Vermont

Polls open some time between 5 a.m. and 10 a.m. Eastern Time, depending on the town. All polling places close at 7 p.m. ET. For local polling place hours, please visit the Vermont Voter Portal.

A voter is required to go to their specific polling place. Voters can visit the Vermont Voter Portal to find the location of their assigned polling place .Polling place lookup tool.

Registration Deadlines

• For registration deadlines, see How to Register below.

How to Check Your Registration: Voters can determine whether they are registered to vote at the following link: Am I Registered?.

You are eligible to vote in Vermont if you:

• Are a U.S. citizen
• Are at least 18 years old by Election Day
• Are a resident of Vermont
• Live in the precinct in which you want to vote
• Take, or have previously taken, the Voter’s Oath

People who are incarcerated for any reason can always vote in Vermont. Residents of Montpelier who are not U.S. citizens may be eligible to vote in local elections.

You are NOT eligible to vote in Vermont if:

• You were disqualified from voting due to a court order

You may preregister to vote in Vermont

• if you will be 18 by Election Day

Any person meeting the requirements above who will be 18 on or before the date of a general election may register and vote in the primary election immediately preceding that general election.

How to register 

• Vermont Congressional, State and Gubernatorial Primary Election
  • Submitted by Mon Aug 10, 2026 5:00PM
  • In Person: Election Day Registration & Voting Tue Aug 11, 2026 7:00PM
• Vermont Congressional, State and Gubernatorial General Election
  • Submitted by Mon Nov 2, 2026 5:00PM
  • In Person: Election Day Registration & Voting Tue Nov 3, 2026 7:00PM

Vermont residents may register to vote online through the Vermont Secretary of State’s Online Voter Registration System (Link: Online Voter Registration System) or by mail, email, or drop off at their local clerk’s office using the Vermont Voter Registration Form. 

Required Documentation

A Vermont resident registering to vote for the first time must include a photocopy of an acceptable form of ID with their registration (valid photo ID (Vermont driver’s license, federally issued photo ID, or a U.S. passport), copy of a current utility bill, copy of a current bank statement, or another government document showing the resident’s name and current residential address).

Residency Requirements

Vermont law defines a “resident” as a person who intends to maintain a “principal” (primary) home in the town indefinitely or a specific intent to return there if temporarily absent. A voter who has more than one home must decide which one is their “principal” home. 

If You Want to Vote Absentee, requests may be made:

• In-Person
• By Mail
• By Email
• Online

Absentee Ballots may be returned:

• In-Person
• By Mail

Vermont Congressional, State and Gubernatorial Primary Election

Ballot Request:

• Submitted by Mon Aug 10, 2026 5:00PM
• Emergency Ballot Request by Tue Aug 11, 2026

Ballot Return:

• Received in Dropbox by Mon Aug 10, 2026 5:00PM
• In the Election Office by Mon Aug 10, 2026
• Hand Delivered by Tue Aug 11, 2026 7:00PM
• Post Received by Tue Aug 11, 2026 7:00PM

Vermont Congressional, State and Gubernatorial General Election

Ballot Request:

• Submitted by Mon Nov 2, 2026 5:00PM
• Emergency Ballot Request by Tue Nov 3, 2026

Ballot Return:

• Received in Dropbox by Mon Nov 2, 2026 5:00PM
• In the Election Office by Mon Nov 2, 2026
• Hand Delivered by Tue Nov 3, 2026 7:00PM
• Post Received by Tue Nov 3, 2026 7:00PM

Vermont voters can request an early or absentee ballot using the Vermont Voter Portal. When a voter uses this page, their request will instantly be sent to the clerk, who will need to approve it before issuing the voter a ballot.

Absentee ballots must be sealed inside the absentee certificate envelope and physically returned to the town clerk via mail, hand delivery, or drop box. Please visit this link for a list of Vermont town clerk locations.

Vermont voters can vote early in-person at their town clerk’s office. Please visit this link for a list of Vermont town clerk locations. Voters can also submit their early ballots to any secure drop box provided by the town or city in which the voter is registered. The voter should check with the town clerk’s office to determine if there are drop boxes and where they are located. Voters can also mail their ballots to the town clerk’s office so that it arrives before the polls close on Election Day. Voters can also return their voted ballot at the polling place during voting hours on the day of the election.

There is no ID requirement for early/absentee voters unless the voter is a first-time voter who registered by mail or online (in which case they will need a valid photo ID (Vermont driver’s license, federally issued photo ID, or a U.S. passport), a copy of a current utility bill, a copy of a current bank statement, or another government document showing the voter’s name and current residential address).

Absentee ballots for the August 11, 2026 Primary Election will only be mailed to registered voters upon request. Absentee ballots are not automatically mailed to voters for Primary Elections.

No excuse or reason is required to vote early/absentee.

Voter Registration

To register to vote in Vermont you should provide one of the following:

• Your Vermont Driver’s License Number
• Vermont Personal ID
• Last Four Digits of your Social Security Number

If you are registering to vote for the first time by mail, you will need to provide a copy of a valid ID. Acceptable forms of ID include:

• Valid Vermont Voter ID Card with Photo
• Valid federal photo ID card
• Valid US Passport
• Utility Bill, Bank Statement or other Government Document

Voting In-Person

In Vermont, only first-time voters who have registered by mail have to show ID in order to vote. If you registered when you renewed your drivers license, or as part of a voter registration drive, you will not be required to show ID. If you are voting for the first time or your registration is incomplete, you can use any ID from this list:

• Valid Vermont Driver’s License
• U.S. Passport
• Utility Bill
• Bank Statement
• Other Government Document

A Vermont resident without a Vermont driver’s license or Social Security Number should contact the State Elections Division at (802) 828-2363.

There are no ID requirements for voters casting their ballot by mail or in-person unless the voter is a first-time voter who registered by mail or online (in which case they will need a valid photo ID (Vermont driver’s license, federally issued photo ID, or a U.S. passport), a copy of a current utility bill, a copy of a current bank statement, or another government document showing the voter’s name and current residential address).

Vermont does not have a free ID option solely for voting purposes.

Vermont residents are permitted to vote provisionally, but this is rare. In the case that a person who is not on the voter checklist asserts that they submitted an application prior to the deadline and refuse to complete a new application, or if the voter’s registration application is rejected and the voter disputes that rejection, then they are provided an affidavit to swear to the fact under penalty of perjury. If they sign the affidavit, then they can vote provisionally at the polling place.

Voters who move within the area covered by the same polling place must provide an affirmation that they have moved within the jurisdiction of the new polling place. 

Voters who move within the same municipality, but to the area of a different polling place must vote at their new polling place and provide an affirmation that the voter has moved within the municipality and is voting at the correct polling place.

Voters who move to a different municipality retain the right to vote at their former polling place for up to 17 days following the move.  After 17 days, the voter must register at the new municipality and vote at their new polling place.

Voters moving to Vermont may register to vote up to and on Election Day.

Voting Military

Service members and their dependents may register and request a ballot using the federal voter registration/ballot request form (“FPCA”). You will have the following identification options when completing the form:

• U.S. State or Territory or District Issued ID
• Option to Indicate that you do not have the Requested ID
• Last 4 Digits of your Social Security Number

Voting Overseas

U.S. citizens living overseas may register and request a ballot using the overseas voter registration/ballot request form. You will have the following identification options when completing the form:

• Last 4 Digits of your Social Security Number
• U.S. State or Territory or District Issued ID
• Option to Indicate that you do not have the Requested ID

Military and overseas voters can request an absentee ballot through the Vermont Voter Portal or by telephone, fax, email, or mail to their town clerk using the Vermont Absentee Ballot Request Form. If you requested through telephone, fax, email, or mail, you must provide your email address or fax number. Military and overseas voters must provide either a Vermont-issued ID number or the last 4 digits of their Social Security Number. Military and overseas voters are strongly recommended to request an early or absentee ballot at least 45 days prior to an election.

Ballots must be returned to the town clerk inside the absentee envelope (sent with the ballot) and not by fax or email.  They must be received by the close of polls on Election Day. For more information regarding voting by absentee ballot, please visit: https://www.fvap.gov/vermont. 

Federal law states that the Federal Write-in Absentee Ballot (FWAB) can be used only if the voter has applied for an absentee ballot 30 days before the general election and has not received the absentee ballot. In addition, members of the military must be absent from their voting residence.

Vermont residents with a criminal record (including those who are currently incarcerated) are eligible to vote in both primary and general elections. Since a criminal record does not impact or prohibit a person’s right to vote in Vermont, there is no specific eligibility criteria beyond Vermont’s standard voting eligibility rules. However, currently incarcerated voters must register and vote in the town in which they resided before being incarcerated. They may not use the place of involuntary confinement as their place of residence for purposes of voting.