BURLINGTON, Vt. (WCAX) – By now, we all know who’s running for president – but what about your local candidates?
It won’t be long before people flood Orchard School in South Burlington to cast their votes.
Some Vermonters are eager to fill in all the bubbles, while others only have eyes for the presidential race.
Every voter we spoke with knew incumbent Governor Phil Scott, but many hadn’t heard of his Democratic opponent Esther Charlestin.
Other races, like Lieutenant Governor and State Senate, which could flip the supermajority, also fell to the wayside.
Still, some Vermonters are clued into every race – local included.
“I’ve lived in Winooski for four years, and I have no idea who’s on the ballot,” said Ericka Grigg of Winooski.
“I think our governor is doing a good job and he’s rerunning, and I don’t have that much knowledge on the local,” said Betty Jean Bogue of Shelburne.
“It’s so important for people to spend an equal amount of time educating themselves about the local issues,” said Pallas Ziporyn of South Burlington.
Some of the top local concerns include property tax increases, healthcare costs, and flood resilience.
You can learn more about your ballot by using the new Vermont Voter Guide which breaks down each candidate and their top concerns.
While many political analysts believe four-time incumbent Republican Governor Phil Scott will secure another term, incumbent Democratic Lieutenant Governor David Zuckerman could be on his way out.
One expert from Middlebury College argues Zuckerman’s opponent John Rodgers, who is endorsed by Scott, could ride the governor’s coattails for a new seat in the statehouse.
“He’s making some of the same arguments that Phil Scott has made about affordability in Vermont, which suggests that maybe he can tap into some of that Phil Scott magic,” said Bert Johnson of Middlebury.
Experts also have an eye on the 30 state senate seats up for grabs.
Democrats need to win reelection bids for 20 seats to maintain their supermajority.
If Republicans gain more than one seat, they could sustain Governor Scott’s vetoes – many of which Democrats historically override.
Most polling places in the state open at 7 am, and all polls close at 7 p.m.