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2018 Vermont gubernatorial election

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2018 Vermont gubernatorial election

For related races, see 2018 United States gubernatorial elections.

The 2018 Vermont gubernatorial election took place on November 6, 2018, to elect the governor of Vermont, concurrently with the election of Vermont's Class I U.S. Senate seat, as well as other elections to the United States Senate in other states and elections to the United States House of Representatives and various state and local elections. Incumbent Republican governor Phil Scott, who was first elected in 2016, was re-elected to a second term in office.[1] Hallquist's 40.3% was also the worst performance for a Democratic Party candidate since 2008. This was one of eight Republican-held governorships up for election in a state that Hillary Clinton won in the 2016 presidential election.

Quick Facts Turnout, Nominee ...
2018 Vermont gubernatorial election
← 2016 November 6, 2018 2020 →
Turnout55.6%
  Thumb Thumb
Nominee Phil Scott Christine Hallquist
Party Republican Democratic
Popular vote 151,261 110,335
Percentage 55.19% 40.25%
Thumb
Thumb
Scott:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90%
Hallquist:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%
Governor before election

Phil Scott
Republican

 Elected Governor

Phil Scott
Republican

Close

Despite initial expectations of a potentially close race due to national blue wave, Scott easily won reelection in what became a difficult year for Republicans, winning by 15 percentage points. As of 2025, this election marked the last time a Democratic candidate won a county in a gubernatorial election in Vermont.

Background

Along with New Hampshire, Vermont is one of only two states where governors are elected to two-year terms. Republican Phil Scott was elected in the 2016 election.[1]

Republican primary

Candidates

Declared

Eliminated in primary

Endorsements

Debates and forums

Results

Thumb
Results by county:
  Scott—70–80%
  Scott—60–70%
  Scott—50–60%
More information Party, Candidate ...
Republican primary results
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Phil Scott (incumbent) 24,042 66.67
Republican Keith Stern 11,617 32.22
Republican Write-ins 401 1.11
Total votes 36,060 100.0
Republican Blank votes 700
Republican Overvotes 20
Close

Democratic primary

Summarize
Perspective

Candidates

Nominated

Eliminated in primary

  • James Ehlers, executive director of Lake Champlain International and environmentalist[5]
  • John S. Rodgers, current State Senator from Essex County, former State Representative, and construction business owner[6] (write-in candidate)
  • Brenda Siegel, opioid epidemic and Brattleboro hurricane relief activist and worker, former community organizer for Bernie Sanders, southern Vermont nonprofit executive and founding director[7] (also ran in Progressive primary)
  • Ethan Sonneborn, freshman in high school[8] who began his campaign when he was 13 years old.[9] The election was held a few weeks before he entered his freshman year of high school.[10] His campaign was focused on healthcare for all, the environment, economy, and education.[11] Had he won, he would have been the youngest governor in American history.[11] Vermont (as well as Kansas) does not have a minimum age requirement for governor.

Endorsements

James Ehlers

Organizations

  • AFL-CIO

People

Brenda Siegel

Statewide and local politicians

Businesses

  • Vermont Green Grow Wellness Center

Organizations

  • Emerge Vermont
  • SolutionsToWork

People

  • Mark Hughes, executive director of Justice for All, organizer of Poor Peoples Campaign VT[14]

Debates and forums

Results

Thumb
Results by county:
  Hallquist—60–70%
  Hallquist—50–60%
  Hallquist—40–50%
  Hallquist—30–40%
  Siegel—40–50%
More information Party, Candidate ...
Democratic primary results[15]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Christine Hallquist 27,622 45.07
Democratic James Ehlers 12,668 20.67
Democratic Brenda Siegel 12,260 20.01
Democratic Ethan Sonneborn 4,696 7.66
Democratic John S. Rodgers (write-in) 950 1.55
Democratic Write-ins (other) 3,074 5.02
Total votes 61,279 100.0
Democratic Blank votes 7,997
Democratic Overvotes 68
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With this result, Christine Hallquist became the first openly transgender candidate for governor nominated by a major political party in the United States.[16][17]

Progressive primary

Candidates

Eliminated in primary

Write-in
  • Brenda Siegel (also ran in Democratic primary)

Endorsements

Brenda Siegel

Statewide and local politicians

  • Mike Mrowicki, state representative
  • Tommy Walz, state representative

Businesses

  • Vermont Green Grow Wellness Center

Organizations

  • Emerge Vermont
  • SolutionsToWork

People

  • Mark Hughes, executive director of Justice for All, organizer of Poor Peoples Campaign VT

Debates and forums

Results

[18]

More information Party, Candidate ...
Vermont Progressive Party primary results
Party Candidate Votes %
Progressive Brenda Siegel (write-in) 35 8.75
Progressive Write-ins (other) 365 91.2
Total votes 400 100.0
Progressive Blank votes 199
Close

Libertarian nomination

Candidates

Withdrawn

Liberty Union nomination

Candidates

Declared

  • Emily Peyton, candidate for governor in 2014[20]

Independents

Candidates

Declared

Write-in

Withdrawn

General election

Summarize
Perspective

Debates

Predictions

More information Source, Ranking ...
Source Ranking As of
The Cook Political Report[27] Safe R October 26, 2018
The Washington Post[28] Lean R November 5, 2018
FiveThirtyEight[29] Safe R November 5, 2018
Rothenberg Political Report[30] Safe R November 1, 2018
Sabato's Crystal Ball[31] Safe R November 5, 2018
RealClearPolitics[32] Likely R November 4, 2018
Daily Kos[33] Likely R November 5, 2018
Fox News[34][a] Likely R November 5, 2018
Politico[35] Lean R November 5, 2018
Governing[36] Safe R November 5, 2018
Close
Notes
  1. The Fox News Midterm Power Rankings uniquely does not contain a category for Safe/Solid races

Endorsements

Christine Hallquist (D)

US Cabinet members and Cabinet-level officials

US senators

US representatives

Statewide and local politicians

  • Martin O'Malley, former governor of Maryland[41]
  • Claire Ayer, state senator[42]
  • Chris Bray, state senator[42]
  • Joey Donovan, state representative[42]
  • Alice Emmons, state representative[42]
  • Helen Head, state representative[42]
  • Matt Hill, state representative[42]
  • Warren Kitzmiller, state representative[42]
  • Gabe Lucke, state representative[42]
  • Curt McCormack, state representative[42]
  • Dick McCormack, state senator[42]
  • Mary Sullivan, state representative[42]

Individuals

Labor unions

Organizations

Phil Scott (R)

Statewide and local politicians

Organizations

Declined to endorse

Polling

More information Poll source, Date(s) administered ...
Poll source Date(s)
administered		 Sample
size		 Margin
of error		 Phil
Scott (R)		 Christine
Hallquist (D)		 Other Undecided
Gravis Marketing[53] October 30 – November 1, 2018 885 ± 3.3% 49% 39% – 12%
Braun Research[54] October 5–14, 2018 495 ± 4.4% 42% 28% 7%[55] 22%
Tulchin Research (D-Vermont Democratic Party)[56] September 23–26, 2018 406 ± 4.9% 50% 42% – –
Close

Results

More information Party, Candidate ...
2018 Vermont gubernatorial election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Phil Scott (incumbent) 151,261 55.19% +2.28%
Democratic Christine Hallquist 110,335 40.25% −3.91%
Independent Trevor Barlow 3,266 1.19% N/A
Independent Charles Laramie 2,287 0.83% N/A
Marijuana Cris Ericson 2,129 0.78% N/A
Earth Rights Stephen Marx 1,855 0.68% N/A
Liberty Union Emily Peyton 1,839 0.66% −2.17%
Write-in 1,115 0.41% -0.31%
Total votes 274,087 100.00% N/A
Republican hold
Close

Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican

References

External links

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