Vermont gubernatorial election, 2010

Vermont gubernatorial election, 2010

2008 ← November 2, 2010 → 2012

Nominee Peter Shumlin Brian Dubie Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 119,543[1] 115,212 Percentage 49.5% 47.7%

Governor before election Jim Douglas Republican Elected Governor Peter Shumlin Democratic

The 2010 Vermont gubernatorial general election took place on November 2, 2010. Vermont is one of only two states where the Governor serves for a two-year term (the other being neighboring New Hampshire). The statewide primary election took place on August 24, 2010.

On August 27, 2009, incumbent Republican Governor Jim Douglas announced he would not run for reelection.^[2] Following Douglas' announcement, the Democratic Governors Association said the race was in its top tier of elections for a change of political parties.^[3] The non-partisan Cook Political Report currently also rated the gubernatorial election as a toss-up.^[4]

On November 2, the voters posted an unofficial 117,561-113,227 electoral victory for Democrat Peter Shumlin.^[5] Due to the other 4 candidates getting under 2,000, but most over 1,000 votes the total for Shumlin was close to the 50% plus 1 that is needed to not have the legislature vote on the winner as per the Vermont constitution. But regardless of whether Shumlin got the majority or simply a plurality of the vote, his main rival Republican Brian Dubie conceded the race around 9 am on November 3.^[6]

Republican primary

Candidate

• Brian Dubie, Lieutenant Governor^[7]

Democratic primary

Candidates

• Susan Bartlett of Hyde Park, State Senator^[8]
• Matt Dunne, Google Executive and former State Senator of Hartland^[9]
• Deborah Markowitz of Montpelier, elected Secretary of State of Vermont in 1998^[10]
• Doug Racine of Richmond, State Senator, former Lieutenant Governor, and 2002 Democratic nominee^[10]
• Peter Shumlin of Putney, Senate President Pro Tempore^[11]

Peter Shumlin won the Democratic primary according to the uncertified tabulation of statewide votes released by the Office of the Secretary of State on August 27, 2010, by 197 votes over Doug Racine, who requested a recount.^[12] The recount began September 8.^[13] Racine conceded on September 10.^[14]

Results

Democratic primary results[12][15]
Party		Candidate	Votes	Percentage
	Democratic	Peter Shumlin	18,276	24.8%
	Democratic	Doug Racine	18,079	24.6%
	Democratic	Deborah Markowitz	17,579	23.9%
	Democratic	Matt Dunne	15,323	20.8%
	Democratic	Susan Bartlett	3,759	5.1%
	Democratic	write-in	560	0.8%
Totals			73,576	100%

Progressive primary

Candidates

• Martha Abbott, state party chair; Abbott won the primary, then withdrew from the election, so the party did not have a candidate on the ballot.^[16]

Results

Vermont Progressive primary results[15]
Party		Candidate	Votes	Percentage
	VT Progressive	Martha Abbott	257	69.6%
	VT Progressive	write-in	112	30.4%
Totals			369	100%

Independent and third party candidates

• Cris Ericson, "United States Marijuana Party" Verification of party name as the "United States Marijuana Party"^{[clarification needed]}
• Dan Feliciano, independent
• Ben Mitchell, Liberty Union Party
• Em Payton, independent, of Putney
• Dennis Steele, Independent

Polling

Poll source	Dates administered	Brian Dubie (R)	Peter Shumlin (D)
Rasmussen Reports	October 28, 2010	45%	50%
Vermont Public Radio	October 12, 2010	44%	43%
Rasmussen Reports	September 13, 2010	46%	49%
Rasmussen Reports	June 17, 2010	55%	36%
Rasmussen Reports	March 18, 2010	51%	33%

Results

2010 Gubernatorial Election Results, Vermont[1]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	Peter Shumlin	119,543	49.44%	+27.8%
	Republican	Brian Dubie	115,212	47.69%	-5.7%
	Independent	Dennis Steele	1,917	0.79%	n/a
	Marijuana	Cris Ericson	1,819	0.75%	n/a
	Independent	Dan Feliciano	1,341	0.56%	n/a
	Independent	Em Peyton	684	0.28%	n/a
	Liberty Union	Ben Mitchell	429	0.18%	-0.33%
	Write-ins		660	0.27%	n/a
Majority			4,331
Total votes			241,605	100%
	Democratic gain from Republican

Because Vermont does not allow its Governor to be elected with fewer than 50% plus 1 of the total votes cast, the Vermont General Assembly officially elected Peter Shumlin as Vermont's governor. The vote took place on January 6, 2011:

2010 Gubernatorial Election Results, Legislative Joint Assembly
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	Peter Shumlin	145	80.6%	N/A
	Republican	Brian Dubie	28	15.6%	N/A
Total votes			173 of 180	96.2%	N/A

See also

• List of Governors of Vermont
• United States gubernatorial elections, 2010

References

1. ^ ^{a b} http://vermont-elections.org/elections1/2010GeneralCanvass.pdf
2. ^ Pershing, Ben (August 28, 2009). "Republican Governor Won't Seek Reelection in Democratic Vermont". The Washington Post. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/08/27/AR2009082701977.html?hpid=sec-politics. 
3. ^ "Vermont Now Top-Tier Governor's Race" (Press release). Democratic Governors Association, via PR Newswire. August 27, 2009. http://news.yahoo.com/s/usnw/20090827/pl_usnw/vermont_now_top_tier_governor_s_race. 
4. ^ "Governors | The Cook Political Report". Cookpolitical.com. http://www.cookpolitical.com/governors. Retrieved October 15, 2010. 
5. ^ "Election Results: Governor". wcax.com. http://blackpearl.wcax.com/Election_Results/governor_Full.php. 
6. ^ "Dubie concedes to Shumlin in Vermont governor race". burlingtonfreepress.com. 2010-11-03. http://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/article/20101103/NEWS02/101103024/1007/news02/Dubie-concedes-to-Shumlin-in-Vermont-governor-a-race. 
7. ^ Sneyd, Ross (1 October 2009). "Dubie will run for governor". Vermont Public Radio. http://www.vpr.net/news_detail/85987/. 
8. ^ "Sen. Bartlett Enters 2010 Governor's Race". WCAX News. 2009-05-04. http://www.wcax.com/global/story.asp?s=10476836. Retrieved 2009-05-04. 
9. ^ "Dunne will run: Times Argus Online". Timesargus.com. 2009-11-03. http://www.timesargus.com/article/20091103/NEWS02/911030349/1003/NEWS02. Retrieved 2010-08-21. 
10. ^ ^{a b} Hallenbeck, Terri (2009-02-24). "Democrats crowd race for governor". The Burlington Free Press. http://burlingtonfreepress.com/article/20090224/NEWS03/90224001. Retrieved 2009-03-03. 
11. ^ "Sen. Shumlin Confirms He’ll Run for Governor | www.rherald.com | Randolph Herald". www.rherald.com. 2009-11-19. http://www.rherald.com/news/2009-11-19/Front_Page/Sen_Shumlin_Confirms_Hell_Run_for_Governor_001.html. Retrieved 2010-08-21. 
12. ^ ^{a b} "Shumlin wins; Racine calls for recount". The Burlington Free Press. August 27, 2010. http://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/article/20100827/NEWS03/100827014/. Retrieved August 27, 2010. ^{[dead link]}
13. ^ Judge will speed up Vt. primary recount, Bennington Banner, September 3, 2010
14. ^ Remsen, Nancy (September 10, 2010). "Racine concedes". The Burlington Free Press. http://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/article/20100910/NEWS03/100910020/. Retrieved September 11, 2010. 
15. ^ ^{a b} http://vermont-elections.org/elections1/2010PrimaryCanvass.pdf
16. ^ "Abbott drops out of governor's race". The Burlington Free Press. August 28, 2010. http://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/article/20100828/NEWS03/8280302. Retrieved August 29, 2010. ^{[dead link]}

External links

• Vermont Secretary of State - Elections & Campaign Finance Division
• Vermont Governor Candidates at Project Vote Smart
• Campaign contributions for 2010 Vermont Governor from Follow the Money
• Vermont Governor 2010 from OurCampaigns.com
• 2010 Vermont Gubernatorial General Election graph of multiple polls from Pollster.com
• Election 2010: Vermont Governor from Rasmussen Reports
• 2010 Vermont Governor Race from Real Clear Politics
• 2010 Vermont Governor's Race from CQ Politics
• Race Profile in The New York Times
• Vermont League of Conservation Voters 2010 candidates Q&A from VT LCV

Official campaign websites

• Brian Dubie for Governor
• Trav Fryer for Governor
• Cris Ericson for Governor
• Em Peyton For Governor
• Peter Shumlin for Governor
• Dennis Steele for Governor