Middlebury voting guide

Presidential primary in Middlebury

Polls for the presidential primary will be open in Middlebury on March 3, 2020, from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. at the Recreation Center, 154 Creek Road, Middlebury, Vt..

What is the presidential primary?

The presidential primary is a series of state-by-state inter-party elections to nominate a presidential candidate from each party to appear on the ballot in November. Although President Trump is virtually uncontested in the Republican primary, Vermont has three Electoral College delegates to offer the top-voted Democratic candidate in a winner-take-all contest.

How do I vote in Vermont?

Polls for the presidential primary will be open in Middlebury on March 3, 2020, from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. at the Recreation Center, 154 Creek Road, Middlebury VT 05753. All those registered to vote in Middlebury can show up at any time during this period. No ID is required – your name will be on a list at the polling place. Expect to line up, state your name and possibly address, and cast a ballot.

What if I’m not registered to vote, or am unsure of my status?

You can check whether or not you’re registered to vote in a certain state on vote.org. If you’re registered elsewhere, you may need an absentee ballot, which can be requested on a state-by-state basis. Unfortunately, it may be too late to request one in the mail from your home state. Luckily, if you’re still determined to vote in the primary, Vermont has same-day online registration available to all residents including students.

Who can I vote for?

Whether you’re registered to vote in Vermont or another state, the primary ballot will look relatively the same. Vermont is an open-primary state, which means you don’t have to declare a party affiliation beforehand and can choose to vote in the Democratic or Republican primary at will. If you choose to vote in the Democratic primary, you can choose from the eight remaining viable candidates or a write-in, including Vermont’s own Senator Bernie Sanders.

 Town meeting in Middlebury: Australian Ballot

Polls for the Middlebury “Australian ballot” will be open in Middlebury on March 3, 2020, from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. at the Recreation Center, 154 Creek Road, Middlebury, Vt.

What is the “Australian ballot”?

The Australian ballot is a part of Middlebury’s annual Town Meeting Day, though there’s no meeting involved. Unlike the “floor meeting,” the ballot is a paper yes-or-no vote and will take place alongside the presidential primary vote at the Middlebury Recreation Center on Super Tuesday, March 3, 2020.

Who can participate in the Australian ballot?

Any voter registered in Middlebury is eligible to cast a vote. Residents are not required to have attended the Town Meeting Day “floor meeting” to vote in the Australian ballot.

What will be on the ballot?

The town of Middlebury released a “warning” for the six issues that will be presented on the ballot. They are as follows:

- Should an amount of up to $2,500,000 be issued to finance construction of water system transmission and distribution improvements surrounding the Court Square area?

- Should an amount of up to $2,000,000 be issued to finance refurbishment of flood resiliency measures?

- Should an amount of up to $850,000 be issued to rehabilitate the former wastewater treatment facility and related surrounding amenities?

- Should an amount of $5,000 be issued to the Turning Point Center of Addison County to assist them in aiding Vermonters in recovery from substance abuse and addiction?

- Should an amount of $5,000 be issued to the Champlain Valley Office of Economic Opportunity (CVOEO) to assist them in aiding town residents in need of support regarding housing, fuel and food?

- Should nominees for town official positions be elected as required by the Middlebury Town Charter? 

Hattie LeFavour ’21 is a local editor for The Campus.