in the state: governor and lieutenant governor. 

Given the great interest in the primary, this could well be a predictor of a large increase in turnout for the Nov. 3 general election. States with earlier primaries also saw a strong surge in absentee voting, such as Tennessee and Michigan, and other states nearing their August primary dates report the same trend. 

Voting officials throughout the country expect to receive many more ballots by mail between now and November. At least 78 percent of all Americans will have the option of voting by mail come fall, according to Fortune. That’s why some U.S. lawmakers are pushing for more funding for the U.S. Postal Service to curb delivery delays during the pandemic. That money is just one part of the ongoing economic stimulus talks in Washington, which many hope can yield a deal on Friday. 

Though the postal service situation is a big concern nationwide, the significant participation in elections throughout the country is encouraging — and no surprise. The people are on the way to choosing who will lead them through one of the most difficult periods their towns, states and country have ever faced. It will take a nation of people to be vigilant amid the challenges of the upcoming months, to make sure progress is made on a host of issues. But that all starts with casting your vote. 

— Gareth Henderson